Right after Transformers, it’s the turn of another major toyline to begin its reel life. GI Joe: The Real American Hero range of action figures which have fascinated kids for a pretty long time is finally reaching a theatre near you. Launched in 1964, the toyline has had an enviable run till date. To add to its credit, a number of comics, spin-offs, animated series, video games, animated movies and merchandise are very much in demand since the day it first saw light.
They had these super cool code names which sounded sound like music to many ears, including that of yours truely. General Hawk, Snake Eyes, Duke, Scarlett, Ripcord, Cobra Commander, Destro, Zartan, Baroness, Storm Shadow and many more of the good guys and the bad guys, whose real names we have no clear idea of. However almost every boy has had a GI Joe once or wished to be one.
To the less initiated, GI Joe is a fictional elite military unit of the US armed forces, frequently engaged in battles with the terrorist organization named Cobra. The live action movie was in the discussion room for a very long time. It was the success of Transformers which sped up the proceedings and the movie, GI Joe : the Rise of Cobra is now all set for release on August 7, 2009.
Made of a massive $170 million budget, GI Joe has ace director Stephen Sommers in the director’s chair. Sommers’ previous movies include, The Mummy, The Mummy returns and Van Helsing. He knows how to make a thrilling action movie on a broad canvas. With slight humour and lots of energy in each scene, all his movies have been popcorn muncher’s delights. The first trailer of GI Joe does offer all the goodies that one expects to find in an out-and-out action bonanza. Chaos and mayhem rule the 33 second trailer. Dennis Quaid, and Sienna miller are the only biggies in the star-starved movie. Sommers’ favourite; Arnold Vosloo (the guy who played the Mummy) is in the role of Zartan, one of the bad guys. To top it off, there is Brendan Frazer who makes a guest appearance.
However, the lack of big stars should not be a reason to panic or to back out. Does it really matter who plays Snake Eyes? He is hidden behind the mask and he does what we want him to, in the best way possible – to kick some serious baddie “posterior”. Same applies in the case of the rest of the characters. But there is a complaint. Why is it that all the characters wear similar looking battle gear? Did the costume designing team run out of ideas after designing one outfit? Most of the characters have the same outfit with slight modifications in the battle gear. Monotony is not appealing. The action figures and the animated series may have a bit outlandish sense of styling when it comes to attire, but giving all of them black armoured gear was a bit dull. Wish the director had put the costume department to better work.
What’s it about: An elite team of covert operations specialists chosen from around the globe fight to wade off a megalomaniac weapons manufacturer and his mad scientist. The movie tracks the rise of the Cobra terrorist organization and is the first live action feature film based on the G.I. Joe toy line/comic series.
Verdict: Not bad. I’m forced to like it as I love the G.I. Joe characters so much. Stephen Sommers disappointed. I’d like to see a sequel though with more characters and some quality special effects. Gore Verbinski is my recommendation for the director's chair.
