http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1046173/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1046173/)
Well, what can I say. I went into this movie with very little hope. I had actually wanted to go see District 9, but the GF wanted to see this one more (I think she likes Channing Tatum from the dance movies). So like a good BF I paid for the ticket, bought our food, and began to wolf down the popcorn in hopes I would at least enjoy the food.
Turns out the popcorn was salty... too salty. I figured this was a sign of what to come. So I sighed, kept eating, and got ready to fight the sleep I knew would creep in (we were at the late show this Friday evening).
Previews concluded, opening sequence started, and 45mins later I check my phone to see the time (only because the damn thing started to vibrate uncontrollably as the server notifications from work flood my blackberry). The movie was actually, and yet very surprisingly, good! Good story, good acting, good action, and good CG. Of course the vehicles and weaponry are so out there... but it is G.I. Joe after all, it has to be out there! And I actually think they hit the PG-13 rating bang on - very little swearing (in fact I can't remember much at all - but then again I'm not looking for it), very little "scary" action scenes, and very little blood. Good comedy, and light on the sexual humour as well.
The movie does well at building the characters for you - giving them backgrounds and tie-ins - which bring them so much more to life than just action figure replication with voice and action (like the cartoon was so long ago - which works for kids, but as an adult I think it would have failed!). The flow of the movie is constant, and the action well played out. Even a cameo or two show up in the film, if for brief moments as cameos go. There is a beginning, middle, end - all a big surprise to me when it was finally concluding. As well it does an excellent job of leaving room for a sequel, in a similar fashion to the popular X-Men movies of recent years.
So if you were even remotely thinking of seeing this one, I think you will be presently surprised by what you get out of this one.
As a side note: Whom ever is looking after the creative license for Hasbro seems to know what they are doing when it comes to signing off on movies. With Transformers and now G.I. Joe, I think they have two credible franchises on the big screen, IMHO.
Thanks for the review, I'm hoping to go see it with my son (if he doesn't go with a friend first).
Also, there's no PG-13 rating in Alberta (or even Canada). See this thread (http://forums.righteouswrath.com/index.php/topic,7101.0.html) :D
Quote from: Thorin on August 16, 2009, 05:05:58 PM
Thanks for the review, I'm hoping to go see it with my son (if he doesn't go with a friend first).
Also, there's no PG-13 rating in Alberta (or even Canada). See this thread (http://forums.righteouswrath.com/index.php/topic,7101.0.html) :D
You're welcome, and please let us know what yourself and your son thinks.
And YES I know that... I read the thread when it was active (sometimes I think you guys forget there is only like 10 or so of us MAX that are active on this board - so it's not like there is much to miss in all the MAD posting that goes on here). But the movie is still rated PG-13, even if Alberta, or Canadian film boards or theatres don't follow or advertise it. The MPAA has it rated at PG-13, so in the states that is the rating it got, and the rating system is well known throughout many countries even if it is not followed. So my comparison/observation was still conveyed, as you knew what the rating was, and also that Canada does not follow it.
I may be ranting a bit here, but I see this far to often on forums across the internet... a simple post, and it may not be meant as this but.... comes across as a "You should know better, and because I do, here is a post/link which really doesn't bring much relevance to the current conversation or thread direction, except it does give a 'look what I know' style response". Maybe you were intending to just drum up more activity on your thread with your statement, and I took it the wrong way?
This is just my observation and opinion... one of a sleepy person as you can imagine by the lateness of this post.
EDIT: Added a bit more meaning to my response.
Sorry.