G.I. Joe: Retaliation

[orangeman]

I think the addition of Dwayne Johnson and him being the central protagonist over Tatum has its merits. Tatum is a pretty dry lead in these sort of action-driven flicks (such as the first movie) but as supporting cast, he fits in better. Release timing isn't terrible because any later and it will be overshadowed by the massive summer blockbusters. 
One of those movies that is good at killing time without feeling completely cheated.

[Guest shinerelsie]

I'd watched this movie today and I think i can give the credit of this one to Byung Hun Lee.,, his acting was so superb..hands down on him...and I cant stop myself wanting more of him..hehehe

[rubie]

March 31, 2013
Box Office Report: 'G.I. Joe' Opens Worldwide to Muscle-Bound $132 Million
by Pamela McClintock THR
Tyler Perry's thriller "Temptation" opens to sultry $22.3 million domestically, while Stephenie Meyer's "The Host" is so-so; "Place Beyond the Pines" soars at the specialty box office with $71,364 location average.
Jon M. Chu's G.I. Joe: Retaliation opened to a pleasing $132 million at the worldwide box office, one of the best showings ever for the Easter holiday and marking the top international debut of the year so far.
G.I. Joe took in $80.3 million overseas and $51.7 million domestically, including $41.2 million for the weekend proper, the second-best domestic Easter gross behind the 2010 Clash of the Titans ($61.2 million). Internationally, G.I. Joe opened 10 percent ahead of Oz the Great and Powerful, which debuted earlier this month to $69.9 million.
In North America, Paramount opened the action bonanza -- headlining franchise newcomers Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis -- on Thursday to get a jump on the holiday weekend. The sequel, earning an A- CinemaScore and fueled by males, came much closer than expected to matching the $54.7 million bow of G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra, which opened in early August 2009.
Overseas, the sequel is doing double the business that Cobra did (that film opened to $92 million globally). It's doing especially well in Russia ($11 million), Latin America and Asia, where 3D remains a popular format.
The successful opening of G.I. Joe vindicates Paramount for deciding to push back the film's release from summer 2012 in order to convert it to 3D and refashion Channing Tatum's role. Originally, his character was killed off, but after the star's box-office status surged thanks to The Vow and 21 Jump Street, Paramount and its partners decided to make the character's fate more ambiguous.
"Clearly this was a movie that felt like it should be in 3D, so Jon Chu went back and did an excellent job in making that happen," said Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore. "Certain parts of the story also needed to be massaged, and Adam Goodman and his team worked with Jon to get it to a great place."
Paramount financed and produced the film with MGM and Skydance Productions in association with Hasbro. Producers are Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner.
The studio says it minimized its risk overall by keeping G.I. Joe's budget to roughly $130 million; Cobra cost at least $175 million. Paramount put up half the money for the sequel, while MGM and David Ellison's Skydance each put up a 25 percent share.
Animated event pic The Croods, from DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox, jumped the $200 million mark in its second weekend. The family pic came in No. 2 domestically, grossing $26.5 million for a 10-day cume of $88.6 million. Overseas, Croods took in $52.5 million for a worldwide total of $229.1 million.
Opening on Good Friday in North America were writer-director Tyler Perry's sultry thriller Temptation -- a marked departure from the filmmaker's comedic fare -- and director Andrew Niccol's sci-fi thriller The Host, adapted from Twilight author Stephenie Meyer's novel. 
From Lionsgate, Temptation opened to a pleasing $22.3 million to place No. 3. million.Fueled by female moviegoers and receiving an A- CinemaScore, Temptation stars Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Friday Night Lights) as a restless marriage counselor who begins a dangerous affair with a social media mogul (Robbie Jones). Lance Gross, Kim Kardashian, Vanessa Williams also star.
Lionsgate targeted women and African-Americans in marketing the film. The studio also took advantage of Kardashian's celebrity profile.
It is the fourth Perry film that Lionsgate has released over Easter weekend.
The Host, starring Saoirse Ronan, Max Irons and Jake Abel, opened to a so-so $11 million. Coming in No. 6, the film received an B- CinemaScore.
Open Road Films is distributing the film on behalf of producers Nick Wechsler, Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz and Inferno Entertainment. Meyer also is a producer and has tirelessly promoted the project, which marks her first post-Twilight outing.
Set in a society where parasitic aliens known as "Souls" inhabit humans, The Host is appealing primarily to females (Meyer's fan base). The story follows a "Soul" who finds it impossible to entirely banish the human girl she inhabits.
Among holdovers, Disney's Oz the Great and Powerful jumped the $400 million in its fourth weekend of play at the global box office. The tentpole has now earned $198.3 million domestically and $214 million internationally for a total $412.3 million, by far the best showing of 2013 to date.
Derek Cianfrance's The Place Beyond the Pines, starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes, made headlines at the specialty box office. Opening in four theaters, the Focus Features film grossed $285,000 for a location average of $72,364, easily the best average of Easter weekend.

[rubie]

April 1, 2013
‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ commands No. 1 position at box office with $41.2M
By Associated Press via The Washington Post
LOS ANGELES — After a nine-month delay, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” deployed to the top spot at the box office.
The action film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Bruce Willis and Channing Tatum as the gun-toting military toys brought to life marched into the No. 1 position at the weekend box office, earning $41.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. “Retaliation” opened Wednesday at midnight, which helped bring its domestic total to $51.7 million.
Paramount postponed the sequel to 2009’s “G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra” last May from its original June opening date to convert the film to 3-D. The last-minute switcheroo came just weeks after “Battleship,” another movie based on a Hasbro toy, sank at the box office. At that time, Paramount already began its advertising campaign for “Retaliation.”
“It certainly vindicates the decision,” said Don Harris, the studio’s head of distribution. “Any time you make those sorts of moves, people always assume the worst. The truth is I’d seen this movie a long time ago in 2-D, and the movie worked in 2-D. It’s not trying to be ‘Schindler’s List.’ This movie is intended to be enjoyed as a big, action spectacle.”
Internationally, Harris said “Retaliation” earned $80.3 million, making it the biggest international opening of the year. The film opened in 53 markets outside of the U.S. and Canada, including Russia, South Korea and Mexico.
After debuting in the top spot last weekend, the 3-D animated prehistoric comedy “The Croods” from DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox slipped to the No. 2 spot with $26.5 million in its second weekend. The film features the voices of Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone and Catherine Keener as a cave family on the hunt for a new home.
Among the other new films this weekend, “Tyler Perry’s Temptation” starring Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Lance Gross opened above expectations at No. 3 with $22.3 million, while the sci-fi adaptation “The Host” featuring Saoirse Ronan, Max Irons, and Jake Abel as characters from the Stephenie Meyer novel landed at No. 6 in its debut weekend with a modest $11 million.
Overall, the weekend box office was on par with last year when “The Hunger Games” continued to dominate in its second weekend of release with $58.5 million. After a slow start, Hollywood’s year-to-date revenues are still 12 percent behind last year, heading into next month when summer movie season unofficially kicks off with “Iron Man 3” on May 3.
“It’s getting us back on track after many weekends of down trending box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Hollywood.com. “Last weekend was a turning point with the strength of ‘The Croods’ and ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ doing better than expected. We’re heading toward the summer movie season on solid footing. It’s been a tough year so far.”
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

[rubie]

APRIL 1, 2013
Korean Box Office: G.I. Joe 2 Wipes out the Competition (03/29-03/31, 2013)
Source: MKC (please refer link for full B.O. article)
Spring is in the air following a long winter and as a result Korea's multiplexes saw a dip in admissions. Hollywood took back the top spot during the weakest frame in quite some time as only 1.64 million tickets were sold. Moreover, due to the new foreign number 1, only 42% of admissions were occupied by local releases. Following a huge winter for the Korean film industry the outlook for local productions is a bit weaker for the coming months as people will enjoy the great weather before the sweltering summer will force them back into the theaters.
G.I. Joe 2 (and Lee Byung-hun's abs) powered to a strong start with 708,267 admissions, which was in line with the first installment's debut in 2009. Hard to say whether Lee Byung-hun's (A Bittersweet Life) presence boosted sales but it certainly didn't hurt. Local advertisements featured him front and center, though his is screen time is relatively small. However, a Korean action film is hitting screens next week and may hurt G.I. Joe's prospects going forward.
Source: KOBIZ

[rubie]

April 1, 2013
'G.I. Joe' sequel tops box office charts
Korea JoongAng Daily
LOS ANGELES - After a nine-month delay, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation’’ deployed to the top spot at the box office.
The action film starring Dwayne “The Rock’’ Johnson, Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum and Korean star Lee Byung-hun as the gun-toting military toys brought to life marched into the No. 1 position at the weekend box office, earning $41.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. “Retaliation’’ opened Wednesday at midnight, which helped bring its domestic total to $51.7 million.
Paramount postponed the sequel to 2009’s “G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra’’ last May from its original June opening date to convert the film to 3-D. The last-minute change came just weeks after “Battleship,’’ another movie based on a Hasbro toy, sank at the box office. At that time, Paramount had already begun its advertising campaign for “Retaliation.’’
“It certainly vindicates the decision,’’ said Don Harris, the studio’s head of distribution. “Any time you make those sorts of moves, people always assume the worst. The truth is I’d seen this movie a long time ago in 2-D, and the movie worked in 2-D. It’s not trying to be ‘Schindler’s List.’ This movie is intended to be enjoyed as a big, action spectacle.’’
Internationally, Harris said “Retaliation’’ earned $80.3 million, making it the biggest international opening of the year. The film opened in 53 markets outside of the U.S. and Canada, including Russia, Korea and Mexico.
After debuting in the top spot last weekend, the 3-D animated prehistoric comedy “The Croods’’ from DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox slipped to the No. 2 spot with $26.5 million in its second weekend. 
Among the other new films this weekend, “Tyler Perry’s Temptation’’ starring Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Lance Gross opened above expectations at No. 3 with $22.3 million. 

[rubie]

March 31, 2013
Paramount Brews More ‘Joe’
Stellar global bow for 'Retaliation' spurs plans for 3D three-quel
Andrew Stewart Variety


Yo Joe! Say hello to a three-quel!
The muscular $132 million global bow for “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” has spurred Paramount to move forward with plans for a third installment in the Hasbro franchise, sources confirmed Sunday morning.
The seemingly snappy decision to make a third “Joe” isn’t surprising considering Par has had ample time to think it over; the first film, “Rise of the Cobra,” bowed in 2009. “Retaliation” also was delayed nine months for re-shoots and the 3D conversion.
“Retaliation,” which is an MGM-Skydance co-production, cost less ($130 million) than “Cobra,” which rang in at $175 million.
“Retaliation” outdid its predecessor by 35% globally, thanks in no small part to the 3D upcharge. If “Retaliation” continues to keep that same lead (and it could), the film will land in the ballpark of $410 million worldwide. “Cobra” grossed $303 million globally.
One thing is for certain, however: “G.I. Joe 3″ will most definitely be in 3D.

[rubie]

April 1, 2013
'G.I. Joe 3' In the Works by Kofi Outlaw ScreenRant.com
As predicted in the final line of our G.I. Joe: Retaliation review, moviegoer support for the Hasbro/Paramount franchise has bested the film’s critical drubbing, to the tune of $50+ million domestically ($130+ million globally). That impressive spring debut (nearly what the first film scored on opening weekend in a summer blockbuster slot) makes it impossible to say – with any hint of surprise – that G.I. Joe 3 is already in development.
Variety reports that Paramount now has all the rea$on it needs to push forward with yet another installment of the franchise. There are no details yet, but considering that director Jon M. Chu made Retaliation for less than Rise of Cobra (which was helmed by Mummy director Stephen Sommers), it wouldn’t be surprising if Paramount brought Chu back to helm the next installment (see also: Justin Lin’s rise from Tokyo Drift director to architect of the entire Fast and the Furious franchise).
Given that named recognition helped sell Retaliation, it wouldn’t be surprise, either, if Dwayne Johnson continued to headline the franchise – alongside his (affordable) co-stars Adrianne Palicki (Lady Jaye) and D.J. Cotrona (Flint). Ray Park is likely to stay put in his Snake Eyes costume (if not, another martial arts actor is around), while Byung-hun Lee would also be likely to continue his American exposure as Storm Shadow. Unless the paycheck is there, don’t count too hard on Bruce Willis returning.
Other actors from the first film – Marlon Wayans, Rachel Nichols, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje – are also available for re-enlistment, so there is plenty of opportunity to keep fans of the franchise happy in terms of characters/casting. SPOILER (highlight text to read it) Though, the decision to kill off Channing Tatum’s Duke either has the studio feeling like it dropped the ball, or saved itself from having to cut a sizable paycheck in the future. 
Based on my own review, I thought that Chu nailed the characters and aesthetic of the G.I. Joe world best, while Sommers’ film had better story and character drama (if you can believe that). For the third film, a combination of the two would be welcome – as would actually shooting in the 3D format from the start (almost a guarantee, given Retaliation‘s opening numbers). Despite the sequel’s success, there are no doubt thousands of fans who would’ve still preferred the movie been released in its original summer 2012 slot – a delay caused by a last-minute decision to post-convert it into 3D.
As detailed in our G.I. Joe: Retaliation episode of the SR Underground podcast, I would personally like to see a third film deal with the emergence of a secret Cobra biotech division known as… Cobra La. (An appearance from Sgt. Slaughter would also be appreciated.)
———
We’ll keep you updated on the status of G.I. Joe 3.
Source: Variety

[Guest ladyhotary]

very great movie, I see it and i like Tatum role

[rubie]

For fans in the US.. check out the page, scroll down for the instruction..
April 4, 2013
GIVEAWAY – Win The G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Soundtrack
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2013/04/giveaway-win-the-g-i-joe-retaliation-soundtrack/

Soundtrack Available on Varèse Sarabande on April 23 
Website: www.varesesarabande.com
Music From The Motion PictureG.I. JOE: RETALIATIONMusic Composed byHenry Jackman(Wreck-It Ralph, X-Man: First Class, Kick-A.ss)
G.I. JOE: RETALIATION features the G.I. Joe Team coming into a conflict with Zartan, Storm Shadow and Firefly, all serving under the newly released Cobra Commander. Zartan (who is still impersonating the President of the United States) frames all G.I. Joe operatives as traitors to the United States, exterminating most of them and leaving a small group of survivors. Zartan and the Commander now have all the world leaders under Cobra’s control, with their advanced warheads aimed at innocent populaces around the world. Badly beaten, outnumbered and outgunned, the Joes make a desperate plan to overthrow Cobra Commander and take back the world, with their secret black operation called the “Second American Revolution,” which involves the return of the original G.I. Joe General Joseph Colton (Bruce WIllis).  Also starring Dwayne Johnson, with Channing Tatum, Arnold Vosloo, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, and Lee Byung-hun reprising their roles from G.I. Joe: The Rise Of C.O.B.R.A.
The high-octane score is from action veteran Henry Jackman, who provided the sonic punch for Kick-A.ss and Wreck-It Ralph.
Varese Sarabande Catalog # 302 067 190 2
Release Date: 04/23/13


Track List:1. Prologue (2:00)2. Arashikage (1:38)3. Get Me The GI Joes (2:34)4. Friendly Fire (1:41)5. Exile (3:34)6. Presidential Facade (2:38)7. Einsargen (2:44)8. Making Things Go Boom (2:10)9. Storm Shadow (2:11)10. Bad Dojo (5:05)11. Lady In Red (3:18)12. Fighting Ugly (1:50)13. Fort Sumter (2:35)14. Scare Tactics (2:29)15. I Want It All (:51)16. End Game (4:09)17. Honor Restored (2:48)18. Firefly (4:19)19. Zartan (7:25)

[rubie]

April 7, 2013
Box Office Report: 'Evil Dead' Rises With $30.5 Million; 'Jurassic Park' 3D Nabs $21.2 Million
by Pamela McClintock THR
"The Croods" becomes only the second film of 2013 to cross $300 million globally,while "G.I. Joe" races past $200 million worldwide.
The modestly budgeted remake of Sam Raimi's 1981 cult horror pic Evil Dead earned a better-than-expected $26 million in its domestic bow for a No. 1 finish. Overseas, the pic took in $4.5 million from its first 21 markets for a worldwide debut of $30.5 million.
Evil Dead, from Sony/TriStar, FilmDistrict and Raimi's Ghost House Pictures, earned a C+ CinemaScore in North America. Usually that would be problematic but horror films often receive a middling grade. The remake cost $17 million to produce, and was fueled by older males (56 percent).
It is the fourth Evil Dead title and the first not to be directed by Raimi, who personally tapped Fede Alvarez to direct the reboot, which follows five friends who awaken a demonic presence while visiting a cabin in rural Massachusetts.
Nostalgia invaded the box office all the way around.
Universal's 3D rerelease of Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park also turned in a pleasing performance, coming in No. 4 domestically with $18.2 million, one of the top openings for a 3D redo (as a way of comparison, Titanic 3D opened to $17.3 million domestically). Overseas, Jurassic Park grossed $3 million from seven territories for a total opening of $21.2 million.
The 3D rerelease generated record-breaking returns for IMAX, which delivered $6 million in ticket sales -- or 32 percent of the total gross, the biggest share ever for the large-format circuit.
Universal opens the 3D rerelease of Jurassic Park 20 years after the original dinosaur movie debuted and is using the pic to prime audiences for Jurassic Park IV, which rolls out in June 2014 (Spielberg is producing but not directing). Hollywood has had a mixed track record with 3D rereleases and will be watching closely to see how Jurassic Park performs over the course of its run.
The Croods and G.I. Joe: Retaliation claimed the No. 2 and No. 3 spots on the North American box office chart, although the precise order won't be determined until Monday morning, since both films are estimating a $21.1 million weekend.
Croods, from DreamWorks Animation and Fox, jumped the $300 million mark globally over the weekend, becoming only the second title of 2013 to do so after Oz the Great and Powerful. Croods grossed $34.1 million internationally from 62 markets for a foreign total of $206.8 million. The 3D toon has now earned $125.8 domestically for a global cume of $332.6 million.
G.I. Joe raced past the $200 million mark in its second weekend of play at the global box office. The action pic, from Paramount, MGM and Skydance, boasts a domestic total of $86.7 million, while it earned $40.2 million internationally from 60 countries for a foreign total of $145.2 million and global haul of $231.9 million.
Internationally, G.I. Joe is already on the verge of eclipsing the $150 million earned by G.I. Retaliation in its entire run.
At the specialty box office, Focus Features' A Place Beyond the Pines rose up the domestic chart to No. 14 as it expanded into a total of 30 theaters in its second weekend, grossing $695,041 for a total $886,459 and location average of $23,168.
Among openers, Danny Boyle's British thriller Trance grossed a solid $136,103 from four theaters in New York and Los Angeles for a location average of $34,206.

[rubie]

[Guest fayfay]

Thanks, can you give me the download link of this movie (DVD Rip)






Rugby Live Streaming

[rubie]

G.I. Joe: Retaliation movie review
JBL reviews G.I. Joe Retaliation
To borrow a phrase from one of the recent Star Trek series “It’s been a long road, getting from there to here.”  Two years since Rise of Cobra and then an unexpected nine month delay before G.I. Joe fans were treated to a second attempt at a big screen franchise of their favorite Real American Heroes.  Nearly three years since G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra tore apart the G.I. Joe fandom and tarnished the image of the once-dominant brand as a kitschy modern day remake of Mega-Force.  This time, however, things appeared to be different.  Director Jon M. Chu, better known for his Justin Bieber documentary, set to direct a script from the talented duo that brought us Zombieland.  Admittedly, all were fans of the incredible comic run by the “godfather of G.I. Joe” Larry Hama and promised a film that was more true to its comic roots than RoC.  However, I’d heard that song and dance before but tonight felt different.  The lights dimmed and I sat with friends in a surprise early birthday celebration organized by my wonderful girlfriend Amanda.  Was this a film to redeem the brand, the fandom, and reignite the enthusiasm of many disheartened fans?
Read on and find out one Joe fan’s opinion…
I’ll state this up front—I won’t go too heavily into spoilers here.  The film’s official debut is on March 28, 2013 and I would hate to ruin things for so many fans.  I will say this—the film is a dramatic improvement over G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra in almost every way imaginable.  From the story to the pacing to the characterization, it just feels more like Joe.  From the team’s interaction to Cobra’s main plot, it’s a plot worthy of G.I. Joe.
To borrow from one of my favorite Clint Eastwood movies, I’ll break down my experience with the film in three categories.
The Good:
I’ll start with the cast: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Park, and Byung-hun Lee were fantastic as the Joes/Cobras we all know and love.  Ray Stevenson makes for a great Firefly even if his southern accent is a bit odd.  The real presence in the film, however, goes to Jonathan Pryce as Zartan/the President of the United States.  He made the audience laugh and yet knew just when to play a scene with more sinister overtones.  Another really positive aspect of the cast is Snake Eyes.  Sure, he doesn’t say much– okay ANYTHING but this time he looks plausible and moves with the cat-like agility that we’ve come to expect from the character.  He’s not a cartoon character but rather he feels like a real moving being under the mask.
Here’s another surprise to the “Good” cast category—Channing Tatum.  Yes, I said that of my own free will and am not being coerced in any way.  His performance in Retaliation over Rise of Cobra marks a complete turnaround as an actor.  Honestly, I was sad that he wasn’t in more of the film and most likely will not be back in a sequel.  Pairing him with the Rock was a perfect casting choice and their dynamic makes for some truly enjoyable character moments.
In terms of the plot, I have to say that Cobra Commander/Zartan’s end game was brilliant.  It’s a scene in which Jonathan Pryce holds all of the cards—completely arrogant and secure in his position of power.  The actor revels in that moment as does the character—to the point of playing Angry Birds while the leaders of the world panic.  I loved it and so did the audience.  Meanwhile, the storyline involving Snake Eyes and Jinx in the Himalayas was well done.  It goes by quickly but the action sequence is positively mind-blowing.  Yes, it’s been shown to death in the trailers and teasers but there is so much more to it that audiences will be pleasantly surprised.
Another terrific aspect to point out is the tone of the film.  It’s funny in the right places and deadly serious in others.  Moments like Duke and Roadblock playing a Call of Duty clone to Joe Colton’s interactions with Roadblock are full of some much needed humor.  It doesn’t feel forced but flows like natural dialogue between comrades and friends.  While the humor disappears in the final act, there’s a moment in Joe Colton’s kitchen that has to be seen to be truly appreciated.
Lastly, I’m a huge movie music nerd.  I was a big fan of Henry Jackman’s work in X-Men: First Class and his score to Retaliation doesn’t disappoint.  Dramatic and driving when it needs to be, the score greatly enhances the action and tension of the film.  One particular track of the soundtrack I find myself replaying is the very last– aptly entitled Zartan.  That track summarizes everything about the character as seen in the film.
The Bad:
This category isn’t so much “bad” as “what could have been better.”  First off, the film’s running time is short—just shy of an hour and forty minutes.  Honestly, with all of the material that needed to be covered just to resolve dangling threads from Rise of Cobra the film could have been longer.  There are parts of the first act that really feel a bit choppy—with the focus cutting from scene to scene a bit too abruptly.  The end credits showcase a myriad of sequences that were cut from the film and I’d like to see those restored for a director’s cut DVD/Blu-Ray.  The addition of a total of about 20 minutes could go a long way in not only resolving those abrupt transitions but providing additional character development.  Getting the core cast from the wholesale slaughter of the team back to the US happens in the blink of an eye—and it makes me feel as those some key transition scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.  Please, if anyone with any authority reads this—let’s have a proper director’s cut and give G.I. Joe Retaliation the running time it deserves.
Another casualty of the shorter running time is the Arashikage plotline involving the RZA as the Blind Master.  It’s so brief that that musician’s role is almost a cameo.  As a result, poor Elodie Yung’s portrayal of Jinx is given precious few lines.  When she’s on screen she gives a solid performance but like so much of Retaliation I found myself wanting more time for exposition and narrative vs. all out action.  Don’t get me wrong—Retaliation is hardly a film that is “action without plot” but I can only reiterate—an additional 20 minutes would benefit the film greatly.
The same can be said for D J Cotrona’s portrayal of Flint.  When there’s time and focus on the character he does quite well, playing off both Adrianne Palicki’s Lady Jaye and the Rock’s Roadblock with ease.  Sadly, the bulk of his screen time is relegated to action sequences which, while exciting, fail to take full advantage of the actor’s range.  Hopefully a third installment can remedy this.
Okay, this next bit is something that has bothered me in films for years and that’s the need for the heroes to off key villains in the film’s third act.  With the hatchet job that Rise of Cobra did on characters like Baroness and Destro Cobra’s core cast has been pared down a bit.  This film focuses on Firefly and Zartan and it’s safe to say that a miracle is needed to bring them back for G.I. Joe 3.  It’s a shame as both characters were played particularly well by their respective actors and I really would love to see them reprise their roles again.  It may be possible for one but for the other—well, “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put poor XXXXXXX back together again.”
Lastly, I’ll mention Cobra Commander.  He’s not bad—far from it.  I just wanted to see more of him.  So much time and effort is put into bring him back into the fray that I wouldn’t have minded a bit more time on screen.  Heck, give him a “Blofeld monologue” to explain his plot in full.  Still, when he’s on screen he’s a dominant presence and thankfully we can hope to see him back in G.I. Joe 3!
The Ugly:
This spot is reserved for one thing and one thing only—the guy who happened to sit behind me during the screening and felt the need to speak to his buddy who was sitting two seats away in a conversational tone.  Seriously man, there’s a reason I told you to “keep it down” and another reason that I responded to your suggestion that I perform a specific action on myself that was inappropriate for a theatre in kind.  There’s a line from the fantastic series Firefly from an episode entitled “Our Miss Reynolds” that refers to “a special Hell reserved for child molesters and people who talk at the theater.”  We know where you’ll be spending eternity, pal.


So, in end, was G.I. Joe Retaliation worth seeing?  I can whole-heartedly answer this “YES!”  It’s not an Oscar-worthy film like Saving Private Ryan but it’s one of the better action movies I’ve seen in a while.  I find it to be miles ahead of Another Day to Die Hard which featured Bruce Willis just a month ago and light years ahead of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.  Whereas this film’s predecessor divided a fandom, Retaliation stays faithful to its roots, treats its characters with respect and not as a bunch of rubber-suited jokes, and brings to the screen some dazzling action sequences and a villainous plot in which the stakes have never been higher.  As I sit here typing this late at night I find myself replaying the soundtrack on my PC and eagerly anticipating the fact that I’ll be seeing it again in less than 24 hours.  The writers, the director, and the entire production staff have crafted a film that for once feels like the G.I. Joe I grew up on– featured each month in the pages of Marvel Comics. I don’t often see films more than once in the theater and yet Retaliation is a film that I’ll be hitting more than a few times in the coming weeks.  It’s a film that has once again re-lit the once stagnant fires of my love of G.I. Joe and one that can hopefully show the world that G.I. Joe is still a viable franchise with a real future.  The beauty of G.I. Joe is that it isn’t about one man or woman but about a cast of characters.  With the right handling it could prove to be an American franchise with the longevity of Eon Production’s James Bond franchise.  I hope audiences forget the past and give Retaliation a chance as I’m far more interested in seeing more cinematic G.I. Joe than I was 3 years ago.  Of course, that’s just one Joe fan’s opinion.
Rating:
Plot: 8Cast: 9Pacing: 7Overall:
8 out of 10.

[rubie]

March 27, 2013
G.I. JOE: RETALIATION Review
by Matt Goldberg Collider.com
If you’re going to make a movie designed to sell toys, you may as well show how much fun it is to play with them.  Although almost none of the original characters remain, G.I. Joe: Retaliation continues the spirit of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra by happily embracing big vehicles and weapons to deliver set pieces on steroids that never feel overbearing.  It’s not a particularly smart movie or one with compelling characters, but without any irony it takes one of the villain’s lines to heart: “America likes the guy who blows stuff up.”
The evil organization Cobra has their Master of Disguise, Zartan (Arnold Vosloo), impersonating the President (Jonathan Pryce), and is using his power to set up plans for world domination (a true evil organization doesn’t play small ball).  Zartan quickly moves to eliminate the G.I. Joes, and only three manage to survive: Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki) and Flint (D.J. Cortona). As the trio make their way home to uncover why their unit was wiped out, Cobra Commander (Luke Bracey) is freed from prison by Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee).  Snake Eyes, who wasn’t present when the Joes were attacked, pursues Storm Shadow so he can bring his arch-nemesis to justice for killing their master.
Snake Eyes really is off in his own little movie for most of Retaliation, and I have to admire the purity of the character.  He’s a walking set piece devoid of a face, a voice, and a personality beyond being “mysterious”.  This time around, he barely even has to interact with the other Joes.  His half-spinoff has him paired with aspiring ninja Jinx (Elodie Yung), and chasing down Storm Shadow while the main plot happens on the other side of the world.  Having a voiceless, faceless character lead a sizable chunk of the film is a testament to the film’s priorities.  Character development and storytelling aren’t as important as having ninjas fight each other as they repel off a mountainside.
Thankfully, Retaliation doesn’t leave personality behind completely, and Johnson does a fantastic job of carrying his half of the storyline.  Colorful characters like the villains Firefly (Ray Stevenson) and Cobra Commander get their time, but Johnson is the quintessential action hero we all love to see.  He’s perfectly suited to the big guns, big explosions, action-figure world of G.I. Joe, and he can fire off a one-liner as easily as firing off a canon.  He’s also necessary because his supporting characters have nothing to do other than Jaye using her looks for infiltration and Flint doing…I’m not sure.  Much like the 3D post-conversion, he adds absolutely nothing to the picture.
The best characters, Snake Eyes and Roadblock, are the standouts partially because they’re in tune with the film’s true lead: action.  That’s all G.I. Joe: Retaliation is meant to be.  Director Jon Chu understands that’s why people show up, so his task is to make sure the set pieces deliver, and for the most part he succeeds.  The fights are fast-paced, the explosions are plentiful, and the Joes get fun toys like remote controlled bullets while Firefly has exploding robot bugs and a motorcycle that fires missiles and is also made of missiles.
G.I. Joe came from comics and Saturday morning cartoons, and the movie wholeheartedly embraces that bloodless and slightly brainless approach.  When a major city is casually leveled to the ground, an offhanded remark about rebuilding is all that’s required.  The doomsday device is a briefcase with a big red button because what else would it be?   Like all the best toy commercials, G.I. Joe: Retaliation makes you forget you’re buying a piece of plastic.  It lets you imagine that you’re part of the action, and free to feel like a kid again—a reckless, violent, gleefully destructive kid.
Rating: B

[rubie]

March 27, 2013
G.I. Joe Retaliation Review
by Gregg Katzman Comic Vine.com
Incredibly campy yet insanely fun, 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' is pure popcorn entertainment and way better than the first.
Despite its numerous flaws, I honestly thought G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra dished out a decent amount of entertainment. That said, I understand why many of you out there loathe that film with a passion, and luckily for you, you can go into this one pretending it never even happened. Yes, Channing Tatum returns as Duke and it does indeed involve a few basic elements from the previous flick (no accelerator suits this time around!), but director John M. Chu's movie feels like a fresh start for the franchise and the result is hugely entertaining.
The film has two main plots which eventually merge for one final action sequence. The first involves Zartan posing as the U.S. President as he attempts to eliminate all of the Joes and make the world bow before Cobra Commander. Roadblock (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) and a couple others survive the attack and attempt to figure out what's really going on. Meanwhile, the second plot is loosely based on the classic and popular 'Silent Interlude' tale which involves lots and lots of ninja awesomeness. Naturally, this focus turns to Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow (just pretend he didn't bite it in the first one) and has plenty of Red Ninjas at the receiving end of blades. This part of the story ties to a super silly aspect with the Blind Master (RZA). If you can overlook the overflowing amount of goofiness with this part, then it's a fairly interesting development for Storm Shadow -- even if it does abruptly throw us into the middle of a story.

Yes, this scene is as fun as it looks.One of the many complaints people had with Rise of the Cobra was Tatum's wooden acting, but ever since 21 Jump Street the dude has really won me over. He has great chemistry with Dwayne and the two have some legitimately hysterical interactions. Don't let The Rock's intimidating size fool you, he's a lovable and beyond energetic character. He manages brings the perfect mesh of charisma and badassery to Roadblock. Additionally, all of the supporting cast (Bruce Willis, D.J. Cotrona, Adrianne Palicki, Byung-hun Lee, Jonathan Pryce, Walton Goggins) do an able job with their roles as well. Ray Stevenson trying to pull off a southern accent was a little distracting and inconsistent but it's a moot point because the man is always superb. The movie as a whole is packed with tons of solid comedy, too. I found myself laughing out loud like a fool at least once every fifteen minutes or so. There's a series of especially hilarious moments during a meeting between world leaders in the final act as well.
While Retaliation is sure to keep you laughing, the real highlight is the incredible amount of over the top action. There's just about everything a Joe fan could love here: a brutal Snake Eyes vs. Storm Shadow encounter (it's longer than the previously released clip!), cool technology and vehicles at their disposal and plenty of shootouts and brawls. One fight between Roadblock and Firefly (Ray Stevenson) is ruined by quick cuts and a shaky camera, but everything else is topnotch and a total blast. As expected, the cliffside battle will likely be a favorite for many.

Cobra Commander looks good but has a campy voice.3D tends to be hit or miss. For every experience like Avatar, there's a handful of films that add 3D just to get a few extra bucks and ultimately don't contribute anything special to the viewing. Retaliation was delayed to allegedly add the feature, and thankfully the conversion is thoroughly amusing. It may sound cheesy, but having ninjas, projectiles and so much more abruptly launch at you is pretty exciting stuff. A 3D ticket is certainly worth it if you have a few extra bucks to spare.
You can really tell director Jon M. Chu cares about the franchise -- it basically feels like a love letter and it's like he's having fun playing with all of his favorite characters. Yes, the main narrative is a complete mess at times and there's some cringeworthy lines here and there, but overall G.I. Joe: Retaliation is a ridiculously entertaining ride. Leave your brain at the door and you're sure to have a great time.
Rating 4/5 stars

[rubie]

March 28, 2013
G.I. Joe: Retaliation movie review: Ninja-riffic!
by Shanee Edwards ShekNows.com
HASBRO DOLL CHANNELS ITS INNER NINJA
This fun sequel to G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra has evolved in a sense, to include Asian-inspired martial arts and two of the toughest femme-fighters since Cat Woman and Laura Croft. There is much to ogle and enjoy in this turbo-charged, sassy 3D movie.
Inspired by the beloved boy answer to Barbie, the G.I. Joes are a team of tough, covert military ops who love America and are willing to battle any villain, on land, in the air, or even on the side of an icy mountain cliff. These characters are purposefully larger than life, as if a child dreamed them up in his backyard.
Hottie Channing Tatum reprises the role of Duke, an industrial-strength soldier with a heart of gold stars who greatly admires his mentor Roadblock, played by large-and-in-charge Dwayne Johnson. During the film, I marveled several times at the sheer enormity of his biceps — they must be the size Butterball turkeys.
Also on the team is Flint, played by the adorable DJ Cotrona and Lady Jaye, an ice queen played by Adrianne Palicki, who lives to prove that girls are just as good as boys.
Unaware that the president of the United States has been taken over by an evil force, the G.I. Joes are shocked when their own government leaves them for dead on a mission to Pakistan. Soon the Joes realize something is rotten in Washington, and they are determined to get to the bottom of it.
Turns out the evil forces of team Cobra are responsible for the Joes’ woes. Cobra’s plan is to eliminate the elite fighters to take control of the U.S. nuclear codes. Knowing they are in some deep excrement, the Joes team up with don’t-tread-on-me Snake Eyes (Ray Park), the gorgeously brutal Jinx (Elodie Young) and the lithe martial artist Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee — who fights like a young, Korean Mikhail Baryshnikov).
Once Bruce Willis shows up as the fabled General Joe Colton, it’s game time, and the battle scenes delight. One of the most stunning sequences in the film is a ninja battle that takes place on the side of an icy cliff, where the ninjas use ropes, zip lines and gravity to scale up and down the mountain. The filmmakers create stunning movie magic, invoking the gorgeous choreography of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Bottom line: I applaud the franchise for adding women to the G.I. Joes and letting the Hasbro toy franchise find its inner ninja. Go grab some popcorn and enjoy this movie.
Rating 3.5/5 stars

[rubie]

March 28, 2013
Classick Cinema: Six reasons to go and see G.I. Joe: Retaliationhttp://coldslitherpodcast.com/2013/03/28/classick-cinema-six-reasons-to-go-and-see-g-i-joe-retaliation/
March 27, 2013
G.I. Joe's 'Retaliation' mission is a relative success
After Cobra infiltrates the White House and has several Joes assassinated, the remaining members band together to destroy the evil organization and the powerful new weapon they've built.
Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
The sequel has more heart and better action than the original but is still mostly for fans of the toys.
USA TODAY Review: * * 1/2 out of four
Not that the bar was raised that high four years ago, but G.I. Joe: Retaliation marks a vast improvement over its toy-inspired predecessor.
And while it's still primarily fodder for kids, Retaliation (* * ½ out of four; rated PG-13; opens Thursday nationwide) is a more sure-footed shoot-'em-up that finds some heart, wit and perhaps enough momentum to spawn a formidable action franchise.
Delayed nearly a year to tweak its thunderous 3-D effects, Retaliation flourishes by having nowhere to go but up. Its ancestor, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, earned some of the harshest reviews of 2009. But when a movie does $150 million in the USA and $300 million worldwide, a sequel is inevitable.
Channing Tatum returns as Duke, the hero of our last film and the new leader of the G.I. Joe team, which opens Retaliation by flying into Pakistan to recover lost nuclear warheads. The mission goes well, but the team is ambushed in the middle of the night, leaving survivors to regroup, track their enemy and find out who in the U.S. government betrayed our buff heroes.
Oscar voters need not put Retaliation on their must-see list, but within the first 10 minutes, the sequel establishes itself as superior to Cobra, thanks to the relationship between Duke and buddy Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson). With a little dialogue over a video game, the two form a deeper relationship than anything that manifested in Cobra.
Still, the film has no choice but to rely on that forgettable original, which had a cliffhanger (and sequel-friendly) finale when the president (Jonathan Pryce) is abducted and cloned.
Credit director Jon M. Chu (Step Up 3D, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never) with making a quick tonal shift from campy special-effects romp to a straight action flick with summer flair.
The film brings several actors back from the original, including Tatum, Pryce and Star Wars' Ray Park as Snake Eyes, a swordsman who, like all our heroes, prefers body-hugging uniforms.
But Retaliation belongs to Johnson, who was born to play a G.I. Joe. It's been years since his college football and pro wrestling days, but Johnson remains a Mack Truck with a mischievous grin, and his "hoorah" sounds like it could come from a soldier.
Of course, there's no real soldiering here. The movie racks up hundreds of fatalities and nary a drop of blood. These soldiers come straight off the pages of Maxim, not Guns and Ammo.
And anyone looking for serious fare will be left wanting. Dialogue is stiff, action is relentless, and the franchise remains built for the people who play with G.I. Joe dolls: namely, fanboys and real boys.
But fans of the comics, cartoons and action figures will be relieved to discover that the film-based squadron uncovered valuable intel.

[rubie]

March 28, 2013
G.I. Joe Retaliation: Make That Redemptionhttp://entertainment.time.com/2013/03/28/g-i-joe-retaliation-make-that-redemption/

'G.I. Joe' sequel is better than the first

By Kyle Smith NYPost.com
Rating: 2.5/4 stars
The first one was a G.I joke, but the sequel “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” has enough hoo-ah to bring a satisfying blast of blockbustery summer to dreary March.
Wisely ditching the director, the writers and most of the cast of the freeway pileup that was the first film, this one sticks to business: ninjas, machine guns and international super-commandos with stripper names. Jinx, Jaye and Duke (Channing Tatum’s character, not that he would ever take his clothes off for money) are all about sneaking into heavily fortified enemy camps and saving the world via deployment of precisely targeted catchphrases. “Check, check!” “Hell, yeah!” “Drive it like you stole it!”
At the start, Dwayne Johnson (who somehow managed not to be in the first one) and Tatum are buddy soldiers who blow away bad guys in North Korea then invade Pakistan after the assassination of its president to secure the nation’s nukes on behalf of the US president (Jonathan Pryce) — who, as we found out at the end of the excruciating first film, is actually evil Zartan (Arnold Vosloo) in disguise.
So the president is an impostor who starts giving peacenik speeches about a nuclear-free world. Psychopathic megalomaniacs are bad enough, but this guy is starting to sound like Jimmy Carter.
Zartan and others from the malevolent Team Cobra keep the real president alive in an underground bunker, though, just to have someone to chat with about their malevolent scheme. Occasionally they deliver political commentary. One guy whomps the pres upside the head, then says, “That’s for the tax hike!”
Meanwhile, with the assistance of the indestructible Firefly (Ray Stevenson), who hurls robo-lightning bugs that blow up like grenades, the masked evil Cobra Commander busts out of his underground prison and returns to power in the company of his chief ninja Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee), who is working both sides of the ledger.
Storm winds up stunned, zipped into a body bag and carried around like a lunchbox for perhaps the best of the many nifty action scenes: good ninja Snake Eyes (Ray Park) and his partner Jinx (Elodie Yung) swoop along the sides of a mountain on climbing ropes fending off the sword attacks of the Cobra team’s junior henchmen.
Back in the states, the Joes’ top lady commando, Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki) decides there’s something fishy about the way the president has been acting lately and resolves to get a swatch of his DNA. To get close enough to snag a hair off his jacket, she puts on a flame-red dress and pretends to be a Fox News Channel reporter. “I guess that’s why you’re so fair and balanced,” Pryce says, eye-bonking her.
The loose, one-liner-heavy script (from the writers of the very funny “Zombieland”) matches up well with the action, which is ridiculous but not senseless. It’s fun instead of gory, and the look (which resembles a classic James Bond film) is an improvement over the aggressive ugliness of recent shoot-’em-ups such as the last “Die Hard” and “Expendables” movies.
Both of them, like this one, featured Bruce Willis, but Willis is at his relaxed best this time. He’s the original G.I. Joe, the general who gave the team its name but is now retired in suburbia. Those burbs give the movie much of its wit and a “True Lies”-like grounding that makes it relatable: Battle-forged Duke is terrified of nothing so much as baby-sitting his friend’s kids on karaoke night, and at General Joe’s house, you simply flip up the range top to discover a cache of automatic weapons. (Grenades the size of limes, of course, are hidden in the fruit bowl.) During downtime, the guys do things like try to blow the birthday candle off a cupcake at 20 yards, and in battle they vow to “make it home in time for ‘Top Chef.’ ” Without turning into a kids’ movie, the film has a light touch that is a welcome replacement for the humorless, roid-rager bloodlust of many an R-rated action flick.
In the great big whomping climax, London gets flattened (no great loss; the place is about as vital as St. Louis these days), a man walks away from a fireball (you gotta respect the classics) and General Joe brandishes the pearl-handled pistol that once belonged to Patton. In a firefight, he is asked if he is all right. Not really: “My cholesterol’s a little high,” he says. Sergeant, get this man some Lipitor, double-time. John McClane is over but General Joe is just getting started.

[rubie]

Rating: 3/5 stars
'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' blows 'em up real good!
By Glenn Kenny, Special to MSN Movies
I cannot tell a lie: Of all of the comic book-based or -derived movies I have ever seen, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" comes the closest to providing an actual comic book experience. (And, yes, I know that strictly speaking the "G.I. Joe" movies, of which this is the second, are toy-derived, not comic-book derived, but bear with me if you will.) An important distinction is that I mean the kind of comic books I, a 53-year-old man, grew up reading, not the fancy, mature-themed, contemplative or self-reflexive graphic-novel thingies of today. No, the most noteworthy features of "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" are big 3-D frames packed with ridiculous action, ridiculously buffed-up guys, ridiculous characters who address each other as "Cobra Commander" and "Snake Eyes" with straight faces and ridiculous florid dialogue. And a ridiculous world domination plot that lifts one of its central hooks from "In Like Flint," a spy movie spoof that, yes, I grew up enjoying.
All that being the case, I cannot tell another lie: I had pretty damn good time with this movie. It helped that I didn't/couldn't take it seriously for a second. The opportunism of its fantasy geopolitics to its gonzo Act III destruction of a major world city is little more than an efficient machine for setting up any number of elaborate gags and action sequences. As when the sole female of the "Joe" team, who's called Lady Jaye (I rather doubt the handle is a tribute to the late performance artist of the same name), dresses in athletic stripper gear to grab the attention of the secretary of state, whom the Joes have to kidnap to expose Cobra's evil plot. "If only my father could see me now," Jaye (Adrianne Palicki) reflects shortly thereafter. It's not what you think.
Carrying all of this ridiculousness on his formidably broad shoulders is Dwayne Johnson, whom circumstances force to take the "promotion" that fellow Joe Channing Tatum threatens him with early on. Byung-hun Lee and Ray Park (you may remember him as Darth Maul in those weird "Star Wars" prequels) bring the martial arts noise. Ray Stevenson's Firefly has bulk, malevolence and a ridiculous accent, and RZA, playing Blind Master, gives some of the worst line readings you'll ever hear in a movie. Bruce Willis turns up in the second half to act as the most laid-back motivational speaker this military team ever needed, and to deliver a pretty good variation on the old "Are you comfortable?" "I make a living" joke. (It's in the trailer, but it wears well.) Director Jon M. Chu has a solid if predictably frenetic feel for in-depth kinetics. The best eye-candy bang-for-your-buck dedication he brought to the equally silly "Step Up" movies he directed is here in force, and now he's got mega-explosions to work with! When it comes to big and loud, this is the movie to beat for at least this week. What makes it entertaining is its unabashed wallow in these qualities, so enthusiastic you could almost mistake it for innocent.