There are certain givens in this world; one would be that success breeds a hunger for more success without a real desire to put in the effort necessary. After the global success of the first live-action Transformers film, it was only a matter of time before Paramount would finally get their long-gestating G.I. Joe film off the ground in hopes of kick-starting another franchise. While we are currently somewhere north of six Transformers films, the G.I. Joe franchise has been one that has struggled both financially and creatively with the recently-released Snake Eyes being the third (and possibly final for the foreseeable future if box office is any indication) attempt at making things happen. The first live-action attempt was not a terrible time at the movies, but it did stumble when it came to tapping into what made the G.I. Joe cartoon so much fun. The action set pieces are a rollercoaster ride of excitement, but the characters are mishandled enough to be somewhat of a disappointment.
While the film does not seem terribly concerned about the plot mechanics, there is enough going on to give a cursory glance. The not-so-stealth villain James McCullen (Christopher Eccleston) is a so-called “weapons master” who has developed a nanotech-based weapon that when utilized can eat through metal and other materials that keep the world upright unless the “kill switch” is activated. During a sale of his warheads to NATO, U.S. soldiers Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) in charge of getting them back safely get ambushed by the Baroness (Sienna Miller). They very nearly fail their mission, but last-minute assistance from elite Special Forces soldiers – Scarlett (Rachel Nichols), Heavy Duty (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Breaker (Saïd Taghmaoui), and Snake Eyes (Ray Park) – save the day. These soldiers are a part of a secret organization called “G.I. Joe” and Duke and Ripcord want in. What follows is a cementing of the Joes as they prepare to face off against “The Cobras” in a worldwide race to control the nanotechnology.
This plot is fairly cartoonish, but it comes with the territory. One could even argue that it should be more outrageous, as it feels pretty similar to something that could happen in any established action franchise. The greatest crime this film commits is the lack of care put towards establishing our heroes. While hardcore fans may be excited to hear the names of their favorite characters said aloud on screen, none of the actual Joes are given much of a distinction from one to the next. You get small bits of fan-service Scarlett carrying her traditional crossbow, but these moments are few and far between. It does not help that the performances from most are fairly uninspired. Tatum in particular would grow into his talents as he took on roles such as 21 Jump Street, but as portrayed here Duke is not given much to work with even when he should be showing some emotion due to tragic elements from his past. The Cobras stand out a little more in this regard, with villains such as the Baroness and Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee) at least getting some personality. The portrayal of the former will probably rankle some fans due to how they mess up her backstory. It should also be said an entertaining Joseph Gordon-Levitt pops up here, and we will just say you do not cast such an actor for only a few minutes of screen time.
Is this a good G.I. Joe movie? Not really. They have not really made one of those yet (at least in live action form). This is a pretty decent action film, though. Once you set aside the fact that they have no real interest in the property, you can sit back and enjoy the over-the-top action. When Duke and Ripcord get their mecha-suits and have a wild chase through the streets of Paris, you have to delight in the destruction that is brought to the forefront of the story. Even the moments of levity introduced, mostly from Wayans, does not land with a complete thud. Director Stephen Sommers proved that he knew how to direct a fun adventure with The Mummy (and this would probably explain the fun, random Brendan Fraser appearance during training), and he manages to keep most of the sequences here from becoming a complete and utter mess. It is not high-minded by any stretch of the imagination, but those who like to see cars explode and buildings topple should eat up this eye-candy. The ending of this film sets up a story that is never to be, but as its own standalone tale The Rise of Cobra delivers enough entertainment to please the casual fan.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra offers a subtle uptick in quality over the already-impressive accompanying Blu-Ray, most notably in its gains in fine detail and well-defined textures. The new disc offers some small improvements in the black levels so that some of the darker scenes on the Blu-Ray present more clearly in 4K. This new presentation is not a night and day difference from the Blu-Ray, so don’t expect this one to knock your pants off. Elements such as the initial caravan onslaught taking place in the cover of darkness are more vivid and finely delineated. The black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail. The highlights in the film are more defined with whites more pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found.
Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores. Sommers did not make this a film bursting with color, but the specific pops in color in the production design appear with greater intensity than ever before thanks to the Dolby Vision presentation. The increased range of the color spectrum helps bring more nuance to the visual palette of the film. Important details like fiery explosions look incredible and quite vivid here. The transfer reveals an increase in the depth of field in the varied locations that we visit around the globe. In the wake of the various scenes of destruction, you can more clearly make out textures within the rubble and similar such elements. There does not appear any noise reduction or black crush that we detected at any point. If you have not had any complaints with the Blu-Ray up until this point, you may not find the upgrade to 4K a monumental leap, but those who have not owned the film previously should go ahead and pick up this version.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray release boasts a DTS-HD 5.1 lossless track recycled from the previous Blu-Ray that packs one hell of a punch. This disc brings the chaos right into your living room with a depth and clarity of sound that is staggering. As the Joes move throughout their mission, the sounds of the environment flow out of your side and rear speakers. Each sound is precisely placed with perfect spatial awareness. The track engages all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of destruction that really makes you feel like you are in the thick of the fight. Every action sequence features some impeccable sound design that comes through flawlessly. The implementation of environmental effects such as helicopter blades and bullets whizzing by come through in a natural way. There is an insane amount of activity in the low-end which will keep your house shaking with every massive crash or explosion. Dialogue comes through clearly without getting muddied by the score or any sound effects. Paramount knocked it out of the park with this track, so those with a good surround sound setup should have a blast with this one.
Special Features
The original Blu-Ray release of G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra included all of the extra featurettes only on the DVD that was bundled with it. Since only the Blu-Ray is included with this new 4K UHD Blu-Ray, those legacy special features have not been ported over. Those who have the old release and care about special features will want to hold onto that one.
- Audio Commentary: Director Stephen Sommers and Producer/Editor Bob Ducsay deliver a decent but not supremely entertaining commentary track for the film. There are some good stories about being affected by the writer’s strike, the hurried production, the cast members, various shooting locations, the challenges of creating a big-budget spectacle, the visual effects in the film, working with Hasbro and much more.
Final Thoughts
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra is big dumb fun thanks to its epic action set pieces, but the characterization and dialogue often leads something to be desired. The movie is fairly mindless, but also incomplete due to how the series progresses from this point forward. You should have a good time with this one in the moment, but it is a franchise that does not linger in your mind long after the credits have stopped rolling. Paramount Home Entertainment has released a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers a minor uptick in A/V quality, but it sacrifices some of the extras from the standard Blu-Ray release. Those who have never owned the film are likely to get more from this release than those considering an upgrade from the Blu-Ray.
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
