Discover the origins of the iconic G.I. JOE hero, SNAKE EYES (Henry Golding), in this action-packed, edge-of-your-seat adventure. Welcomed into an ancient Japanese clan called the Arashikage after saving the life of their heir-apparent, STORM SHADOW (Andrew Koji), SNAKE EYES joins the battle against the terrorist group COBRA. Pushing him to the limits, SNAKE EYES will become the ultimate ninja warrior. But, when past secrets are revealed, his honor and allegiance will be tested – even if that means losing everything he has been fighting for. Also starring Úrsula Corberó as BARONESS and Samara Weaving as SCARLETT.
For in-depth thoughts on Snake Eyes: G.I. JOE Origins, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Snake Eyes: G.I. JOE Origins offers a lovely uptick in quality over the already incredible accompanying Blu-Ray. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores. The increased range of the color spectrum is stunning to behold. The Dolby Vision enriches the colors from already impressive to out of this world when it comes to vibrancy. When out in nature at the Arashikage temple you are greeted with the lush environment of the natural world, the green of the foliage and blue of the sky hits you like a ton of bricks. There are moments of neon signage against the night’s sky which really pops off the screen. The highlights in the film are more defined with whites more pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Elements in the dense trees or stark urban buildings are more vivid and finely delineated. The black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail. This 4K UHD presentation really delivers on all fronts including strong gains in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is great, but Paramount has delivered another fantastic transfer on this latest 4K release.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray release boasts a Dolby Atmos presentation that packs one hell of a punch. This is a film designed to put the utmost thought into sound design and this disc executes this perfectly. When the film gets active, this disc brings the action right into your living room with a depth and clarity of sound that is staggering. As these warriors move throughout the world, every minor fluctuation is given the appropriate weight to the thematic scenario. These and various environmental sounds 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 this epic tale. The implementation of environmental effects such as rainfall and wind come through in a natural way. There is an insane amount of activity in the low-end which will keep your house shaking when it comes time for confrontations to come to a head. 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 fun with this one.
Special Features
- Morning Light – A Weapon With Stories To Tell: A three-minute animated short film which tells the story of Snake Eyes’ legendary sword.
- Deleted Scenes: Five scenes of unused material totaling two minutes is provided here featuring more scenes of Akiko and Snake Eyes training, an additional scene with Blind Master and more.
- Enter Snake Eyes: A nearly ten-minute featurette which reveals the journey to bringing this origin story to the big screen on a narrative and technical level.
- A Deadly Ensemble: A six-minute featurette which explores the old and new characters in this entry and the performers who inhabit them.
- Arashikage: A seven-minute featurette which takes a closer look at this elite ninja clan and how their story was developed from the initial comics to the big screen.
Final Thoughts
Snake Eyes: G.I. JOE Origins is an underwhelming glimpse at a beloved character due to the fact that it makes him the least intriguing figure in his own story. The way our titular character is written is very off-putting and downright dull in many points, and the film does not make up for it completely in other areas. Whenever the film is focusing on the Storm Shadow story, it is much more compelling which makes you want much more of that. There are some narrative elements that could be straightened out with a follow-up, but at this point it is very doubtful we will ever get that far. Paramount Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and a couple of brief supplemental features. If you are a fan of the film, this disc is sure to impress.
Snake Eyes: G.I. JOE Origins will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD on October 19, 2021. It is currently available to purchase on 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.
