(Spoilers below)
Continue readingCategory Archives: G.I. Joe live action films
G.I. Joe and Jem have something in common and his name is Jon M. Chu
The news broke late Thursday night that G.I. Joe: Retaliation director Jon M. Chu is directing a film adaptation of Hasbro and Sunbow’s Jem doll and cartoon.
A Real American Book! editor Nick Nadel wonders if it might be an elaborate April Fool’s Day joke. I’m surprised and pleased. With so much great talent on the Jem animated series — talent we know and love from the animated G.I. Joe — it’s hard not to like the show, even if has its silly moments. And clearly, just as G.I. Joe spoke to a whole swath of kids, so too did Jem. And it deserves a new lease on life as much as any ’80s property, and I would see a Jon M. Chu Jem movie even though I didn’t watch the show when I was 8. Let’s remember that Chu also directed two Step Up films and two Justin Bieber documentaries, so he’s got range. Chu tweeted “Joe script is getting REALLY fun just taking alittle longer.I need it 2b perfect so decided 2try &fit a crazylittle movie in” So there’s Jem news and an update on the third G.I. Joe film.
Particularly of note is the novel way in which Chu and producers Jason Blum and Scooter Braun are using social media. If I read a text press release, I’d frown, but seeing these three principles explaining the process themselves and doing so in an enthusiastic way has me convinced. Thoughts from readers?
Filed under G.I. Joe live action films
G.I. Joe Retaliation – A Real American Book! Podcast Episode #01
Today we’ve got something different and special if last week’s text review of the theatrical cut of G.I. Joe: Retaliation wasn’t enough to sate your critical appetite. Late last year my friend and editor Nick Nadel sat down with me to discuss the ups and downs of the G.I. Joe: Retaliation Best Buy Exclusive Extended Action Cut. We chatted for 2 hours, so this 37.5 minute cut represents (hopefully) me trimming the fat from the meat while still keeping the steak understandable. Note: spoilers abound, and someone says the s-word at the very end. We had a great time, and I Ioved putting on my editor’s cap, so when there’s time we’d like to record another. Let me know what you think in the comments, and spoilers will probably pop up there, so there’s your light warning. Download or stream.
Download 90.2MB mp3, 37 min 33 sec:
ARealAmericanBook_podcast_ep01
Stream:
G.I. Joe: Retaliation — the A Real American Book film review by Tim Finn
I’ll start with a short review. Please note, this is for the theatrical cut, 110 minutes. For the Best Buy Blu-ray Extended Action Cut, check back in a week.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation is a fun movie and a good adaptation of the Hasbro brand, capturing both the spirit of the Sunbow cartoons and the Marvel comic book. It has solid performances, convincing visual effects, and manages to both act as a sequel to Paramount’s hugely flawed 2009 G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, while also somewhat ignoring that and rebooting the franchise as a new first installment. Much credit goes to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who’s great as Roadblock, the film’s heart, and director Jon M. Chu, for exciting action sequences and properly mining G.I. Joe for many of the things we’ve always wanted to see onscreen. I certainly raised my eyebrow when Chu was announced for the director’s chair based on his previous filmography, but I recognize that professionals have skills that don’t always correspond to past work. The man who directed one of my favorite commercials went on to direct three of my least favorite films, so it can easily go the other way. (That would be Michael Bay, the Aaron Burr/Got Milk? spot, and Transformers.) Don Jurwich, who directed the animated G.I. Joe, had previously worked on Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo. If there had been an internet in 1983, would we have reacted poorly after seeing Jurwich’s name in the Joe TV credits reel? Some additional credit goes to writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (both of Zombieland), who turned in a decent action script that needed to serve several masters. There are story problems, but the bar was set low by The Rise of Cobra. Continue reading
G.I. Joe blog update – Feb 2014
Hi all, sorry it’s been quiet. Busy with school and store. Three items today.
1) I’m putting the finishing touches on my long-promised film review of G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Should be up next week.
2) I’ve finished editing an audio podcast of a completely different film review of G.I. Joe: Retaliation. This one’s me in conversation with editor Nick Nadel, and we talk about the Best Buy Blu-Ray Extended Action Cut. Will post after the text review.
3) A Real American Book is on Twitter! Follow me @GIJoeBook. Don’t miss another update!
Thanks for your patience and your readership. Here is a tiny doodle of Destro.
Filed under Behind the Scenes, G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Upcoming: “Retaliation” Review
I saw “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” last Friday. I’ll post a proper review soon after I collect some thoughts, but for now, I enjoyed it, and as many have said, it’s a big step up from the 2009 film.
10 Things You Didn’t Know About G.I. Joe
My article for TheFw is up. Read it here!
G.I. Joe: Retaliation Trailer
The first trailer to G. I. Joe: Retaliation went live the other day, and a few people have asked what I think of it. First, here it is:
It’s difficult to discuss this without making comparisons to G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, a flawed and disappointing, yet enjoyable, movie. A proper review of that earlier flick is a topic for another day (um, I have 15 pages of notes, so it will be a long day), but suffice it to say Retaliation looks to ignore much of what didn’t work, accentuate what does, and still move the story ahead (it is a sequel, after all) without alienating those who missed Rise of Cobra.
Things I like:
-The White House subplot is capitalized on. (Ha!)
-Lots of action
-Dwayne Johnson’s charisma, and the fact that he’s taking taking the film seriously, but not too seriously
-Bruce Willis
-The lesser actors from the first film are not present
-Machine guns rather than pulse guns
Things I like but as an over-protective fan, need to be won over on:
-Ninja cycle with guns
-Willis should have hair
-Cobra doesn’t seem to have leadership?
-But seriously, something seems familiar here…
Seriously, I can’t be the only person who immediately thought, “Wait, I’ve seen Snake-Eyes ride a dark motorcycle with guns on it right-to-left before,” can I?
1990 Ninja Force TV ad and "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" comparison
Much is yet to be revealed (and they’re still making the film, so much could change), but this early out, a tip of my hat to director Jon M. Chu, writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, production designer Andrew Menzies, and the folks at Hasbro for what looks like a fun and more faithful G.I. Joe movie.
A Real American Book! 