Jack Goes Confidential: ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’—The Cobra Revolution Has Begun

“We have met the enemy…and he is us.”

The G.I. Joes are no more. Pretty hefty stuff, huh?

Well, don’t let it fool you. This sequel to 2009’s international box office hit G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA doesn’t really take itself that seriously.

Lotsa winks.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION is basically an hour and forty five minute-long ‘blow’em up real good’ extravaganza Some of the original players, including Jonathan Pryce and Channing Tatum are back. Others, including Marlon Wayans, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Dennis Quaid opted to sit this one out.

New to the proceedings are the likes of Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis.

You may recall Paramount abruptly yanked the movie from its original 2012 release schedule. The official reason given was that the world’s fascination at the time with 3-D made them decide to convert the production at the 11th hour to maximize profits.

But rumors throughout the industry suggested test audiences didn’t like Tatum’s quick disappearing act in the movie. After all, he’d now become a star.

True or false?

Guess we’ll never know, but Tatum is still out of the picture early on.

In this follow-up, the Joe’s are confronted by threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

But that shouldn’t stop the good guys, right?

So now they conceive a plan to overturn the Cobra commander and his allies whose warheads are aimed at innocent populace around the world while holding the White House hostage.Time for Cobra to face up to Roadblock, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson and company.

And so it goes.

Non stop combat from beginning to end. It’s like playing an endless XBox game. The only thing missing were the mutant ninja turtles.Wait, didn’t I see some briefly?

So check your credibility detector at the door and just start munching the popcorn.

As for the 3-D conversion, it’s better than many I’ve seen of late, but this action flick should play just as well in 2-D.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION with 2-1/2 out of 5 campy fingers on screen and plenty of new Hasbro toys in stores.

It WILL deliver to the fan base.

(Reviewed at AMC 30, Olathe)

JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES: Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. on KMBZ FM & AM /
Also anytime on Time-Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND, Channel 411 / and throughout Nebraska on NEBRASKA ON DEMAND.