What Do The Critics Say?

"G.I. Joe could quite possibly have the worst script of all time but the action scenes are so exhilarating that it warrants a viewing. There is one particular action scene that takes place in Paris, France that must have lasted at least twenty minutes. It was absolutely insane. Now listen, this movie goes against pretty much everything that makes good cinema. The acting is horrific, the dialogue is horrendous but for some reason, the two hours went by really quick and it kept me entertained." Kevin McCarthy BDK REVIEWS "The film has its fun moments, it moves along at a cracking pace, and some members of the cast show themselves worthy of better things." David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES "Sienna Miller squeezes into what must surely be the tightest costume of her screen career to kick ass as hot designer villainess, The Baroness. Joining her on the dark side are 3rd Rock From The Sun's Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lancashire lad Christopher Eccleston, who provides unintentional humour for movie goers north of the border as he mangles his way through what's meant to be a Scottish accent. It's complete nonsense but absolutely marvellous nonsense." UK SUNDAY MAIL "It is with much surprise that one can report that director Stephen Sommers has more than redeemed himself after Van Helsing with this fun-filled, adrenalin charged action film whose sole purpose is to entertain its core male demographic audience with some superbly orchestrated action scenes, stylishly and energetically crafted in a taut, entertaining cinematic package. Sommers has made a film that does not pretend to be anything other than an exciting popcorn movie, which never lets up, and the actors clearly relish their roles. But the real stars of the film are the fast-paced action scenes that are consistently inventive and the dazzling production design by Ed Verreaux that is visually superb." Paul Fischer DARK HORIZONS "Everybody, good and bad guys alike, has a back story and the movie frequently digresses into long disquisitions of same, which seriously slows it down just when you are wishing it would speed up. The action, on the other hand, is mostly brisk and bracing and the battleground, particularly Cobra's headquarters: a vast network of tunnels under the polar ice cap; are wonderfully imagined, as are the futuristic machines at the Joes' disposal.Basically, the Joes are not bad, it's just that they could have been much better with a little less conversation, a little more action." Betsy Sharkey LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Compared to other big-budget movies out this summer, it's pretty mediocre. But as a movie that no one thought would be any good because it's based on an action figure that isn't even a foot tall any more, it wildly succeeds. At times it seems like a sequel to "Team America: World Police," except with live actors instead of marionettes. Stuff blows up. Lots of it. Most of the actors are hot-looking, and the ones who aren't do cool things with swords." Peter Hartlaub SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "I cannot deny the fact that "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" is a very fun, whip-ass action flick made for the ten-yea-old boy n all of us. Just put yourself in the mind-set of a ten-year-old boy watching this on a Saturday morning with a big bowl of frosted flakes in front of you. But don't expect anything more. Very similar in tone and character to the "Fantastic Four" movies, only with a bit more military violence." Kevin Carr 7M PICTURES "Sommers bucks the bad buzz with a throwaway blast of solid, stupid fun. You laugh at it rather than with it, but a sequel would be worth it, just for more of Gordon-Levitt’s one-eyed dramatics. Stephen Sommers marshals the mayhem with the same hectic enthusiasm as his previous live-action cartoons." Matthew Leyland TOTAL FILM "What Sommers does with "G.I Joe: Rise Of Cobra" is to put himself in the shoes of a ten-year-old boy with an overactive imagination. Except that instead of action figures, he has actors, and instead of a living room as the battle field, he has millions of dollars to spend on exotic locations and CGI. Now tell us, what kid in his right mind would say no to that? There's no way to take this movie seriously, and that's exactly what makes it so much fun. Suspending disbelief from the film's very start is a must." Hernán Alcerreca FILMINK "The movie, directed by Stephen Sommers, practically luxuriates in its stupidity. The stars gleefully overact, with Quaid appearing to relish each syllable of his excited jingoistic declarations, Miller having a great time vamping it up in leather and heels and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as the villainous The Doctor, adopting the husky evil voice characteristic of seriously deranged movie villains. The film asks the audience to strip away its cynicism, forgo any desire to see the complexities of reality reflected onscreen and fully indulge in the earnest yearning and broadly drawn motivations driving the characters. An unabashed work of pure entertainment made without the slightest agenda beyond replicating the look and feel of a Saturday morning cartoon." Robert Levin FILM SCHOOL REJECTS

The Inside Story In Stephen Sommers "G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra", there’s Ripcord, an expert marksman and weapons specialist; Snake Eyes, a ninja warrior armed with Katana swords and a Glock pistol, skilled in martial arts, reconnaissance and infiltration; Scarlett, tough and bright, also a martial arts master and skilled with a gas-propelled Crossbow Pistol; "Breaker, a specialist in deciphering covert electronics and technology; Heavy Duty, the team’s weapons specialist; General Hawk, who is the team’s commander; Courtnry 'Cover Girl' Kreiger, a runway model turned spy and the General's assistant; and, of course, Duke, a combat veteran with courage to spare: he’s the G.I. JOE team leader and soldier personified. "Each one has a particular skill they’re really good at, and the team counts on that skill," says producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"). While a hugely-popular animated TV series debuted in 1985, it was a long-running series of comic books that truly helped retool G.I. JOE and give it its engaging mythology. The combination of new action figures, comic books and a TV show, helped propel G.I. JOE farther than it had ever been. "They ignited the collective minds of the fans of that era," says executive producer Brian Goldner ("Transformers"). "In fact, the G.I. JOE of the 1980s was more successful, globally, than the original." For the comic book, Hasbro made the obvious choice in partnering with Marvel Comics. A young staff editor named Larry Hama was assigned the task of creating a comic book series for G.I. JOE from the ground up. "At the time," says Hama, "all that existed were designs for the figures, but no story. We went to a meeting and they said, 'Well, we have these ten figures', and that’s what they had." He also recalls, "They had drawings of what the figures were supposed to look like. There was a guy with a rifle and it said, Infantry, and there was a girl with a crossbow, and it said, Intelligence." Though Hama considered himself 'a duck man' (as opposed to being a superhero guy) at the company, he begrudgingly took on the assignment, figuring the series would last no longer than a few years at best. "Common knowledge at the time was that a toy book never lasted more than three years." Educating himself with materials collected from military bookstores and other sources, he eventually created dossiers for each character in order to keep them straight in his own mind, as well as the fan's. Those dossiers made their way onto the backs of the toys’ packaging, helping to clearly define the characters that would stay fixed in G.I. JOE lore. With decades of success and a far-reaching fan base, it seemed only natural that G.I. JOE would make its way to the big screen. So what took so long? "Hasbro had looked at it in the past and talked to many different filmmakers," Goldner explained. "I just don't think the company had a sense for how to tell the story, keeping the mythology intact, and help filmmakers see what’s possible in a G.I. JOE versus COBRA story." In 2000, the company began to take a new look at ways to reinvent its brands, including G.I. JOE. "We’d been strong in the boys business. We have TRANSFORMERS, we have G.I. JOE. So we started to focus in on what kinds of stories we could tell that would matter today," Goldner said. Spanning one hundred and fifty five issues, Goldner (Chief Executive Officer of Hasbro) notes they, "told this amazing story of a G.I.JOE team up against these COBRA forces. For a whole generation, this complete fantasy was a real phenomenon." Di Bonaventura Pictures, who had a strong interest in the idea of a G.I. JOE film, began to pursue the project with Hasbro. "Lorenzo met with Brian Goldner, and they talked about making G.I. JOE into a big feature film," notes executive producer Erik Howsam, who worked with Mark Wahlberg on the films "Four Brothers" & "Shooter". Howsam himself was a G.I. JOE kid from the start. "From four years old, I grew up with not only the twelve inch G.I. JOE, but also when I was eleven years old, the reinvented G.I. JOE of the 1980s. I’d race home from school, watch the cartoons, buy the comic books, buy all the toys." When Lorenzo told him one of the things he was working on a was a G.I. JOE project, Howsam's eye's lit up. Although Paramount bought the rights to G.I. JOE first, it was di Bonaventura's success with another Hasbro property, the 2007 blockbuster "Transformers" (US$$708,272,592 at the boxoffice) that finally got the project off the ground. "Transformers" was actually the second thing we got involved with," di Bonaventura ("Constantine") recalls. "The attitude of this G.I. JOE comic book was just something a lot of people couldn’t get their heads around completely. The enormous success of "Transformers" changed all that. It was quickly apparent to everybody the kind of success you can accomplish with this kind of deep-seated mythology. Paramount has been an unbelievably supportive studio to work with." To helm such a story of both super-action and mythology, di Bonaventura approached a man who has practically recast the mold for both genres: Stephen Sommers. His deft handling of the myriad elements in the non-stop action films "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns", from action-heavy set pieces, to globetrotting adventure, self-effacing humor, larger than life characterizations and sparring romance in between life and death situations, turned both films into worldwide box office gold. "I knew all his work through The Mummy’ series," says Goldner. "That’s a terrific combination of the thread of mythology, but taken to a whole different place with a great action-adventure feel." "Steve is fun, energetic, and he’s passionate about it," di Bonaventura adds. The film posed a unique challenge to the director. "What sparked my interest was the notion that this would be a cross between a comic book and a James Bond film," he says. "The idea was that we could have this giant canvas with larger than life characters and a great mythology that already existed in the G.I. JOE world." "As he began to understand the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA story, he got very excited, and that really helped propel the movie," says Goldner. Bringing the G.I. JOE story to life meant more than just replacing an action figure with real humans. To help those characters fill their battle suits, di Bonaventura turned first to screenwriter Michael B Gordon, who co-wrote the story with Stephen Sommers. Later, screenwriters David Elliot & Paul Lovett were brought in. The duo had previously collaborated on the hit action thriller "Four Brothers". Then the filmmakers turned to Stuart Beattie, whose success in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy made him uniquely qualified to breathe life into these cultural icons. To be a success, it has to appeal not only to hardcore fans who have been champing at the bit for decades to see their heroes come alive, but also to potential new fans who are simply out for a great ride. "In a sense, as filmmakers, we have to serve two masters," says executive producer David Womark ("Stardust"). "We have to satisfy the hardcore fans, but we also want the film to have broad appeal for people that don’t know anything about G.I. JOE." "I feel we’ve taken the best of these colorful personalities. We’ve been respectful, but in no way did we handle them with kid gloves," Sommers notes. While the G.I. JOE team is a conglomerate of very fascinating characters, the villains in "G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA" are no less captivating. As with all great mythologies, the antagonists are driven by darker forces, each with a back story sure to keep both new and old fans engaged, as more and more about their intertwined stories, both among themselves and, with G.I. JOE, is revealed. "We go much deeper into the backgrounds of characters like Destro and The Baroness than in the comics or the series," says producer Bob Ducsay ("The Mummy" & "The Mummy Returns"). "Not only will the fans enjoy it, but it also makes it engaging for the person who knows nothing about G.I. JOE. Our goal is to tell a story about universal characters." The movie opens with a sequence never portrayed in the comic books, but one which provides the origin of one of the leading villains. While the present-day James McCullen, the head of MARS (Military Armament Research Syndicate) appears to be less than honest in his dealings of sophisticated weapons, the film brings us back many generations where, in 1641 at France’s Bastille, an ancestral member of the clan McCullen is facing the consequences of similar misdeeds. "It’s one of the first scenes that Stephen and Stuart Beattie came up with," Howsam explains. "When I read it, I was, like, 'My God, if you’re a fan, you’re going to be so excited about this,' because it takes you to this other world and gives you a great history of McCullen’s ancestor." "There’s a great deal of dishonesty behind him, but I suppose that’s a given in this Byzantine world of crosses, double-crosses, vengeance, money, lust for power and greed," says Brit actor Christopher Eccleston ("Dr Who"), who portrays the complex character. Cobra’s most beautiful and deadly member, The Baroness, like so many of the film’s characters, has a past that both haunts and drives her. Sienna Miller (was born in the USA but raised in the UK) was cast in the role. "She also brings swagger, says di Bonaventura of the casting choice. "You need fun, you need to have a twinkle in your eye, and she brings all of those things." Another crucial character in the G.I. JOE mythology is Storm Shadow, who carries an important story arc, one whose childhood origins will finally come to light to fans in the film. "If you’re a G.I. JOE fan, you want to see these characters in a huge way, and we deliver," says Howsam. Portraying the hard-hitting ninja is Korean martial arts star Byung Hun Lee. "He’s a gigantic star in South Korea, probably their biggest male movie star," says di Bonaventura. "He has great command of the screen." Another intriguing character in 'The Rise of Cobra' is The Doctor, who implements McCullen’s evil plans. "Like all really great scientific sort of villains, his obsession with science over all priorities is the thing that drives this character,” explains di Bonvanetura. Played with seething darkness, the character is brought to the screen by Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("Brick" & "The Lookout"), well known to fans for his five year role as Tommy Solomon on the popular television comedy "3rd Rock from the Sun". "My parents were peace activists and they didn’t let me play with toy guns," he recalls. "Swords were alright, though, so I was all about Thundercats and He-Man. Then, when the parents weren’t around, I played with my friends G.I. JOE action figures." To play the evil Doctor, Gordon-Levitt had to endure four hours in the makeup chair each morning for the application of prosthetic makeup by renowned special effects makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji, a protégé of makeup legend Rick Baker. "Four hours later, I’m a whole different person," says Gordon-Levitt. Synopsis

MARS has harnessed the power of Nano technology and applied it to military capability. Through their research, Nanomites can be programmed to destroy, in a matter of seconds, any target depending on its size. What makes these Nano's unique is that they can be disabled by a kill switch, once they have completed their mission. A demonstration involving a tank, closes the deal for their first sale. Duke and Ripcord are part of a secret convoy tasked with delivering the first warheads filled with the hi-tech minature 'soldiers'. But it seems someone knows their every move. When the convoy is attacked, the two soldiers, along with the warheads, are saved by a secret miltary group known as G.I. Joe. From the pit in the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite G.I. Joe team uses the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight a corrupt arms dealer known only as Destro, and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos.

The Verdict "With such a rich mixture of colorful characters; huge fight, chase and explosive action scenes; exotic locations; excellent CGI and SFX; and yes, a hint of romance, many expectant cinemagoers will be thinking, "G.I.Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra" looks every bit the big action blockbuster. It could have been and while I have no doubt many will thoroughly enjoy the G.I. JOE experience it will have its detractors. While everything fits like a proverbial glove, the film has three glaring flaws: the wooden performances from some of the cast members, the terrible dialogue and the CGI overkill in the battle scenes beneath the norther polar ice-cap. As many fans realized when Lucasfilm Ltd released the final three episodes in the "Star Wars" saga, more isn't always better. Belting along at breakneck pace for most of its 118 minute running time ensures the flaws within "G.I.Joe: The Rise Of Cobra", don't become apparent until after you've left the theatre and your brain kicks back in again. Unless that is, your one of the unlucky viewers who can't suspend belief for the sake of a good time at the cinema. If you can 'swith off', "G.I.Joe: The Rise Of Cobra" will reward you. Despite lacking substance and the full credentials of a genuine 'blockbuster' most will find G.I.Joe good value. 3 1/2 STARS." Who Plays Who?

Channing Tatum Marlon Wayans Rachel Nichols Dennis Quaid Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Christopher Eccleston Grégory Fitoussi Joseph Gordon-Levitt Sienna Miller Jonathan Pryce Ray Park Leo Howard Karolina Kurkova Byung-hun Lee David Murray Kevin J. O'Connor Gerald Okamura Brandon Soo Hoo Saïd Taghmaoui Arnold Vosloo

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Duke Ripcord Shana 'Scarlett' O'Hara General Hawk Heavy Duty McCullen/Destro Baron de Cobray The Doctor/Rex Ana/Baroness U.S. President Snake Eyes Young Snake Eyes Courtney A Kreiger/Cover Girl Storm Shadow James McCullen (1641) Dr Mindbender Hard Master Young Storm Shadow Breaker Zartan

The Production Team

Director Screenplay Story Producers Original Music Director of photography Film Editors Casting Production Designer Supervising art director Set Decoration Costume Design

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Stephen Sommers Stuart Beattie/David Elliot/Paul Lovett Michael B Gordon/Stuart Beattie/Stephen Sommers Lorenzo di Bonaventura/Bob Ducsay/Stephen Sommers Alan Silvestri Mitchell Amundsen Bob Ducsay & Jim May Nancy Bishop & Ronna Kress Ed Verreaux Greg Papalia Kate J Sullivan Ellen Mirojnick

Run Time 118 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected ©1999-2009 The Movie Pages & impact Internet Services All Rights Reserved