GI Joe

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Is anyone here as fearful of destroying some of his favorite childhood memories by seeing this movie as I am?

Also, why isn't Sgt. Slaughter or William "The Refrigerator" Perry is this movie?

[Channing]

I am, but I can't wait to see the movie.

As a side bar: http://www.courtoons.net/2009/07/31/cobra/

[Kdogg]

Is anyone here as fearful of destroying some of his favorite childhood memories by seeing this movie as I am?

Transformers and Micheal Bay already did that, so no worries with Joe. I've always forgiven Lucas for what he did with Star Wars because it was he's work. Bay just trashed part of my childhood for kicks.


Any way I think this will be fun. It seems more like an origins movie verse the cartoon/comic versions so I don't expect all the character to be the same as I remember.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

The movie looks just terrible to me and the fact that they won't let critics see it isn't a good sign.

If you're looking to geek out a bit and relive some '80's childhood memories Warren Ellis wrote a great reboot called "G.I. Joe: Resolute." It ran on Adult Swim a while back and you can watch the whole thing starting with Episode 1 here.

Now you know . . .

[A-Tex Devil]

The movie has gotten some pretty good initial buzz from the few critics that have seen it. Not an all timer, but supposedly a lot of fun and miles ahead of Transformers 2.

The critics will kill it next week because they always do when they don't get to pre-screen a movie. I thought the reasoning that the studio used was kinda funny. They know "critics" won't like it so they want the movie to speak for itself, letting the audience decide.

[moonpie23]

i thought transformers was awesome...

[bjornolf]

There was an article on Yahoo saying that while they hadn't opened it up to all critics, they'd let a number of internet bloggers watch it, and most of THEIR reviews are positive. Apparently, they were gun shy after what the critics did to their most recent Transformers effort, though that didn't seem to bother their box office too much.

I think I posted the article over on the Top Movies of the Summer thread, if you want to read it.

[DevilBen02]

The movie looks just terrible to me and the fact that they won't let critics see it isn't a good sign.

I actually agree with the idea of keeping the movie from the critics. After all, this is a movie based on a line of action figures and a Saturday morning cartoon series. It was never going to be something that intends to win critical acclaim. It intends to appeal to audiences that want to see big explosions, ninjas, ray guns, supersonic jets, submarine fights, girl-on-girl fist fights, robot super suits, and all kinds of other things that a twelve-year-old-boy-at-heart would love to see in a live-action interpretation of a favorite childhood toy. Why allow a (expected) bad review deter people from spending their $8 for two hours of this mindless (in a good way) summer enjoyment.

I saw the movie yesterday and thought it was flawed, but it was also a lot of fun.

[dball]

Is anyone here as fearful of destroying some of his favorite childhood memories by seeing this movie as I am?

Also, why isn't Sgt. Slaughter or William "The Refrigerator" Perry is this movie?

Better yet why isn't GI Joe in the movie?

[Olympic Fan]

I've always contended that reviews only impact certain types of movies -- specifically ambitious or artistic films that aim at a discerning adult audience ... in other words, the kind of people that read reviews.

I happen to think that mindless summer action films are immune to bad reviews. The teenage boys who make up the bulk of the audience for such films don't give a %$# what Pauline Kael or Roger Ebert says.

Exhibit one: Transformers 2, which drew a horrific 20 percent on the Tomatometer (at Rotton Tomatoes, they collect every review, then see what the percentage are favorable -- for T2, one in five positive reviews).

So far, GI Joe has done better -- 39 percent on the Tomatometer, although that number is a bit skewed because many of the serious national reviewers (the kind who would almost certainly hate it) didn't bother to review it.

Again ... I don't think it matters, one way or another. The Spiderman films and the Dark Knight did very well with reviewers and still hit big. As I said, both Transformer films (especially the second) did awful with the critics and hit box office gold. Speed Racer and (to some extent) Terminator 4 bombed with the critics AND with the audiences.

A great trailer and a strong promotional campaign can guarantee a great opening. After that, it's all word of mouth.

The critics don't have a role to play.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

A good friend saw it this weekend and said, "Avoid at all cost". These are very strong words from him, so I'll skip this one for now.

[cato]

As I said, both Transformer films (especially the second) did awful with the critics and hit box office gold.

I feel that the first Transformers movie has been tarnished by the follow-up. It was much better received by the critics. Current score is 57% fresh, with a consensus that: "While believable characters are hard to come by in Transformers, the effects are staggering and the action is exhilarating".

I thoroughly enjoyed the first Transformers -- much like this year's Star Trek reboot or the previous year's Superbad, it provided great summer date fare for me and my wife.

Rotten Tomatoes happily kept us far, far away from the second installment.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

I feel that the first Transformers movie has been tarnished by the follow-up. It was much better received by the critics. Current score is 57% fresh, with a consensus that: "While believable characters are hard to come by in Transformers, the effects are staggering and the action is exhilarating".

I thoroughly enjoyed the first Transformers -- much like this year's Star Trek reboot or the previous year's Superbad, it provided great summer date fare for me and my wife.

Rotten Tomatoes happily kept us far, far away from the second installment.

Definitely agree about lumping the two together. Transformers was a fun, well-received popcorn movie that made a bundle. Transformers 2 was savaged by the critics but made a bunch based, IMO, on goodwill built up from the first one. I would guess that a third Transformers with similarly awful reviews would not do nearly as well since reviews and word of mouth suggest that a lot of that goodwill is gone. There's momentum for sequels (esp. franchise sequels) that can protect a bad movie and I think that's what's in play here.

I do agree that summer action movies are much less beholden to critics since they already have a ton of buzz and we don't need dramaturgical analysis of stuff blowing up. Word of mouth, on the other hand, is huge. If a movie isn't fun word does get around and no amount of name-recognition or marketing can save it. Time will tell, but if Transformers 3 is as bad a it sounds like 2 was, I don't think we'll see the same box office.

[Matches]

I saw the movie yesterday and thought it was flawed, but it was also a lot of fun.

A perfect summary IMO. Two hours of non-stop action. I'm a Joe fan from the 80's and dug it despite some flaws. Turn off your brain before you go in, but if you like popcorn entertainment this is pretty good.

[Tommac]

I also saw GI Joe this past weekend. It's not a great movie, but the action and special effects were excellent. I would say it was a good summer flick. My 18 yr old son loved it. He is into video games of similar style.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

I thought this irreverent but star-studded tribute was pretty great. Alan Tudyk, Zach Galifiankais , Henry Rollins, Julianne Moore, Billy Crudup, and so many more.

[bjornolf]

Wow, that was GREAT! Took me back to my childhood. I especially liked Destro and the Baronness playing the clarinet.

[dball]

A good friend saw it this weekend and said, "Avoid at all cost". These are very strong words from him, so I'll skip this one for now.

Heartily agree. I love action movies but this one is a mess. Some of the CGI is particularly poor. Marlon Wayans is so bad as to be distracting--tough to do when things are blowing up on the screen. He makes Channing Tatum look like Olivier. Wayans isn't funny enough to be the comic relief or believable as an action hero.

Adewale A-A is great. Liked Dennis Quaid despite some laughable dialogue, and the movie has a lot of other actors I like, but I would definitely advise you to save money. Don't wait for the DVD, avoid that too.