Featured Audience Ratings

• Albert K

  
  Retaliation's a confusing one; it's a sequel AND a reboot. I don't see the need for a reboot; the first one was, albeit, a forgettable flick, but it wasn't such a stinkball. Regardless, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" dropped into theaters and it delivered… More
  Retaliation's a confusing one; it's a sequel AND a reboot. I don't see the need for a reboot; the first one was, albeit, a forgettable flick, but it wasn't such a stinkball. Regardless, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" dropped into theaters and it delivered exactly what it intended to do: mind-numbing, over-the-top action. Yet, it was so unfulfilling. I think action directors need to understand something here. Though many old-school action flicks may not have the production value, over-the-top spectacle, or the creativity within its action scenes, audiences still left theaters thoroughly pleased. They resonated with the film and there was, for the most part, positive feedback. But why is it nowadays when we see even grander, more epic, and larger-than-life looking explosions and set-pieces that we leave extremely disappointed even when the exact purpose of watching that particular flick was for mindless action? I think it's the lack of magnetic characters and the director's lack of understanding the art of shooting not only engaging but memorable action set-pieces. Retaliation misses it's mark exactly for those two reasons. Hey, I'll be the first to admit: its predecessor had a horrible story, but there ain't much to draw up from its source material, and that's completely fine. In fact, the first live-action outing of G.I. Joe was perhaps more faithful to the show than Retaliation ever was, tonally that is. Right from the start, the film decides to throw in a screwball into the narrative, which admittedly surprised me, but right afterwards, the story lacks any sort of an engaging plot, heart, and the cartoon-y tone. Let's just put it like this: you just don't care what happens. Alright, so let's just brush that aside and admit that Retaliation's story sucks -- how's the action? It's bigger, it's shot with precision, but even more forgettable than "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra". Don't get me wrong: from the moment you set your eyes on action-packed galore, it fills your senses. You're enamored and almost hypnotized by the endless explosion flurry. The second it ends, the second it leaves your mind. Retaliation's just another big budget, mindless action movie. Nothing new here. Just another forgettable, testosterone-packed flick thrown on top of an entire decade bloated with movies just as forgettable. The ninja cliffhanger-esque scene was pretty badass though.

• Film C

  
  A forgettable movie with forgettable acting. Not even this action packed drival will keep you entertained!

• Al S

  
  It's better than the first movie, way better and keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way to the end. A big, high-octane and adrenaline-soaked action-packed thrill-ride that's just a total blast. An explosively exciting, wickedly funny and tremendously entertaining… More
  It's better than the first movie, way better and keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way to the end. A big, high-octane and adrenaline-soaked action-packed thrill-ride that's just a total blast. An explosively exciting, wickedly funny and tremendously entertaining adventure. A spectacular and awesome action movie that delivers the goods in every way you want it. An exhilarating and incredibly fun film that improves over the original film. It has a more impressive style and more interesting approach toward the characters and has a more realistic tone. Director, Jon M. Chu crafts a stylish, hard-rocking and impressively cool action flick. Dwayne Johnson is excellent, he proves to keep his action hero crown on tight and show some great character stuff in his performance. Johnson is one of the true action heroes. Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum are fantastic together, they have great and very funny chemistry in their scenes together and prove to be some of the best scenes in the film. Ray Park shows great physical ability as Snake Eyes. Ray Stevenson is excellent. Bruce Willis is terrific, he proves a great combination to the cast, a true action legend mentoring this young group of talent who all manage to stand their ground and have a great time. This is one hell of an explosive and ultra-cool movie. It's wonderfully over the top with suspense, humor and non-stop action.

• JY S

  
  Jon M. Chu's <i>G.I. Joe: Retaliation</i> is an action packed movie with very little entertainment value.<p>The 90+ minute story does tie into the first film and yet it doesn't, since certain story explanations are missing. The existing characters and… More
  Jon M. Chu's <i>G.I. Joe: Retaliation</i> is an action packed movie with very little entertainment value.<p>The 90+ minute story does tie into the first film and yet it doesn't, since certain story explanations are missing. The existing characters and story elements that carry over do not have any new buildup, while the new characters don't get enough. All this leads to plot details that turn this picture into a bore-fest.</p><p>The action is a plenty and the CG is good. Unfortunately, it isn't enough to turn this film into a memorable action classic.</p><p>The acting is passable. Dwayne Johnson is good enough to lead the Joes and Adrianne Palicki provides excellent viewing. There isn't much else to say about the rest of the cast, except that RZA is completely out of place.</p><p><i>G.I. Joe: Retaliation</i> has its share of action, but not much else. Pass.</p>

• Kase V

  
  The newest installment in the G.I. Joe franchise has plenty wrong with it. A boring story that loses its viewer, a waste of its best character, even Bruce Willis' presence was slightly wasted on what could've been an awesome cameo. Only some of the action sequences help the… More
  The newest installment in the G.I. Joe franchise has plenty wrong with it. A boring story that loses its viewer, a waste of its best character, even Bruce Willis' presence was slightly wasted on what could've been an awesome cameo. Only some of the action sequences help the movie in any way. But the script was too bad to be ignored. Did Cobra Commander seriously just say 'You're out of the band' before dropping another baddie from his team? I mean, I sincerely hope that was supposed to be laughable.

• Nick D

  
  One spectacular Roller Coaster of pure action. While this movie suffers from an overly complicated script, it makes up for it in every way with Ninja scenes beyond those seen in a very long time, and great acting from the likes of Dwayne Johnson and Ray Park (Who plays Snake Eyes… More
  One spectacular Roller Coaster of pure action. While this movie suffers from an overly complicated script, it makes up for it in every way with Ninja scenes beyond those seen in a very long time, and great acting from the likes of Dwayne Johnson and Ray Park (Who plays Snake Eyes spectacularly without muttering a word). If you go to see this movie expecting an oscar contender you will be very disappointed, but if you just want an explosive, non-stop action movie, you've come to the right place.

• Everett J

  
  The first time I watched the first G.I. Joe movie I thought "they will never make a sequel to this because it was so bad". Enter the Rock and you instantly turn a franchise around. This sequel ignores a lot of the first movie and moves into a new direction. It continues… More
  The first time I watched the first G.I. Joe movie I thought "they will never make a sequel to this because it was so bad". Enter the Rock and you instantly turn a franchise around. This sequel ignores a lot of the first movie and moves into a new direction. It continues most of the story that was set up, but forgets things like the blond girl and Marlon Wayans altogether. Here, the new group battles Cobra and threats within our own government. The Rock instantly makes this franchise better, and at one point I literally said to my buddy "The Rock is such a badass". He is what was missing from the first movie. Plus, you through in Bruce Willis and you have a great combination for an action movie. This movie has a lot of humor, the action is great, and while the story isn't the best and there are a lot of "hokey" type moments, it's very entertaining. This was originally supposed to come out last Summer, and I'm glad they moved it. This isn't really up there with the big Summer action movies, but it's a great appetizer for movies to come. Good, enjoyable action movie. Hopefully, if they make more it's like this and not like the first movie. If they do that, this franchise could have some legs in the coming years.

• Manu G

  
  Action packed! Very good action movie! G.I. Joe: Retaliation is burdened by cleaning out the closet of the previous film's story-line. A terrorist group called Cobra have an operative impersonating The President and reeking havoc on the Joes and the world. A team of surviving… More
  Action packed! Very good action movie! G.I. Joe: Retaliation is burdened by cleaning out the closet of the previous film's story-line. A terrorist group called Cobra have an operative impersonating The President and reeking havoc on the Joes and the world. A team of surviving Joes must clear their names and take down Cobra before its too late. Simple. Director Jon M. Chu seemed to have done his research on what failed in the first film and done research on the material in general. It shows in the little nuances Joe fans would notice. A faceplate for Cobra Commander, an Uzi for Snake Eyes, an Australian accent for Firefly, a blindfold for Jinx. Its those little things that show me he actually cares about the material and doesn't just want to use the property as a bridge to show off his directorial talent. It comes across that the Joes in this film seem to actually be capable soldiers with varying skills, the way the show was intended. That as apposed to the bumbling, excelerator suit wearing, dummies in the previous film. Men and women who seemed to be working for Maxwell Smart instead of the United States Armed Services. Overall, if you're looking for a fun night and a fun and entertaining film with awesome actors and visually great action sequences with a half-ass thin and predictable plot and low expectations, then see this. You wont be disappointed! Framed for crimes against the country, the G.I. Joe team is terminated by the President's order, and the surviving team members face off against Zartan, his accomplices, and the world leaders he has under his influence.

• Drake T

  
  TESTOSTERONEEEEEEE! But seriously Bruce Willis needed more screentime. The ninjas were tacky and lame as usual and surprisingly? The action wasn't as good as I thought it'd be. Unsurprising note, the plot was one hell of a joke. It should be worth mentioning that there were… More
  TESTOSTERONEEEEEEE! But seriously Bruce Willis needed more screentime. The ninjas were tacky and lame as usual and surprisingly? The action wasn't as good as I thought it'd be. Unsurprising note, the plot was one hell of a joke. It should be worth mentioning that there were some charming... "human" moments that the first film lacked but then they dropped the over-use of CGI and special effects that the first film had which I missed! I mean, when I pay for a GI Joe ticket I'm expecting Michael-Bay-Transformers-Visuals... I was disappointed to see them tone it all down. I think the very premise/concept of a GI Joe live-action movie is just.... incredibly hard to pull off without a proper script that seamlessly balances realism, charm and action. I wouldn't say impossible because somehow Marvel pulled it off with the Avengers. Bottom line? In a sea of shitty loud action movies I would choose the Transformers or The Expendables over this rubbish any day.

• Cassandra M

  
  As a kid I was a huge fan of the G.I. Joe cartoons and had a vast collection of the action figures, but I never thought it was a very good idea to bring the franchise to the big screen. I did not like the first film despite all the great special effects because the entire concept was… More
  As a kid I was a huge fan of the G.I. Joe cartoons and had a vast collection of the action figures, but I never thought it was a very good idea to bring the franchise to the big screen. I did not like the first film despite all the great special effects because the entire concept was just way too silly, and I did not like this film all that much either despite the fact it had a better story and some more interesting characters. What really saved this film for me was a ten minute action scene in the mountains which was pretty amazing and made the entire movie worthwhile. It was one of the best action scenes I have seen all year. This second film was directed by Jon M. Chu (Justin Bieber Never Say Never and Step Up 2) and the screenplay co-written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Zombieland), but very few actors are back from the original movie (only five) so this felt like a totally different movie. Retaliation is much better than Rise of Cobra but it still felt a little light due to the nonstop action. It's one of those movies you can enjoy for two hours but forget about once it's over. What it does have going for it is that is includes better action stars like The Rock and Bruce Willis. The Rock is probably one of the best contemporary action stars and he already brought the Fast and Furious franchise back alive again. He does not quite do the same with GI Joe, but he still makes this movie a little more enjoyable than the original one. Despite all the cheesiness of the plot I still had some fun, and the producers knew that the premise could not be taken seriously so they just played around with it.

• Chris W

  
  It took long enough for this one to get released, but it at least finally happened. And, the end result is a movie that, while not great, is marginally entertaining. The best way to describe it is sit-throughable. Picking up sometime after the first left off, the movie basically… More
  It took long enough for this one to get released, but it at least finally happened. And, the end result is a movie that, while not great, is marginally entertaining. The best way to describe it is sit-throughable. Picking up sometime after the first left off, the movie basically deals with the scenario of what if COBRA basically won, and the Joes found themselves basically wiped off the map? It's as simple as that. I liked this idea. It took some chances and raised some stakes. The execution could have been better though, of course. For one thing, the film doesn't feel as epic and urgent as it should, and the situation is quite dire, but it doesn't feel that way. Basically, the script needed a lot of work. However, given that it's based off of a toy line, it's works well enough, and feels more like a G.I. Joe movie than the previous one did. I liked that the director is far less known, but at the same time ,the film doesn't really stand out. It's slightly above average, and the effects are decently serviceable ,but the action is slightly more choppy than I would have liked. There's at least a lot of it though, and the film is good about not really dragging.Heck, there's even a few moments that are genuinely kind of clever. This isn't really new ground for a lot of the cast, with some major check cashing going on for Tatum and Willis, but, Johnson is fine, and I enjoyed Ray Park returning as Snake Eyes. RZA's appearance was odd, but it amused me, if only because of the casting. Probably the best part would be Ray Stevenson as Firefly, who clearly is having a lot of scenery chewing fun, despite being underutilized. All in all, it's a pretty typical popcorn action movie. It's not terrible, but not really memorable. But sometimes fleeting fun is all you want, and in this regard, regard the movie does okay.

• Liam G

  
  At times ''G.I. Joe: Retaliation'' captures the goofy, fun feel that we've been craving for, but the action scenes become tedious after a while and there are too many characters and stupid plot points that prevent us from really giving a damn.

• c0up  

  
  'G.I. Joe: Retaliation'. A hilarious plot, corny humour, damn good action. That mountain sequence is spectacular!

• KJ P

  
  Is it better than it's predecessor? No, but it's definitely not worse either. The plot of this film is much more cliched that the first, but it also has more layers which I commended it for. The dialogue is worse, the characters are only somewhat developed, and the visuals… More
  Is it better than it's predecessor? No, but it's definitely not worse either. The plot of this film is much more cliched that the first, but it also has more layers which I commended it for. The dialogue is worse, the characters are only somewhat developed, and the visuals are cheesy again, but I honestly had a blast watching the action. The action in this film is far superior to the first. In the end, I had a decent time watching it, but found myself laughing at the film too many times to call it good. The direction has gone in a much better route, the editing is much more solid, but the camerawork has honestly gotten more sloppy. It's cool to see these action stars holding a film like this together, because if it wasn't for the performances in this film, it would not have felt separate enough from the first. it was fun for a while, but it's still the same old thing!

• Mike S

  
  Tough stares adorn the poster. Some of them neophytes in "G.I. Joe" context. Others, like Channing Tatum, have played this little game before. Bruce Willis and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson never being involved in the predecessor is, however, of lesser importance. I… More
  Tough stares adorn the poster. Some of them neophytes in "G.I. Joe" context. Others, like Channing Tatum, have played this little game before. Bruce Willis and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson never being involved in the predecessor is, however, of lesser importance. I mean, it's not like they haven't wielded a few BFG's before. Having said that, it wasn't too hard to predict what this second chapter would have to offer: macho action and explosion parades, without any grander ambitions than so. The villains are, yet again, inhabited by Cobra, an organization of well-funded terrorists and the Joes' sworn nemesis. But to make it harder yet for our heroes they're also facing a threat from within the government - infiltrated by their vengeful enemies who all but annihilate the entire team. Dangerously close to total defeat, it's now in the hands of a few survivors to impede Cobra from sinking their fangs into the world. The change of director from Stephen Sommers to the more anonymous John M. Chu (<i>Step Up 3</i>, <i>Justin Bieber: Never Say Never</i>) isn't very noticeable on a technical level, apart from the camera work being a notch choppier. As previously, the special effects do impress, but the script appears deprived of the well-aimed self-distance that made me that much more tolerant to the original's weaknesses. Sure, it still has a sense of humor, but it's too often limping and cheesily executed. Misfired jokes notwithstanding, the 12-year-old in me is still disposed to giving it a solid thumbs up. For amidst the high-tech gadgets and mountain-climbing ninjas the entertainment factor remains pretty high. Chiefly in the finale, the great action of which becomes the film's saving grace. Perhaps not anything for cinephiles to discover any deeper meanings within, but for a sequel originally based on a series of action figures from the toy giant known as Hasbro, it would be unreasonable to demand much more. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mikes-Movie-Reviews/281824101875153?ref=hl

• Aaron N

  
  Roadblock: Let's move! The world ain't saving itself! 2009 saw the release of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. While that film was a financial success and has its fans, it did not quite set the world on fire in the same way that Transformers, the other Hasbro toy-based movie… More
  Roadblock: Let's move! The world ain't saving itself! 2009 saw the release of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. While that film was a financial success and has its fans, it did not quite set the world on fire in the same way that Transformers, the other Hasbro toy-based movie franchise did. The consensus seems to be that it was too campy for its own good. While I may disagree, the idea for this sequel seems to have been to make it a lot more earnest, while still maintaining a level of fun. The results are good enough, even if the film is more of an equal, as opposed to a greater piece of work than the former. Retaliation may be a sequel that really wants to disassociate itself from the first movie, despite continuing on with where the first film's story left off, but despite being 'more serious', it still has a lot of inherent goofiness and ridiculous, but enjoyable action sequences. I may not be the biggest G.I. Joe fan (I had Star Wars toys), but this still fits as the kind of movie I would want to see made from this franchise. read the whole review at thecodeiszeek.com

• Dann M

  
  G.I. Joe: Retaliation retcons the series and captures the original spirit of the '80s television show. When the G.I. Joes are wiped out by a sneak attack, three surviving Joes put together a new team and set out to uncover who was behind the attack. The story is a bit… More
  G.I. Joe: Retaliation retcons the series and captures the original spirit of the '80s television show. When the G.I. Joes are wiped out by a sneak attack, three surviving Joes put together a new team and set out to uncover who was behind the attack. The story is a bit over-the-top, but it works and is told fairly well. However, there's some baggage from the previous film that weighs this one down. But the cast is solid, and includes Dwayne Johnson, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Stevenson, and Bruce Willis. Additionally, the use of a gritty military aesthetic and the return to the retro look of the animated series sets the right tone for the film. Full of high-energy action, G.I. Joe: Retaliation delivers the entertaining adventure that fans have been waiting for.

• Bradley W

  
  G.I. Joe: Retaliation is further examples that films based on Hasbro toys just don't work out the way they want it too. I gave the film some credit since it improved many aspects from the previous film "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," but overall it's a very lazy… More
  G.I. Joe: Retaliation is further examples that films based on Hasbro toys just don't work out the way they want it too. I gave the film some credit since it improved many aspects from the previous film "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," but overall it's a very lazy and unworthy film that tries nothing more than to show us some cool action sequences and a forgettable story. I am sure most people realize by now that these films aren't meant to focus on characters, story, or any real purpose besides action, but at this point I think they are trying so hard to make such a forgettable story that they are showing it off in front of our faces. I mean I could've left the theater for about a half-hour and then came back, and I wouldn't have missed any important plot points (if there were any in the first place). That being said, I enjoyed many of the films action sequences for giving the audience what they want and then some. The character Snake Eyes has some pretty fun and enjoyable action sequences and ended up being the best character in the film, mainly because he doesn't say a word throughout. Director Jon M. Chu knows what makes a cool G.I. Joe movie, but sadly a worthless script keeps it from being anything more than eye candy. We have many clichés within this film, many worthless characters, and a lot of big action scenes, but what the film mainly lacks is anything that makes it worth being memorable. The story follows the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson) and his team are the last G.I. Joe's left and must save the world before it is destroyed. The plot seems like it was written by the same children that play with the action figures, but sadly it was in fact written by grown men. I haven't seen "The Rise of Cobra" since it was released back in 2009, and even then I could tell I needed to prepare for franchise that would try to stay alive as long as possible with no true point. In fact my prediction was right, as here we are given a film that leaves stories open for future films and at that point my wallet cried a little bit because I have to pay to see more of this unintentionally funny dialogue and one-dimensional characters. Dwayne Johnson's character was perfectly crafted to be as cliché of a hero as possible, and it's sad because near the start of the film it seemed almost like he could've been an actual human being. His two lackeys aren't even worth mentioning because they provided no purpose other than looking like super models. The Cobra villains really are just the bad guys set out for world domination, and that is as far their personalities go in this film. I am pretty sure the writers have no respect for the audience and actually believe everybody will buy this idiotic story and its pathetic little subplots. The good guys fight the bad guys, and that is the overall point of this story and nothing more. The cast provides many actors carrying guns, and that is about how far the range of their acting goes in this movie. Dwayne Johnson will continue to be in these kinds of films for the rest of his life, this is a proven fact, and although I believe he showed great strides in the film "Snitch," he is still going to be in big budget action films like this. He makes them slightly more enjoyable so I cannot complain, but when they give a character so pathetically written I would expect him to finally just say "this is even too stupid for me." If he continues to be in future installments of this series, I hope they actually attempt to make him act like a human being. Jonathon Pryce plays the president and a super villain, both of which make him still one of the most forgettable actors in the film. I don't want to be cruel to the guy, but he really serves no true purpose in being in this film. Channing Tatum is in the film for a very short time, and I was very disappointed in the writers for getting rid of one of the few likable actors in this film. I really enjoy Tatum as an actor now and it made me mad to see them get rid of him so early with such a horrible send off. Bruce Willis also is used very poorly in the film, since he is like only one action scene and provides nothing more than just being Bruce Willis. Many other actors such as Byung-hun Lee, Elodie Yung, Ray Stevenson, D.J. Cotrona, and Adrianne Palicki are in the film but I forgot about most of them as soon as I left the theater. In a nutshell, don't expect anything from this cast other than actors with big guns and big explosions. G.I. Joe: Retaliation proved to be the entertainment it promised to be, and although it was delayed by about 9-months, it still gave me the action I deserved for my money. I again admit that I didn't enjoy the story, characters, or performances, but I knew when I came into the theater that I wasn't going to get any of that so I should just try to enjoy the action as much as possible. It's also not as bad as previous Hasbro film adaptions such as the "Transformer" sequels or "Battleship" so we must look at the positives or the negatives with films like this. But that is still not saying this is a good movie, in fact most critics will probably agree this wasn't a good film at all. But I would make the case that although this was a bad film; we all expected it to be in the first place. I believe that is the reason for the films delay, because they knew it would be a panned film and needed the 3D to assure the box-office success. I don't believe it was necessary, but at this point I believe Hollywood will go to any length to make sure they get the money they believe they deserve. It has been a while since I have seen a "great" film at the movies, and this kind of film shows me that it will probably be a long time until I do.

• Chrisanne C

  
  Just leave your brain at the door. It's action packed and affectionately enjoyable.

• Jeff B

  
  A $130 million flick about Hasbro action figures that features a mind-numbing amount of mind-numbing action, Retaliation begs more cries of 'Go Figure' than 'Go Joe.' Oh, it's smarter, slicker, and snazzier than the first live action G. I. Joe adventure, The… More
  A $130 million flick about Hasbro action figures that features a mind-numbing amount of mind-numbing action, Retaliation begs more cries of 'Go Figure' than 'Go Joe.' Oh, it's smarter, slicker, and snazzier than the first live action G. I. Joe adventure, The Rise of Cobra, but still ridiculously juvenile in comparison with most PG-13 H'Wood flicks. Nothing more than a fist-pumping cartoon with living breathing actors, this deuce features dialogue that would sound silly coming out of a G.I. Joe doll getting its drawstring pulled. Still, however ridiculous, the action soars, the effects and 3D conversion prove decent, and the cast stands and delivers. Now, you know...and knowing is half the babble. In this PG-13-rated sequel to the military actioner based on the popular line of toys, the terrorist group Cobra sends a spy named Zartan (Arnold Vosloo) to assassinate most of the elite G.I. Joe special forces team (Tatum, et al), leaving a small band (Johnson, Bruce Willis, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Stevenson) to seek revenge. Charismatic to the max, Johnson proves ridiculously watchable even when spitting out lines like, "The world isn't going to save itself." Willis, however, all but phones it in, hitting his marks and cashing a paycheck in one fell swoop. As for the rest of the cast...well, even the most Average of Joes keep their tongues planted firmly in cheek. Also, like boasting swivel-armed battle grip, the flick sports a lot of high-tech with the CGI to back it up. Despite this shiny packaging, however, it's still just a big plastic plaything. Bottom line: Puerile American Hero.

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