Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (3533)

Content

LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) in Movies

Jul 4, 2021

One of the most proudly and spectacularly nerdy things I've ever seen - filled to the brim with seemingly endless gadgetry, weapons, flashbacks, melodrama, underground/hidden lairs, explosions, costumes, and "oh my God I can't believe they're actually doing this" action scenes. And just like that two hours flies right by. I'm usually pointedly averse to this sort of routine guy-saves-the-day-then-gets-the-girl blockbuster crap from this era - but there's such an overload of visual tech-fetish creativity thrown at the screen that you'd really have to watch it twice to even absorb it all, and beyond that something just clicks here. The clear disdain from Tatum - who has never been worse - because he really doesn't want to be here is hysterical, and the rest of this absolutely loaded cast turn in similarly appetizing corniness from Quaid's trademark commandeering to Wayans' canned comedic relief. The tropes feel lovingly recreated rather than haphazardly slapped together, there's a refreshing feeling of sincerity that makes its fun factor way more authentic than other films of the breed. Still a bit on the clean side (more specifically of-its-time) to properly rise to the heights it deserves, but oh baby this is a blast and a half. Really good Michael Bay ripoff junk food that does a helluva lot with that PG-13 rating.