There were only about 7 of us in the theater for the early showing, but the comments that some of those other movie goers passed on to people coming into the theater as we exited echoed my first two sentences. It was fun, and the people looked the part; not just saying it, but they looked like they had fun.
I recommend it, but I'm sure it isn't for everybody.
Dare I review? "Review" sounds slow and boring, almost technical. Instead, I'll tell you how I feel right now after watching the movie: I feel VERY GOOD. So good I could go bust out some 'Joes and play along with the movie story line.
Spoilers may come forth below, be warned!!!
SERPENTOR IS CREATED!!!!
NO, just kidding, but you may read some movie spoilers in my ramblings below so...
SPOILER ALERT TO CONDITION YELLOW!
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
See that little Star Trek like warning? With colored text, at that to match? Yes, I really had fun, and I am pumped up.
Well, I don't want to ruin it, so let's make that RED ALERT for Spoilers for below!!!
Now, to begin with, I saw the 3D version of the film (MAN OF STEEL preview looks great, btw!). This was my first official 3D film on a personal note, having only done a 4D show once. I wasn't too sure on the 3D aspect, but a lot of the locations really called for it, and there is a real sense of depth and height. The 3D TOTALLY rocked the ninja battle scenes. I mean, the camera would follow down the rock face, but there was even like an extra second where I kept looking down and realized, that was far down!
As I think back on the story as it starts out, I had not read any spoilers on the film, and here's a possible HUGE SPOILER, but Duke is killed. I think this was speculated, and I've said it in many forum discussions that I wouldn't mind if this happened, as it should have happened in 1987. But...., I almost feel a little emptiness right off the bat.
No, really, I feel a little empty with the loss of Duke right now. Not because it was "Duke," the glossy corporate mandated figure. I actually liked the little GIJOE group that Retaliation Duke was in charge of in the opening sequence. Roadblock and Duke seemed like a couple of people that I would totally love to hang out with. That "Mouse" character was kind of interesting, too. Only "knew" him a few minutes. But, there was no time for grieving, and I'm glad there wasn't any chance to get bogged down, but only one mention of Duke for the rest of the film, until that final pistol shot.
(Did I help to kill Duke? Are we truly heading for a GIJoe Renaissance with no Duke!? Is he really gone?? IS ROADBLOCK in charge?)
So much to take in with this movie!
The prison sequence was pretty wild, it just felt like some kind of James Bond film as the flamboyant warden brought Snake Eyes down there into a relic cold war era facility. Here is where I was hoping there would be NO connection to the Rise of Cobra Cobra Commander, and in a sense, there really isn't one. All a person knows going into this film is that Cobra Commander and Destro are imprisoned. So when it comes to "playing" GIJoe, I think this film did a great job here. It was a classic prison break when it comes right down to it, with the disguised ninja penetrating the facility.
Only to invoke what I imagine is the sleeping Phoenix, foil the medical monitors, and totally escape, freeing the Commander.
Right there in that scene, that is totally something I could imagine playing with my own GIJoe figures; the prison break! However, with my figures, I would not have left Destro out of the band. THAT little fact leaves so much for a third film to allow for the Rise of the Iron Grenadiers, SEPARATE of Cobra.
We also get to greet Firefly in this film. Did we get any background information on this guy? Anything at all? Zartan and Firefly meeting up upon the Commanders home arrival really is the only hint, and it's a huge supposition, or Easter egg, that unless I missed it in the film, is a small flavor of the Zartan-Firefly relation in infiltrating the Arashikage from the Marvel days. (I could be reading it wrong, but I wanted to tell everyone all this stuff in the theater so they would know.)
The film keeps going, too. That's what made this fun for me.
We had Lady Jaye doing some investigative work, slipping right up next to Zartan to confirm the 'Joes suspicions of an imposter President. Sure, that covert move could have been set up longer, with more disguises, more ear-phone comm chatter, and what-not in the film, but I'm glad it wasn't, there was great pace overall. I think I read over at GeneralsJoes.com's posts on Twitzillers reasons why Retaliation will be great, and pacing is one of them I remember right. If I remembered right, then I agree very much.
Were there little story spots where I felt like I missed something? Yeah, like, when Storm Shadow was sent to the mountain to heal. If I knew nothing of GIJoe, I would want to know where, what, who, and why are we in the mountains with red ninja guys. I'm glad they didn't stop the film to explain it all, though. Heck, we don't know why Snake Eyes was trailing Storm Shadow to the prison facility in the first place, do we?
How did Snakes even know Stormy was alive, and what's been happening between films? So much more wanting, perhaps this is something intentional, and that's what makes it fun. What if....? Here's that point where imagination wants to bust out the GIJoe figures and play it out.
One highlight of the movie is the "revelation" of the Hard Master's killer for me. I bet everyone in the theater was thinking, who is the Hard Master? It was handled excellent, minimal flashbacks, limited dialogue, and the best thing of all, was how Storm Shadow proved it was not his sword.
Snake Eyes even looked surprised at that moment. (Yes he did, don't argue.)
Once again, we didn't get bogged down in that ninja battles side with long-winded back story. We got the jist of it with the scene of Zartan taking off his disguise in the flashback.
And to continue in SPOILER fashion, I am surprised that Zartan was killed. But what a closure for that old Marvel comics days story line. Instead of letting go of the anger in Retaliation, however, Storm Shadow closed that avenging/ anger book with a sword. Well, at least from what I saw on screen.
Same with Roadblock, he said in the beginning of the film he was going to kill whoever was responsible for his teammates deaths, and he did it. Unfortunately, does this mean that Retaliation Firefly will grow in a so-called cult-status? Well, maybe he survived, like maybe Zartan survived....
Heck, Lady Jaye even got some personal closure that was briefly mentioned in the only really sappy moment (and it wasn't that sappy, it was like that one or two panels in a comic book brief) where she mentions her ambition to rise to her fathers level. That was something when "Joe" mentioned knowing her father and that he'd be proud of her. Or however it was said. I thought that was a pretty good moment, and I hope to see Lady Jaye appear in another film.
Maybe that's what made this movie fun? Almost like a comic book, where there isn't that much space in the panels from beginning to end to cram every detail into it. But there is SO much put into this movie. I feel great about it from start to finish....
I want more of it.
Whatever the hiatus, re-filming, whatever the delay, for me it was worth the wait. Best thing ever? Can there be a best thing ever? So, Hasbro, Paramount, or whoever is in the power seat: I think you have a great team started up here, I see a solid foundation with talent that I hope is built upon in the future.
For my own personal "JoeVerse?"
Right now, on the excitement of coming out of the theater, yeah, I could incorporate so many elements into my own little world. What's kind of funny, is that the Retaliation world and my thing aren't too far separated. Things are small, if you will, more intimate. (Much like GIJoe: Renegades.)
What more can a guy say? Probably more if I had another 'Joe fan right next to me in the room. And if there was another 'Joe fan in the room, I'd suggest we go see it again. Or even check out RoC, and then go see Retaliation.
I'll leave it at that. For now.
I recommend it. FUN movie!!!
Well done everyone involved!!!