Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins (2021)

[Eric Duncan]

Are you on a new level?

[Rorschach]

A disposable fun action film, which is really all I wanted going into this, and a clear step-up from the previous two G.I. Joe films. It's not quite entertaining in the so-bad-its-good way like The Rise of Cobra, but as a smaller scale origin story, its sufficient enough. I can totally see why some people would not care at all for this film – though the common complaint I keep seeing about the action scenes being "incomprehensible" is pretty overblown – but for my two cents, its a decent two hour time-killer.

 

3/5

[FilmFincher]

This was a rough one. 

 

Redeeming qualities were Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow who shines in a dull film, proving a more complicated performance than the film deserves. Also some of the fantastical elements like the snakes were refreshing. It also went by quicker than expected, it's not a slog, there's stuff happening on screen; not good stuff, but stuff nonetheless. 

 

But outside of that this film is exceedingly generic on every level.

 

You get a taste of some of the dialogue these actors are forced to say from the get-go and it only gets worse from there. Golding jumps back and forth between British and his wrung American accent. Honestly think he spent more time doing the British one. Zero chemistry with anyone on screen. 

Everyone else is just dull as a doornail. Even the wonderful Samara Weaving (who's not in the film much and might come out unscathed) is just flatlining here. 

 

Most disappointing thing was the action. The one thing I said going in was just 'please let this film have good action'. It occasionally shows promise. There's a couple of shots per action sequence where you think the tide is turning but it ultimately resorts to a mess of extremely shoddy editing, tight angles and shaky camera work. Frustrating on every level. 

 

3/10