Synopsis:
Discover the origins of the iconic G.I. JOE hero, SNAKE EYES (Henry Golding), in this action-packed, edge-of-your-seat adventure. Welcomed into an ancient Japanese clan called the Arashikage after saving the life of their heir-apparent, STORM SHADOW (Andrew Koji), SNAKE EYES joins the battle against the terrorist group COBRA. Pushing him to the limits, SNAKE EYES will become the ultimate ninja warrior. But, when past secrets are revealed, his honor and allegiance will be tested – even if that means losing everything he has been fighting for. Also starring Úrsula Corberó as BARONESS and Samara Weaving as SCARLETT.
What We Thought:
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is one of the most disappointing films of the year. I knew they were changing the origin story of my favorite G.I. Joe character, but what they came up with is a total mess and slap in the face to the character. Most of the film has nothing to do with G.I. Joe and the character is pretty much ruined.
The movie opens with a young boy watching his father be killed and then flashes forward to present time. We are introduced to Henry Golding who eventually will become Snake Eyes. He saves the life of another man and is taken in with a Japanese clan where he will get more training and learn their ways. Seems pretty good and I love Asian cinema, but Golding’s performance is very wooden and the Snake Eyes character has no honor to him. He’s played as a thief and backstabber which is the exact opposite of what he should be. He’s hard to root for because he’s not what you want from Snake Eyes.
The worst part of it is that the other actors are head and shoulders above what Golding is doing. I really enjoyed Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow. His action sequences are way more believable than Golding’s and his performance as Storm Shadow is closer to the character than Golding’s. Iko Uwais is wasted in the film. If you want over-the-top action you should have him doing it not Golding who isn’t known for action. That’s a problem with the movie, everyone involved besides its lead has an action background and it shows. Snake Eyes seems like the worst fighter in his own movie.
The action sequences are fine with your typical use of CGI and effects. There is some decent hand-to-hand fighting, but with Snake Eyes being a master swordsman, there should have been more. The film does look great in 4K though. It’s super vibrant and sounds fantastic as well. The bonus features are decent too.
Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins was a big swing and a miss. Until Scarlett and The Baroness come into play there really isn’t anything to do with G.I. Joe besides the use of the names Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. They wanted to re-invent the character to have an Asian origin since Snake Eyes is a ninja, but ultimately what they came up with just doesn’t work. Everything they wanted to do Shang-Chi does better. There’s yet to be a good G.I. Joe movie made.
Bonus Features:
- Morning Light: A Weapon with Stories to Tell – Discover the secrets of Snake Eyes‘ legendary sword, Morning Light, in this all-new short film
- Deleted Scenes – What you didn’t see in theaters
- Enter SNAKE EYES – Find out what it took to bring the iconic hero’s origin story to life
- A Deadly Ensemble – Meet fan-favorite heroes, villains, and new characters in the G.I. JOE franchise
- Arashikage – Dive into the elite ninja warrior world of the Arashikage clan
The Nerds Templar 