G.I. Joe: Resolute

• Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos
• April 25, 2009
• Based on G.I. Joe by Hasbro

Voice Cast

• Cobra Commander, Stalker, Flint, Gung-Ho, Hard Master, Cop-Charlie Adler
• Storm Shadow, Destro, Tunnel Rat, Cobra Soldier-Eric Bauza
• Duke, Roadblock, Wild Bill, Ripcord, Zartan, Doc, Operator, Technician-Steve Blum
• Scarlett, Dial Tone, Baroness, Cover Girl-Grey DeLisle

Cobra deploys a new weapon to take over the world and G.I. Joe must stop them.

I always thought G.I. Joe: Resolute was a limited run TV series rather than one of those series of 10-minute Internet shorts that eventually get released as a completed film. What is obvious is that it was a series of short clips when first released. It moves fast even in comparison to the classic 80s animated series in a way that feels rushed instead of intense.

It just flies through the story moving at a breakneck pace offering no character development. Often the script chooses to rely on cultural familiarity of the characters from the TV show or the comics. The comics were much more grounded than the original show, but that series often had Cobra using a superweapon like they do in Resolute. This time their device of choice is a particle beam weapon mixed with a device that superheats the ionosphere to block communication. Much more realistic than a pyramid of darkness or a weather dominator.

Long time G.I. Joe fans of the comics or the show or booth will recognize the town of Springfield which plays a big part in the film’s climax. In the comics it was based in the US and used by Cobra after a series of events that would be hard to summarize. In the TV show it was an island base used by Cobra where Shipwreck was being interrogated and in one traumatizing scene watched his ‘family’ melt.

In a distinct departure from ALL previous iterations, Joes and Cobras die left and right. Not even named characters beginning with Major Bludd are safe. That would be great if we got to know them enough to care. Every death happens to the characters with the least screen time. I think Zartan gets the most time but that is for an info dump on his secret connection with Snake Eyes and connection to Storm Shadow.

This is not connected to any previous continuity but borrows liberally from old lore. Without character development or efforts to establish its individuality I was left waiting for things that never came or where it fit into what I knew from before. Scarlett and Duke have a relationship with the issue here being she cannot decide who to be with because of her thing for/with Snake Eyes. That triggered one memory while the superweapon triggered another. Mix that with very vague lines that to me hinted at Serpentor or somebody else running Cobra before the movie’s events and this sat everywhere and nowhere.

So much alludes to a deeper story we never get a peak at. We know there is a Duke/Scarlett/Snake Eyes love triangle but never see it. Zartan has history but we are only told by him when he shows. Bludd is a traitor and it gets him killed but never learn what he did. Cobra Commander took back control of Cobra but from who?

Cobra Commander is much more of a madman in Resolute. Not ever comedic yet with a massive ego. He lacks any notceable charisma though to explain what draws people to him. In a more grounded world we needed a hint. I would have taken a mention of pay or amazing benefits to explain it.

Despite the presence of professional voice actors, many of the characters sound the same. Then again it is a mere four people who handle an adequate number of characters. Maybe because the producers dumped more money into the animation which looks great. It is crisp and communicates the action in an epic fashion. The little touches likes bullets ricocheting really intensify the excitement.

That is not enough to save this film. Being cut up for short online bursts makes this a rushed job with no character development. Twists and revelations are flung at the audience with no development or time to breathe. You just never really care because it all means nothing.

I appreciated the attempt at a more adult tone was a plus since it but lack of an explanation or creation of some level of context in G.I. Joe: Resolute left me wanting. It’s a nice action film but not much else.