The Joe movie...

[I AM SCI-FI]

The cartoon watching/comic book reading/toy collecting fans of G.I. Joe is what made this franchise popular enough to be made into a live-action movie. Sure, the cartoons deviate some from the comics and file cards on the toys, but not by a lot. The point is, if the story/plot worked enough in those mediums to hook a couple generations, maybe there's something to it. Maybe these generations know a good thing when they see it, even if it comes in what is considered a "childish" format. If they had maintained the story when converting to this live-action movie perhaps the non-cartoon watching/non-comic book reading/non-toy collecting public would come to realize what we all have known for years.

We went two decades without any real origin story for COBRA and G.I. Joe. Only within the last few years did they put what we did know with some new stuff into the "DECLASSIFIED" series of comics. If they wanted to make an origin movie they could have used those, and by doing so they wouldn't have alienated so many "hard-core fans" who feel like they've been taken forgranted.

People say things like, "Well, to reach a wider audience they have to change things up a bit." Well, most of the non-fans have already heard of G.I. Joe and a lot of them will quickly label it a kiddie thing and won't have any interest in it. So, the powers that be might as well please the ones that got them where they are. The movie would still be seen by tons of people that know little about G.I. Joe - like, those who go to the movies just because a new movie is out and the parents who are taking their kids to see a "kiddie movie" - and they would come to realize it's a good thing, and then they would spread by word of mouth how good it is, which would influence others non-Joe fans to see it. I mean, think of all of the various actors who get cast to play a live-action version of a comic book character, but they have never read a comic book in their life. Then, once they've been hired they start to read the related comic to get a feel for the character and then they can't put the comics down. They go in with this preconceived notion that comics are for kids, so the stories must be childish. Yet, once they start reading they find themselves hooked. If something works in one medium, it'll work in another. It's a risk worth taking.

[Blackmada]

One more thing that helped Tformers out is the fact that the brothers came out to see it to. Gi Joe is going to need that also.

 

You mean like Cryme Tyme? @lol@

Uh oh, I think maybe they stole DarthJoe from 1986's virginity. Then sold it for $20.

 

I think the movie will be a fun alternative GI Joe. Whatever it is like will never change what I have in my mind as what I want my GI Joe universe to be.

[DarthJoe]

One more thing that helped Tformers out is the fact that the brothers came out to see it to.

 

Y'mean like... black people?

 

Tom

 

I thought Transformers were an Asian thing...

 

@hmmm@

 

Maybe Jazz made the Transformers more appealing to them? You know..."Transformers are down with the b*tches and h0es" type of thing?

[DarthJoe]

One more thing that helped Tformers out is the fact that the brothers came out to see it to. Gi Joe is going to need that also.

 

You mean like Cryme Tyme? @lol@

Uh oh, I think maybe they stole DarthJoe from 1986's virginity. Then sold it for $20.

 

@loll@

[darthhenning]

my first problem with this film was that joe base of operations is not in the US. @grumpy@

A Real American Hero

other than this it may be a good movie

next problem i like the classic breaker look but that is me

i hope for the best for the movie; this will not be a must see for me but i may buy it on DVD

 

Ok, I know when Joe first came out it was "A Real American Hero", but even Hasbro has dropped that line. There are fans from many other countries who enjoy the characters as much as any American. It doesn't have to be focused on the US to be a good story, or even to be G.I. Joe. That said, would it be too much to ask you to put away unnecessary patriotic arrogance?

 

 

 

 

@can@

[I AM SCI-FI]

Ok, I know when Joe first came out it was "A Real American Hero", but even Hasbro has dropped that line. There are fans from many other countries who enjoy the characters as much as any American. It doesn't have to be focused on the US to be a good story, or even to be G.I. Joe. That said, would it be too much to ask you to put away unnecessary patriotic arrogance?

What you call "arrogance" we call "pride". And, no. We won't put our patriotism aside. Not until we either die or stop being better than all the other countries on the face of the planet. #US1#

[Action Figure Soundwave]

Oh good lord. I absolutely hate this kind of attitude. I wish all you high and mighty "hardcore Joe fans" would just get over yourselves. This is not about the rape of your childhood. All they are trying to do is make a good movie that will appeal to the general audiences. They are using the basic premise of our 80's joes and turning it in to a movie. Here's a thought... Keep an open mind and wait to judge the final product be for you condemn it as teh deth of the lin!1!

 

Ccav... I'm not hating on you. Just your attitude.

 

 

It sometimes shows what sorta level of imagination that some fans have, this movie is an entirely different continuity compared to the Cartoons and comics ......... I personally have a Very Vivid imagination, and I don't judge a movie until I see it ... Huh, just look at all the people that thought Transformers was going to suck, and look at howmany of those people liked it after it came out ...... It's going to be the same way with this.

[DarthJoe]

Ok, I know when Joe first came out it was "A Real American Hero", but even Hasbro has dropped that line.

 

That's funny since I have 44 MOC 25th Anniversary GI Joe's that have the title "A REAL AMERICAN HERO" right under the GI Joe emblem. @smilepunch@

[Tom-1]

It doesn't have to be focused on the US to be a good story, or even to be G.I. Joe. That said, would it be too much to ask you to put away unnecessary patriotic arrogance?

 

I think - for the majority of us - that is asking too much, DH.

 

"GI Joe" is a Real American Hero. Whether or not it is as evident today in the marketing of the product, does not change anything. Naturally, you'll have your arguments about that subject, from those who are proud of their heritage & those who would sacrifice for it, and those who don't want to be burdened with another country's identity.

 

For example, I do not ask that James Bond act as a global crusader, but instead accept that he is serving Queen and Country in Her Majesty's Secret Service.

 

GI Joe's mission is to defend human freedom against Cobra, as we all know. They'll go to any part of the world to stop Cobra, until there's no where for them to hide. But ultimately, they answer to their consciences and sense of duty as American military personnel. Would they sacrifice Europe for America? If Cobra was involved, certainly not... but they're not the United Nations. They're a fictional anti-terrorism unit formed to respond to the threats of a domestic terrorist organization.

 

Tom

[DarthJoe]

Not to get this topic off subject...but...

 

MR TOM-1, SIR...why is there no Low-Light in that picture in your signature? @grumpy@

[Tom-1]

MR TOM-1, SIR...why is there no Low-Light in that picture in your signature? @grumpy@

 

 

Baby, you think Low Light might have a hard time getting made? Come on, you know he's on their short list!

 

My list is for the dangerously unlikely-to-ever-be-seen Real American Heroes ; D

 

Tom

[BradMan]

I don't think the audience, whether they are simply average movie goers looking for entertainment, or "hardcore" Joe fans, should have to settle for mindless entertainment and "4 or 5 huge action scenes". Part of what made many of us GI Joe fans in the first place, beyond thinking the toys were cool, is the complexity and maturity of the characters and the plots there were developed under Larry Hama's scripting of the comics. Granted, things got worse over the years with all focus on ninjas and science fiction, but within the GI Joe mythos and history is a wealth of possibility for well crafted and developed story telling.

 

Nostalgia does cloud our judgement more than a little bit for how great our won personal visions of GI Joe were. I grew up on the cartoon more than the comic, but 20 years later watching those episodes I cringe a bit because some of them were so cheesy and clearly geared towards their young audience. But it was only a few years ago when the short-lived Marvel trade paperback collections were released that I had a chance to read the earliest stories that Hama wrote.

 

I think the issues that provided some of the best examples of what GI Joe could be are issues 7 and 8 where the GI Joe team is in Afghanistan racing against the Oktober Guard to recover a lost satellite. At the end, after running into Cobra and forced to make a hasty alliance with the Oktober Guard against Cobra, Hawk reveals to the team that what they recovered was just scrap metal and that the real satellite had already been recovered. The GI Joe team was sent on a dummy mission by the Pentagon because they had to make the recovery attempt look believable. It's not just a simple matter of ninja fights and high speed chases to catch Cobra Commander, there are themes of duty, honor, deceit, and intrigue woven throughout the story to give it depth.

 

The GI Joe team has always been based a little in fantasy and science fiction - but not to the point that the movie is shaping up to portray. I'm not saying everyone needs to run around in matching green turtlenecks, but a power armor suit that allows people to run 50 MPH is just ridiculous.

 

When you introduce extreme science fiction and super hero type elements into the GI Joe mythos, it completely removes the essence of what GI Joe should be. It's just like when James Bond movies focused too much on new gadgets - suddenly anyone who has these little devices can do it and all of the training and expertise the character has is cheapened. The drama that should exist with an elite military team like GI Joe should come from the characters drawing upon their training, experience, and personal will to complete their mission - not some magic bit of technology that does all the work for them.

 

Personally, and the rest of this post is purely from my beliefs and opinions, I don't think anyone in Hollywood is brave enough to make a GI Joe movie that portrays what the GI Joe team might really be like in the 21st century. Just look back to the intro for the GI Joe team in the cartoons:

 

"GI Joe is the code name for America's daring, highly trained, special mission force. It's mission: To protect human freedoms against Cobra - a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world."

 

To translate that to a real life interpretation on the screen is a little too realistic for movie studios trying to appeal to the summer blockbuster crowd. The war on terror is far too sensitive a subject to risk a huge marketing campaign on. You put US soldiers on screen fighting terrorists and you invite both sides of the political debate to critique everything about your movie. So, you go the easy route instead - quasi-science fiction semi-superheroes versus over the top super villain types.

 

End of rant.

[I AM SCI-FI]

End of rant.

No! Don't end rant. PREACH ON!

[Jaxxon327]

MR TOM-1, SIR...why is there no Low-Light in that picture in your signature? @grumpy@

 

 

Baby, you think Low Light might have a hard time getting made? Come on, you know he's on their short list!

 

My list is for the dangerously unlikely-to-ever-be-seen Real American Heroes ; D

 

Tom

 

You forgot Blowtorch @loll@ @loll@

[Jaxxon327]

You knwo when i read Rainbow6 back in 2000, I always pictureda "joe" type of team in the story. I thought it would be more of a focus on that. I hope the movie doens't suck but I would like to see a trailer before i pass any judgement.

[Tom-1]

You forgot Blowtorch @loll@ @loll@

 

Again... I really think Blowtorch is one of those guys we have a good chance of seeing.

 

Tom

[Devilbat]

Every time I watch Transformers (the live-action film I mean), that small band of soldiers that survives the air-base attack makes me think of G.I. Joe. To me, that's what G.I. Joe should look and feel like on the big screen; relateable, colorful, kick-@$$ characters in great action scenes with realistic gear and weaponry. Besides the fact that they were fighting giant alien robots (lol), the pace of action and the effects were awesome. And lot of the fighting and explosions reminded me of Saving Private Ryan, and that's usually the standard I hold most military movies up to now. So I think Michael Bay could have delivered an excellent G.I. Joe movie. And every time I see those "tank-smashers" fly over Scorponok and bomb him, I get chills and think of the Rattlers. I also think of the A.W.E. Striker whenever I see that armored dune-buggy thing the soldiers ride around in towards the end of the movie.

 

Now I don't expect the Joes and Cobras to run around necessarily in their dated uniforms from the comics and the toon, but I would like a modern updated version that leaned more towards the para-military side, but retained some hint of the characters' signature looks. But speaking of the new movie uniforms, I was watching The Dark Knight earlier this evening at the movies, and when I saw Bruce Wayne checking out his new Bat-Suit, I thought to myself, "Hey...it's a G.I. Joe uniform!" (lol)

 

But now having said all that, I am going to wait and reserve judgement until I see the final product. Will it suck? Who truly knows at this point? Are there things I don't like about it? Definitely. Are there things I do like about it, from what little I've seen so far? Sorta. Can I do anything about it? Absolutely not. So why complain? If I wanted to bring my vision of G.I. Joe to fruition as a major motion picture, I should have went to film school twelve years ago and hoped someday they'd give me a shot at directing it. But I didn't so there. (lol)

 

See, if Steven Spielberg had played G.I. Joe with his kids instead of Transformers, then maybe someone like Bay would have been tapped to do it. (lol)

[dakullprt]

One more thing that helped Tformers out is the fact that the brothers came out to see it to.

 

Y'mean like... black people?

 

Tom

 

 

Do you know you just answered why Marlon Waynes is in the film. (Still can't figure out why he's Ripcord though)

 

Tformers had 2 popular black comdians and Coca Cola Boy Tyrese Gibson in it. Anthony Anderson and Bernie Mack though B-Mack was a suprise to me. In my mind by putting A. Anderson in the film they crossed over.

 

Dakullprt: Hey baby you wanna go see T-formers

 

Queen B: You mean the movie about those toys. Hell No, take the boys I need to clean up and wash clothes

 

Dakullprt: You know Anthony Anderson and Tyrese is in it.

 

Queen B: What time it starts

 

After movie

 

Queen B: I liked that movie , I'm going to buy the Dvd, You didn't tell me Bernie Mack was in it too.

 

Dakullprt: I did not know.

 

She pretty much told all her freinds and took the boys again.

 

 

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje he is popular but not outside of Hbo's oz.

( You know Marlyn waynes and The guy whith funny hat with Oz is in it)

 

I see on Wiki that they planned on using Common for Roadblock that would have been interesting.

 

I guess you can say there for that purpose alone, but the guy who cast T-formers is a genuiss.

[KamenDreda]

You forgot Blowtorch @loll@ @loll@

 

Again... I really think Blowtorch is one of those guys we have a good chance of seeing.

 

Tom

 

You guys know Blowtorch is pretty much confirmed. He's going to be in wave 11 (or is it 12).

[asurmac]

looks to be a complete fail, .. i cant grab anything good out of the snyopsis given. It's sad to see they Let Hama be around for the rape fest on his great creation.

 

I have given up Hope, the stills even look ##$%$#ed like the fantasy stuff Sommers has done before.

Hollywood, they take a great idea and ruin it to hell.

I guess after see TDK i had bigger hopes, but Alas, Sommers looks like he is taking Joel Schumachers place in destroying franchise's, or making them so weak its never fixed.

 

 

its Like all they did was keep the characters... whats the point of naming the movie G.I.Joe when the only thing about it Joe related are names.. the character backround and everything else is completely bastardized for the sake of telling some new story.

 

 

They should just change the name to "Hasbro's power rangers" and lat Joe stay in the top three of boys toys lines.

 

I agree except that I don't think Hama's done anything worthwhile since 1994 (see Orca the whale woman of Batman fame).

[darthhenning]

It doesn't have to be focused on the US to be a good story, or even to be G.I. Joe. That said, would it be too much to ask you to put away unnecessary patriotic arrogance?

 

I think - for the majority of us - that is asking too much, DH.

 

"GI Joe" is a Real American Hero. Whether or not it is as evident today in the marketing of the product, does not change anything. Naturally, you'll have your arguments about that subject, from those who are proud of their heritage & those who would sacrifice for it, and those who don't want to be burdened with another country's identity.

 

For example, I do not ask that James Bond act as a global crusader, but instead accept that he is serving Queen and Country in Her Majesty's Secret Service.

 

GI Joe's mission is to defend human freedom against Cobra, as we all know. They'll go to any part of the world to stop Cobra, until there's no where for them to hide. But ultimately, they answer to their consciences and sense of duty as American military personnel. Would they sacrifice Europe for America? If Cobra was involved, certainly not... but they're not the United Nations. They're a fictional anti-terrorism unit formed to respond to the threats of a domestic terrorist organization.

 

Tom

 

I'm not trying to say that Joe should be deliberately changed. Far from it. I know that Joe IS a US product and always have been. As a Canadian, I'm still proud to have you guys as our closest friends an neighbours.

 

However, my problem was with the complaint that the movie would be bad simply because Hasbro chose to make them a more international organization. Where they are based and focused shouldn't change what G.I. Joe is; as long as the characters and general plot remain I fail to see a problem.

 

G.I. Joe has always acted internationally, dispite being based in the US, This was especially prevalent near the end of the Marvel run and in DDP's run (whether you guys loved that or hated it). I'm not against a US based Joe, thats how they've always been, and how they should remain, TO A CERTAIN DEGREE. The inclusion of international action, and possibly members born in other countries shouldn't change that. G.I. Joe can be a worldwide hero who just happens to be based in and run by the government of the US. A more global outlook shouldn't make the team worse, only stronger and more diverse.

 

EDIT: For example several fan favs aren't from the US: Big Ben is British, Claymore is from Europe (forget where), Glenda is from Brazil, etc. It doesn't change G.I. Joe to have some international flavor. That said, does anyone know if there's a Canadian Joe?

 

 

 

 

 

@can@

[Ccav]

Some of you completely missed my point ( not hard for a few). My Point is Hasbro has tried to change the idea of what G.I.Joe several times.. all ending in FAIL. So now you have a chance to go back and make a movie to boost the franchise. So you Change the idea once again. The failed changes never seem to become reality for them ... Sigma Six.. failed.. what do they do next? a 25th anniversary line of vintage inspired figures.. its sells out.

 

This isn't Transformers, Transformers had big bad robots.. you can bastardize the story pretty well, and its different because there is gonna be huge fighting robots. But Joe? its just another Military movie.. and with out pure direction for the story going for the property, its not gonna do any better then Bad Boys 2, or god forbid one of the Mummy Movies. My point is, if your going to use character names, they better have the same back story of the ones we already know. Not some stupid ripcord/scarlett love story.. WTF! Not Duke and Cobra Commander use to be childhood buddies.. WTF

And definitely not the Baroness and Duke almost being married.. WTF , its all garbage complete unadulterated GARBAGE. Some of you can be all "i cant wait" thats great, however you 4 people wont make the budget of the movie back.. and i hardly see people coming back from a movie with this kind of changes telling their friends to go see it. Hasbro finally pull's its head out of its own ass, and makes the 25th line, mirroring the RAH line from the 80's.. then pulls a Sigma Six move and lets the movie crap all over thier work.

 

bigger budget or not, the stills remind me of fantasy military crap, And the over whelming fail, that i see coming to this movie.

[darthhenning]

Some of you completely missed my point ( not hard for a few). My Point is Hasbro has tried to change the idea of what G.I.Joe several times.. all ending in FAIL. So now you have a chance to go back and make a movie to boost the franchise. So you Change the idea once again. The failed changes never seem to become reality for them ... Sigma Six.. failed.. what do they do next? a 25th anniversary line of vintage inspired figures.. its sells out.

 

Yes, several changes to G.I. Joe have failed Savage, Extreme, Sigma Six. However, just because this is another change does not mean that it has to fail. It could be as successful as the change fro 12 inch Joes to ARAH in '82.

 

I also don't think many of us appreciate your insinuation of our stupidity: "Some of you completely missed my point ( not hard for a few)". We are entitled to our opinion just as much as you are.

 

This isn't Transformers, Transformers had big bad robots.. you can bastardize the story pretty well, and its different because there is gonna be huge fighting robots. But Joe? its just another Military movie.. and with out pure direction for the story going for the property, its not gonna do any better then Bad Boys 2, or god forbid one of the Mummy Movies.

 

It is possible to screw up Transformers, ala Beastmachines, and RID. Changes can be bad, but as the Transformers movie showed, they can be good too.

 

 

My point is, if your going to use character names, they better have the same back story of the ones we already know. Not some stupid ripcord/scarlett love story.. WTF! Not Duke and Cobra Commander use to be childhood buddies.. WTF

And definitely not the Baroness and Duke almost being married.. WTF , its all garbage complete unadulterated GARBAGE. Some of you can be all "i cant wait" thats great, however you 4 people wont make the budget of the movie back.. and i hardly see people coming back from a movie with this kind of changes telling their friends to go see it. Hasbro finally pull's its head out of its own ass, and makes the 25th line, mirroring the RAH line from the 80's.. then pulls a Sigma Six move and lets the movie crap all over thier work.

 

bigger budget or not, the stills remind me of fantasy military crap, And the over whelming fail, that i see coming to this movie.

 

I admit that the ripcord/scarlett issue bugs me, but the relationships between CC/Baroness and Duke just add some new depth to the characters and provide new motivation for them. It could be bad, but it could also be good, depending on how it is done.

 

Yes, the movie could fail as you suggest, but it could also be the blockbuster of the year. It depends on more details than have been revealed so far.

 

 

 

 

@can@

[PhoenixSword]

bigger budget or not, the stills remind me of fantasy military crap,

 

really though you had to see that coming. It is a fictional/fantastical military group who fight terrorist who are even more fictional/fantastical

 

 

all the other stuff though, the love triangle of se, scarlet (the little sister apparently of gi joe now) and ripcord, the love relationship between duke and the baroness, using freaking heavy duty instead of roadblock, cc and duke being friends, se and ss meeting at age 10 instead of being in vietnam together (i may be wrong on that one but i don't think i am) are changes that are unnecessary. Hollywood does the same things with books that become made into movies. The make changes that are not needed and justify it by saying things like, "well we had to do it this way so it relates better to audiences" Its all B.S.

 

but in the end everyone in this forum will see it because, hey, Its GI JOE

[Ccav]

I also don't think many of us appreciate your insinuation of our stupidity: "Some of you completely missed my point ( not hard for a few)". We are entitled to our opinion just as much as you are.

 

the person that thats directed to knows it.