Skinned Snake!!!!! Fan Favorite Joe Origin Story Is Dull Blade of Engagement!!!!!

Review By Brandon Porter

Witness The Origin of The Legendary Joe

Story Description

Life is full of uncertainty and harsh realities. Destiny can befall those in moments where they least expect it. When a small-time fish market butcher (Henry Golding) saves the life of his boss and close friend Tommy (Andrew Koji), this skilled underground fighter soon sets in motion a new path to a life he never knew was possible. Both he and Tommy travel to rural Japan to Tommy’s home where he grew up. Run by the Arashikage clan, a secret society of ninja protecting the world from the shadows, Tommy teaches and guides his friend in the ways of the ninja and offers him something he’s never had. But when dark secrets start to emerge, this underground fighter must choose his allegiances wisely as dangerous adversaries come from outside and with the walls he resides including the shadow organization known as Cobra. This path he takes will shape him into the legendary warrior he was destined to become. Will he rise to the challenge or meet a fatal end at the hands of people he considers family?

Consdider this your audition.

Film Review

Looked at as a reboot of the GI Joe franchise and an origin solo movie for one of the series most popular characters, Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins was a film I was excited about from the moment I saw the first trailer. After Bumblebee created such a drastic resurgence of faith in the Transformers franchise, I was confident that display would have a ripple effect through its military-based counterpart. After seeing the movie, it saddens me to say that doesn't seem to be the case at the moment. Paramount is doing what it can to get some of its already established IPs back in gear in this competitive field. While one series looks like it could have a promising road to redemption, Snake Eyes proves that GI Joe's road may be bumpier than originally thought. Performance-wise, it's tough to say who really is a standout in a film that doesn't really have that many engaging characters. But I'll start with our leading man. Henry Golding does his best to bring nuance to the character but the story that is told does not do him any favors. He is neither likable nor unlikeable. He is just a guy out for vengeance and that's it. His arc isn't all that fulfilling and by the end, you wonder was the journey really worth it. I wish the film gave Golding more to work with given his talent level but what appears is a character that honestly was more engaging and sympathetic when he was anonymous and silent. Andrew Koji fares a little better as Storm Shadow.

Non-Blood Brothers Who Have Each Others Backs

He crafts a character that is more sympathetic than the title character through his lack of emotional range robs any goodwill that is built up in moments. The rest of the cast doesn't bring much to the table as they range from uninteresting to just there with no real purpose. The action sequences while they are frequently placed are not as engaging as originally hoped. Doesn't help that most of them appeared in the trailers prior to the release. The film also suffers from pacing that really needed to hit the breaks at times. We aren't really given time to establish a connection to the characters because of action sequences that are placed with no real depth behind them.

Highway Cluster

The movie would have benefited from learning when to balance character building and action beats resulting in a film that was more enjoyable and narratively coherent. By the time the credits roll, you feel like this part of the character's history would have been better served in the hands of a genuine storyteller who knows how to balance action set pieces and craft engaging characters via depth-filled directing. All in all, Snake Eyes GI Joe Origins is a solid GI Joe film but simply because the bar wasn't all that high. If this franchise is going to have that newfound renaissance that Transformers looks like it's having, then more must be done to get directors who not only love the brand but can also tell a great story. The path is there but the hill to climb is steeper than what was originally suspected.

Rating and Final Thoughts

An action-filled escapade that is too fast to digest and not engaging enough to leave a lasting
impression at the end of the journey.