REVIEW: G.I. Joe Retaliation IMAX 3D

I was one of the few people who actually enjoyed 'G.I. Joe Rise of the Cobra'. I know, it's hard to believe somebody would admit that, but I really did like it. That being said, I wanted the sequel to entertain me like the first did. I'm going to break this review down into separate discussions of different aspects of the film.

Plot/Story:
I felt this movie severely lacked in this department. I am a huge fan of plot twists, as are most people. There was never a point in this film where I felt surprised. Sure, it had a basic story, but to call it predictable would be an understatement.

Acting:
I am a big fan of Dwayne Johnson and I felt he did the part justice. There is nothing new about the roll he plays, but he makes it enjoyable. Jonathan Pryce as the president had the most depth as an actor in this film, as he played two separate identities and he did a great job of both. I have to admit, this was probably the best acting I have seen from Channing Tatum in anything. The rest of the cast was average at best, including Bruce Willis.

Costume Design:
The costume designs of the sequel are much closer to the concepts of the original cartoon series/comics. Cobra Commander's new duds are much more faithful to the comics with a full reflective face shield rather than the translucent skull-like mask of 'Rise of the Cobra'. Snake Eyes has a new look as well. They've gotten rid of the lips on his mask and trimmed his suit down to look like sleek body armour. All in all, the appearance of the cast was spot on.

Action:
This is definitely the highlight of the film. There truly is non-stop action from beginning to end. There was a point in the film though where I started to wonder if Jon M. Chu was taking private lessons from Michael Bay, because if there was one word to describe this movie, it would have been 'BOOM'.

IMAX 3D:
If you are going to take the time to spend your money on this film and your going to see it in 3D, spend the extra few dollars for IMAX 3d if possible. The 3D was excellent. I haven't flinched at a 3D film since my first time viewing one... until now. There were several moments where I found myself dodging bullets or shrapnel flying towards me. The audio in IMAX makes all the action that much more enjoyable. Gun shots rattle the theatre and the explosions were deafening

So, to sum things up, I found the movie entertaining but an overall disappointment. The action overload does not make up for the underwhelming story/plot.

2.5/5