[UNCOMFORTABLE PLOT SUMMARY (inspired by this): [highlight for spoilers]→ Soldier fails to save lover’s brother, leaves lover, causing nanotechnology to lead to complications.
PEOPLE: Directed by Stephen Sommers (Van Helsing, The Mummy, Catch Me If You Can). With Dennis Quaid, Sienna Miller (Camille, Stardust). And even a brief scene with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tommy from 3rd Rock From The Sun)
QUIRKS: Based on the 1980s cartoon. Lots and lots and lots of action. No parachutes coming out of the exploded planes anymore! Grey goo scenario!
VISUALS: Excellent futuristic military battles! Over 250 explosions!
BAD STUFF: I was a bit confused about various aspects, as I have no recollection of the characters in the original series. But that didn’t thwart my enjoyment.
CONCLUSION: Wow. Lots of action. Looks great in HD. I don’t remember the original cartoon much, but it was nice that people actually died this time. This is about what I expected, and I felt like they didn’t really mess up. I don’t know what everyone else was whining about. I think people just hate adaptations/remakes because it never feels like watching the original as a kid did. But that’s because that part of you IS DEAD. MUAHAHA!!
RATINGS:
Clint: Netflix: 4/5 stars. IMDB: 8/10.
Carolyn: Netflix: 4/5 stars. IMDB: 7.5/10.
The native public rating for this movie is Netflix: 3.7/5 stars (3.6/5 stars for people who rate like me), IMDB 5.9/10.
RECOMMENDATION: If you can put aside your high standards and watch this as an optimist and not a pessimist, then it’s a nice way to see a high-budget, more-realistic interpretation of the low-budget 1980’s cartoon we all knew and loved.
SIMILAR MOVIES: Transformers is at similar in the sense that it is a military themed 1980s-cartoon remake.
COINCIDENCES:
#1) (Camille, G.I. Joe:Rise Of The Cobra) 2 movies within a month or so with Seinna Miller having multiple hair colors and getting married/accepting a marriage proposal.
#2) (Transformers:Revenge Of The Fallen, G.I. Joe:Rise Of The Cobra) 2 military-themed movies in the same week that had shots with 3 / 6 pyramids with sub-movie-titles of Revenge/Rise Of The [bad guy].
#3) (G.I. Joe:Rise Of The Cobra, Escape From L.A.) 2 military-themed movies 2 nights in a row that had government representatives who holographically projected themselves.
FRIENDS’ RATINGS: James O thought “Not as bad as I thought. Although, this is if I try to think of the movie through the eyes of a child.” Cindy Lee thought it was okay. Marc N said: “you will like it so long as you go in knowing it is a cool gadget and explosion kind of movie and not some epic story.”
Mood: hazy
Music: Sidney Crooke – The March Of The Ants
Claire's blog 
November 30, 2009 at 10:09 PM
You can’t be serious to give this movie 4/5 stars. The dialog alone was so inane it almost caused me to implode.
It is fully reasonable to put aside stuck-up cinematic pretensions to be able to enjoy an effect-laden popcorn movie. For example, Independence Day is a fun ride that anyone should be able to enjoy despite the goofy story and huge plot holes.
However, this movie is SO unbelievable and the dialog is SO absurd, my 12-year-old son was groaning while watching it.
At BEST this deserves 2 stars… and that is being generous.
December 1, 2009 at 8:55 AM
So let me see… You have the problem with the dialogue of a movie BASED ON A CHEESY 80S CARTOON?
And you think the events are unrealistic … in a movie BASED ON A CHEESY 80S CARTOON?
Sorry, I didn’t see Independence Day, but the fact that you cite that worries me.
January 22, 2010 at 11:50 AM
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