Film review: G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation

When some gamblers lose, they double-down and make an even bigger bet. This appears to be the case for toymaker Hasbro and its Hollywood partners (MGM and Paramount) with this action figure movie sequel.

2009's G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra returned approximately US$150 million on an investment of US$175 million in the US (and around US$300 million in international box-office terms is still a bomb). But a Transformers-type franchise can't be built on just one film so the Joes are back for a second tour of duty at US$185 million.

Using the same template exploited for Hasbro's other property about warring autobots, this overblown blockbuster tries to outdo director Michael Bay at his own formula. G.I. Joe 2's primary mission is to be bigger, and not to worry if none of it is credible. That means pay no heed to story logic, visual coherence or crafting characters less plastic than the 12-inch action figures on which they are based. Just stuff more explosions and flying ninjas into 110 minutes.

Replacing Stephen Sommers at the helm is Asian-American Jon M. Chu, who is a curious choice because his résumé doesn't exactly inspire confidence for big action, seeing as his previous directorial efforts include Step Up 2, Step Up 3 and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.

Chu's game plan is to just throw everything into the pot. Like Bay's Transformers movies, this sequel begins with a clunky voice-over to set up the proceedings. It's a lazy device for sure, but there's a lot of laziness all over the movie. At the start, the Joes - led by Duke (Channing Tatum) and his new buddy Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson, above right) - enter North Korea to rescue a defector at the DMZ. How do they get in? Just cut a hole in the fence. Easy!

Next, they are sent on a zero dark ugly mission to Pakistan to take over the country's "at risk" nukes. After stealing the arsenal, they are framed, betrayed and attacked. Their nemesis, the Cobras, manage not only to compromise the leadership in Washington, but decimate much of the Joe team and invade a secret prison to free the Cobra Commander (not Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who wisely opted out, but Luke Bracey).