John Chu picked and chose what he wanted from the first film. That's something that needed to be cleared up off the cuff. Some plot points are neatly wrapped while others aren't. Chu wanted a grittier take on what Stephen Sommers did with RISE OF COBRA, but while there were some nifty action sequences, the film leaves a lot to be desired - plot-wise and cast-wise. It seems that Chu opted for more style than substance, and while it could well pan out as a 'popcorn flick', I've been too die-hard a comic and animated GI JOE fan to appreciate this. Chu did pick some pretty impressive plot points from the comics and cartoons, but while the plans were well laid, the execution faltered badly.
Just like the first film, the bulk of the cast is severely misused and underwhelming. No one leaves a lasting impression, bar Dwayne Johnson. He lays the smack down prominently as Roadblock and takes great cue from the comics and the snowy sequences where he was blinded and toting the Commander in the animated movie. Johnson proves a rock of a leader. However, DJ Cotrona as Flint and Adrianne Palicki (Lady Jaye) are wooden as can be...even showing up the stiffness of Channing Tatum's Duke.
With such a stellar roster butchered in the first film, characters like Baroness, Ripcord and Hawk amongst the many, could have really added flair to this movie. Even Destro is done severe injustice. Any sense of dread that Commander tries to impart or any sense of romance that could rear...end up proving far from potent. There's a grave lack of intimidation from Commander and Flint/Jaye end up proving a severe flaw to the film. Add in 'John MaClane' and you get what? Bruce Willis being Bruce Willis?
Chu takes a huge risk in making this a sequel that doesn't feel like a sequel. Storm Shadow's resurgence is not touched upon while Duke's treatment is one that baffles. It's in line with the animated movie, up to the point, where heads are left scratching. The resolution to the anti-terrorist plot is even more fumbling. COBRA's inevitable defeat and the Commander's fate are given literally the most minimal concentration. Storm Shadow (Lee Byung hun) and Snake Eyes (Ray Park) do add a much better dynamic especially with their lore brought full-circle to the screen. With Jinx's barely passable performance thrown in as well as a nod to Zartan's Arishikage impact, there's fodder from the lore to mix things up nicely. Even Ray Stevenson's Firefly proves a brilliant foil at times. But Chu's effort to focus on wanton destruction, albeit in a complimentary military/guerrilla style, hinders a lot from the storytelling. The cast just doesn't seem to be given the room to blossom as the pace is just too fervent.
The finale seemed so hustled and anti-climactic despite the nods to the comic/cartoon lore. Mixing in the fact that Commander falls way short of anything that instills fear really threw me for a loop. The script wasn't condensed properly and the cast crumbled at key moments. There are some stellar action sequences (the cliff-scene is quite pleasing) but overall, there's an aesthetic here that doesn't lend much credence to a story well-told. Much better than its predecessor but overall, not a good film.
Rating = 4/10