Is the G.I. JOE movie going to be massively changed from the cartoon/comic?

[CobraCommander]

Do the so called 'brains' behind this supposed G.I. Joe production have any knowledge of G.I. Joe?

Lorenzo DiBonaventura doesn't know jack-all about GI Joe. I've been saying this from Day 1.

 

[Mr. Credible]

i loved GI Joe as a kid, the toys, the cartoon, all of it...


but i really can't picture a movie called "GI Joe" taking itself seriously. i mean, really... GI Joe? that's the stupidest name for a movie, ever. it sounds completely ******ed.

 

[Mr. Credible]

Someone explain to me how a movie like Transformers, crappy as it was, to have all sorts of overt patriotism and military themes and still make $354 million overseas.

I don't get the flawed thinking of Hollywood.

patriotism? how so? i don't remember seeing anyone waving a flag around, or a flag at all, come to think of it. and i don't remember anyone even mentioning america once. there was really no semblance of patriotism in the movie, other than the fact that it involved the US Army, which isn't out of the question, considering it took place in america.

military themes? well sure, the military was in it, but it wasn't fighting a terrorist organization... they were aliens. big difference. we weren't sticking our noses where they didn't belong, we were fighting off a threat on our home turf.

the GI Joe movie is going to draw a lot of criticism, deserved or not, for being an american propaganda machine... there's no way around it, without changing a thing or two.

"GI Joe, an American hero!" won't fly over in a world where "American Hero" is synonymous with invading other countries and killing innocent people for oil and money (because that's how a lot of other countries view us). in fact, a lot of americans are beginning to view the war the same way, so i doubt they'd be lining up to see a movie about america fighting terrorists.

 

[SBrooks1]

"GI Joe, an American hero!" won't fly over in a world where "American Hero" is synonymous with invading other countries and killing innocent people for oil and money (because that's how a lot of other countries view us). in fact, a lot of americans are beginning to view the war the same way, so i doubt they'd be lining up to see a movie about america fighting terrorists.

All of that is completely subjective and irrelevant. If a live action movie is to be made about G.I. Joe, it should be completely and 110% faithful to the original premise of the cartoon and comics....

G.I. Joe is the code name for America's daring highly trained special mission force. It's purpose, to defend human freedom against COBRA. A ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.

That's it. Period. If they can't make a movie about G.I. Joe and be faithful to those 3 simple sentences then it shouldn't be made at all.

This isn't like adding flames to Optimus Prime. These proposed changes strike at the very essence of what G.I Joe is and stood for.

 

[WalterKovacs]

well steven sommers is known to change things alot reguardless of what makes them cool because hes a terrible filmmaker

 

[Mr. Credible]

well steven sommers is known to change things alot reguardless of what makes them cool because hes a terrible filmmaker

hm... and um... what else has he changed?

i wasn't aware he'd made any other adaptations.

nice try at being a "cool hater" though.

 

[toddly6666]

If it should stick to the comic 110%, then make the movie take place in the 1980s as they are doing with the WATCHMEN flick! Then the producers don't have to worry about being politically correct, and the audience won't critisize it as well, because they will hopefully be smart enough to know that the 80s was known to be the "God Bless America" time. Then it can be a gung-ho american military movie kicking terrorist ass. But if it's temporary, you can't really have that without being called a propaganda machine, so therefore they are gonna have to change some things around. And be happy that Joel Schumacher is not directing the flick. Eventhough he did the great military film TIGERLAND, he's even worse than Sommers when it comes to cartoon character films.

 

[OptimusCannabis]

i loved GI Joe as a kid, the toys, the cartoon, all of it...


but i really can't picture a movie called "GI Joe" taking itself seriously. i mean, really... GI Joe? that's the stupidest name for a movie, ever. it sounds completely ******ed.

 

[toddly6666]

If you google/imdb the titles of the majority of 1930 to 1950 movies, you will see that they are as ******ed sounding as "The Story of G.I. Joe." It does sound pretty ******ed.

Here's an example of Carey Grant's ******ed-named movies that would seem like they would star Jennifer Lopez if they were released with those names today:

That Touch of Mink
Kiss Them for Me
The Pride and the Passion
An Affair to Remember
Dream Wife
Monkey Business
I Was a Male War Bride
Every Girl Should Be Married
None But the Lonely Heart
Once Upon a Time
Mr. Lucky
Once Upon a Honeymoon
My Favorite Wife
His Girl Friday
Only Angels Have Wings
Bringing Up Baby
When You're in Love
Wedding Present
Ladies Should Listen
Kiss and Make-Up
Merrily We Go to Hell
Singapore Sue


It's not the title "G.I. Joe" that disturbs me, it's the idea that people want this movie to be an R-Rated dark, action film, totally different from the tone of the comic/cartoon.

The real challenge would be to make a "hero military group vs. a terrorist organization" translate into a G or even PG-rated film. That's where the challenge would come in. Anyone can make this "theme" R-Rated, but who can make it G-Rated and be good? A good director could do it. After all, that's what the comic/cartoon was - a G/PG-rated cartoon with heroes vs. terrorists.

 

[deathshead2]

The comic is more of a pg-13. They kill people in the comics.

 

[Timstuff]

No way should this movie be G or PG rated. It needs to be hard-line PG-13. It doesn't have to be super dark and gritty, but it needs to be big, loud, and manly. The shootout scene from Predator is a perfect example of the kind of action I think should be in the GI Joe movie. Predator is not a "gritty" movie, but it is violent and intense. GI Joe doesn't have to be "gritty" like say, Black Hawk Down, but it needs to be intense.

 

[toddly6666]

I'm pretty excited to see what's gonna be done in the film whether it be PG or R. The G.I. JOE film must have weapons like this:

How can that weapon not kill anyone? For a PG-13 movie, that weapon is gonna be wasting B.A.T.S. unfortunately.

 

[mr. peasant]

All of that is completely subjective and irrelevant. If a live action movie is to be made about G.I. Joe, it should be completely and 110% faithful to the original premise of the cartoon and comics....

Granted it's subjective but having a contemporary movie about Americans invading any country without the country's approval, even if it is to fight terrorists, echoes too closely the American-led invasions in the Middle East. And if you made it such that the country is helpless and their only hope lies in American soldiers, that would be viewed as American propaganda, unrealistic and insulting to the world at large. The only way G.I. Joe can be about an American team of soldiers is if the threat remains largely within U.S. territory.

G.I. Joe is the code name for America's daring highly trained special mission force. It's purpose, to defend human freedom against COBRA. A ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.

That's it. Period. If they can't make a movie about G.I. Joe and be faithful to those 3 simple sentences then it shouldn't be made at all.

This isn't like adding flames to Optimus Prime. These proposed changes strike at the very essence of what G.I Joe is and stood for.

I would beg to differ. Taken from Operation: Dragonfire:

G. I. Joe is the code name for an international, highly trained special mission force. Its purpose: to defend human freedom against a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.

This proves that the idea for G.I. Joe, the international entity has been around for many years. Additionally, having the team as such allows the addition of characters from their counterparts such as the October Guard more easily.

 

[CobraCommander]

Granted it's subjective but having a contemporary movie about Americans invading any country without the country's approval, even if it is to fight terrorists, echoes too closely the American-led invasions in the Middle East.

You do realize Cobra is born, bred, and based in the US right?

 

[Desslar]

Granted it's subjective but having a contemporary movie about Americans invading any country without the country's approval, even if it is to fight terrorists, echoes too closely the American-led invasions in the Middle East.

When did the Joes ever invade a country? They only do small scale stuff.

 

[mr. peasant]

You do realize Cobra is born, bred, and based in the US right?

When did the Joes ever invade a country? They only do small scale stuff.

Even though Cobra was formed in the US (this too may be subject to change for the movie), they do have numerous foreign deployments. And while they don't invade a country en masse, they do covertly/illegally enter foreign countries to perform their operations against the Cobra threat. If G.I. Joe was a strictly American unit (as opposed to an international one with international jurisdiction), this would bear a great resemblance to the US-led invasions in that it's America running around, doing whatever they want wherever they want regardless of the laws laid down by international bodies (like the U.N.).

 

[OptimusCannabis]

If you google/imdb the titles of the majority of 1930 to 1950 movies, you will see that they are as ******ed sounding as "The Story of G.I. Joe." It does sound pretty ******ed.

Here's an example of Carey Grant's ******ed-named movies that would seem like they would star Jennifer Lopez if they were released with those names today:

That Touch of Mink
Kiss Them for Me
The Pride and the Passion
An Affair to Remember
Dream Wife
Monkey Business
I Was a Male War Bride
Every Girl Should Be Married
None But the Lonely Heart
Once Upon a Time
Mr. Lucky
Once Upon a Honeymoon
My Favorite Wife
His Girl Friday
Only Angels Have Wings
Bringing Up Baby
When You're in Love
Wedding Present
Ladies Should Listen
Kiss and Make-Up
Merrily We Go to Hell
Singapore Sue


It's not the title "G.I. Joe" that disturbs me, it's the idea that people want this movie to be an R-Rated dark, action film, totally different from the tone of the comic/cartoon.

The real challenge would be to make a "hero military group vs. a terrorist organization" translate into a G or even PG-rated film. That's where the challenge would come in. Anyone can make this "theme" R-Rated, but who can make it G-Rated and be good? A good director could do it. After all, that's what the comic/cartoon was - a G/PG-rated cartoon with heroes vs. terrorists.

You're right, 2007 had much more sensible titles.

Code Name: The Cleaner
Catch & Release
Blood & Chocolate
Because I Said So
Norbit
The Astronaut Farmer
Black Snake Moan
Wild Hogs
The Last Mimzy
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theatres
Hot Fuzz
Kocked Up

What exactly are you trying to prove?

 

[toddly6666]

OptimusCannibus, I was just saying the title G.I. JOE is ******ed, but that won't stop people from seeing it, just because of a title.

 

[SBrooks1]

I would beg to differ. Taken from Operation: Dragonfire:

The Operation Dragonfire intro is garbage. See HERE. In the most popular cartoon intro AND in the intro to the G.I. Joe cartoon movie it says "America's daring highly trained special mission force." See for yourself....

G.I. Joe The Movie Intro - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN034sBeF4c

G.I. Joe cartoon intro (Destro mentioned) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YXQSrOCeKQ

G.I. Joe cartoon intro (Zartan) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSSKz9iDq2Q

Everyone knows and remembers the intro saying "America's daring highly trained special missions force" and that's how it should be.

 

[CobraCommander]

Get over yourself Mr. Peasant. You don't get GI Joe. How about you go help Lorenzo and Stephen with their little movie? You seem to be on the same page with them. Sure, that page isn't even in the book of GI Joe, but at least you're there.

 

[mr. peasant]

The Operation Dragonfire intro is garbage. See HERE. In the most popular cartoon intro AND in the intro to the G.I. Joe cartoon movie it says "America's daring highly trained special mission force." See for yourself....

G.I. Joe The Movie Intro - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN034sBeF4c

G.I. Joe cartoon intro (Destro mentioned) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YXQSrOCeKQ

G.I. Joe cartoon intro (Zartan) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSSKz9iDq2Q

Everyone knows and remembers the intro saying "America's daring highly trained special missions force" and that's how it should be.

Whether it's garbage or not (that's subjective), what it does is give precedence for G.I. Joe as an international group. Add the fact that this is a more recent interpretation (but long before this new movie and Sigma 6), it proves that the whole international group thing wasn't strictly an idea cooked up by Paramount but something created by Hasbro. This thus renders moot any argument that Paramount's interpretation of G.I. Joe is bad solely because it doesn't follow any previous canon (which it doesn't need to since it's a new continuity, thus effectively a reboot).

Get over yourself Mr. Peasant. You don't get GI Joe. How about you go help Lorenzo and Stephen with their little movie? You seem to be on the same page with them. Sure, that page isn't even in the book of GI Joe, but at least you're there.

Last I checked, this is a free forum and everyone is free to post their views here as long as they don't break any rules (OptimusCannabis is proof of this; sorry there, mate). After all, isn't 'freedom of speech' a highly prized value in your society?

The way I see it, it's you guys who don't get G.I. Joe, viewing it too literally. G.I. Joe is about idealism, a representation of what needed to happen. Back then, it was that of America defending against oppression, it used the military as a metaphor for what the U.S. was hoping to achieve. Nowadays, a new goal needs to be achieved; that of America aiding and cooperating with the rest of the world to bring an end to terrorism.

 

[The Question]

Even though Cobra was formed in the US (this too may be subject to change for the movie), they do have numerous foreign deployments. And while they don't invade a country en masse, they do covertly/illegally enter foreign countries to perform their operations against the Cobra threat. If G.I. Joe was a strictly American unit (as opposed to an international one with international jurisdiction), this would bear a great resemblance to the US-led invasions in that it's America running around, doing whatever they want wherever they want regardless of the laws laid down by international bodies (like the U.N.).

Covert ops. units go into other countries illegally all the time. That's why it's called covert ops. No one's supposed to know about it. The U.S. does it, the British do it, the Russians do it, everyone does it. Besides, the film doesn't have to have the Joes fighting Cobra overseas. They can simply keep it in the States.

 

[mr. peasant]

Covert ops. units go into other countries illegally all the time. That's why it's called covert ops. No one's supposed to know about it. The U.S. does it, the British do it, the Russians do it, everyone does it.

Agreed. But nobody talks about it. Which is why I think the movie is heading in the direction it is. If they made the team strictly American, and they sneak into foreign territory to do their stuff, and the film portrays this as heroic, it would undoubtedly draw some political criticism, which the producers want to steer clear off to make the movie more appealing for families.

Besides, the film doesn't have to have the Joes fighting Cobra overseas. They can simply keep it in the States.

I agree there. If the threat remains within the States, keep the team within the states. If the threat goes global, make the team global. It's just a simple matter of scale and believability. Suspension of belief can only take us so far.

 

[CobraCommander]

After all, isn't 'freedom of speech' a highly prized value in your society?

Is this where you try to slyly judge and critique America's rights and value system?

Nice try.

 

[OptimusCannabis]

The comic is more of a pg-13. They kill people in the comics.

So, they kill peopel on television too.