The social media embargo for the “GI-Joe” movie spinoff “Snake Eyes” has lifted, and it looks like the movie has, uh, rolled itself as the early reactions are overwhelmingly negative.
Fans who saw recent early screenings generally had praise for co-star Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow, but that’s generally it. The rest, with a few exceptions, was pretty thoroughly dismissed.
Feedback for the movie, which focuses on the fan-favorite masked commando’s origins (played by Henry Golding), ranged from constructive criticism to outright reading for filth. Some fans complained about its pacing, others about the story and script, and quite a few about the aesthetic choices of director Robert Schwentke.
Some examples:
“I was pretty letdown. Generic story and bad script plague this reboot…” said YouTuber Nichols Whitcomb.
“Ultimately is all hiss and no strike. There are some truly breathtaking action sequences but they get muddled down by the weak plot” was the verdict of That Hashtag Show.
“It’s a generic origin story with one strong performance by Andrew Koji,” said critic Aaron Neuwirth.
And even TheWrap’s resident Snake Eyes fanboy, Umberto Gonzales, came away with a bad taste in his mouth, calling the movie, and we quote, “an unmitigated disaster.” Ouch!
There were some rare good reviews too, though we’ll confess they seem a bit… effusive compared to the more muted negative reviews. But you can judge for yourself. Read on for a sampling.
“Crazy Rich Asians” breakout Henry Golding stars as Snake Eyes, “Warrior” headliner Andrew Koji plays Storm Shadow, “Ready or Not” actress Samara Weaving stars as Scarlett, and “Money Heist” breakout star Úrsula Corberó stars as the Baroness.
“Beauty and The Beast” screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulos wrote the screenplay, and Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner produced the film. Jeff Waxman is executive producing. Hasbro/eOne and Skydance co-produced, while MGM co-financed.
The story centers on Snake Eyes’ origins where he tries to become a member of the Arashikage Clan, a ninja clan based in Japan. According to “G.I. Joe vs. Cobra: The Essential Guide,” the Arashikage worked as shadowy assassins for generations, using deception to earn their keep as ninjas, as well as developing a reputation for being able to perform impossible tasks.
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