'Snake Eyes' Demystifies A G.I. Joe Loner With Serpentine Moves

Nearly 12 years after the “G.I. Joe” film series made its debut on the big screen, fans of the Hasbro-inspired action-movie franchise finally get to see the origin story of its most popular character called Snake Eyes, the mysterious lone super-commando who can move like the wind.

"Snake Eyes," directed by Robert Schwentke, is the third installment in the "G.I. Joe" movie canon which began with 2009’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” and continued subsequently with 2013’s “G. I. Joe: Retaliation.” Set in Tokyo, the new film stars Henry Golding as the title character who is first introduced as a child witnessing a vicious attack that claims his father’s life.

Two decades later, he is a troubled young man with a thirst for vengeance brought upon by the memories of his tragic past. Hell-bent on retribution, he has vowed to find his dad’s killers by hook or by crook. Meanwhile, he picks up boxing matches as a cage fighter drifting from one town to the next.

Watch the trailer.

Eventually, Snake Eyes makes inroads as he crosses path with Kenta (Takehiro Hira), a Yakuza ringleader, who promises to help find his father’s assailants. In exchange, our hero will have to kill Tommy (Andrew Koji), the heir to a 600-year-old Japanese dynasty known as the Arashikage clan. Snake Eyes agrees to carry out the task. But soon, an unexpected twist of fate thwarts his mission, convincing Snake Eyes to save Tommy’s life instead.

Feeling beholden, Tommy invites Snake Eyes to join the Arashikage family. However, bringing him into the fold won’t be an easy feat either, as Snake Eyes needs to win over some of the clan’s skeptics, including Akiko (Haruka Abe), Hard Master (Iko Uwais) and Blind Master (Peter Mensah). To settle the score once and for all, Snake Eyes will have to pass three tests; the deadliest of them all is a pit battle with three mammoth anacondas. Will our hero prevail? The answer is — you guessed it — a resounding Yes, of course.

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But wait! Let’s not forget the precious Jewel of the Sun, a highly coveted gem that can blow up anything into pieces in an instant. Fascinating as it is, this glowing object eventually becomes the focus of the movie, muddling the vengeance-ridden plot along the way. Meanwhile, Snake Eyes’ rage suddenly feels hollow, insignificant and empty.

As Golding’s portrayal of Snake Eyes is concerned, the famed “Crazy Rich Asians” actor does exude an irrefutable movie-star panache, charm and charisma. However, most of the times, it feels as though he lacked the necessary gravitas to carry the emotional heft of a man seething with anger and resentment.

In conclusion, “Snake Eyes” manages to land a few forceful and thrilling action sequences. Nonetheless, the overall effect of the movie feels rather unforgettable and dull by the end.

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