G.I. JOE: RETALIATION
Patriotic intentions buried beneath incoherent, headache-inducing action.
Should You Watch It?
The movie has a strong moral and patriotic heart. An elite fighting force tries to save the United States and the world from Cobra, an evil terrorist organization. The story also presents loyalty, courage, and resistance to tyranny.
But the filmmaking overwhelms those strengths. The screenplay is incoherent, the direction is incompetent, and the 3D turns many fights into a headache-inducing blur. The story jumps from one loud action sequence to another, while limited dialogue leans on lame jokes and heavy-handed exposition. Most performances are lazy.
The PG-13 violence is unrealistic, but the body count is high. There is also light foul language and a brief reference to a vague, politically correct deity. The practical answer is simple: skip this one and choose a clearer, better-made adventure.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESAn elite international fighting force travels to Pakistan to reclaim a rogue nuclear missile and a suitcase containing nuclear launch codes. After an ambush leaves only three G.I. Joes alive, the survivors return to America to uncover what happened.
Led by Roadblock, they join forces with an elite Asian fighting force and an unfairly ousted American general. Together, they battle Cobra and try to save the world.
Is It Any Good?
Two stars means the movie’s intentions are stronger than its execution. The cast includes appealing action stars, and Dwayne Johnson brings more seriousness to the thin material than it deserves.
The technical problems are severe. Terrible 3D effects make many fight scenes nearly unwatchable, reducing punching and kicking to a blur. The storyline is constantly loud and incomprehensible, while the limited dialogue relies on lame jokes and heavy-handed exposition. Most performances feel lazy.
The Worldview
The film presents an elite fighting force defending the United States and the world against an evil terrorist organization. Its moral and patriotic outlook is strong, with resistance to oppressive government and jokes at North Korea’s Communist dictatorship. However, the movie’s body count undercuts some of that moral emphasis, and a brief reference to a vague, politically correct deity introduces a syncretistic religious element.
The film also treats the G.I. Joe force as an international elite fighting force rather than solely an all-American one. The heroes work with an elite Asian fighting force and an American general who was unfairly ousted. These choices broaden the team’s identity while keeping the story focused on patriotic action.
The movie’s central concern is the defense of innocent people against tyranny and violence. Scripture calls God’s people to “seek justice, correct oppression” (Isaiah 1:17), though the film’s vague deity falls short of the God of the Bible.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong moral, patriotic, anti-statist or anti-totalitarian government worldview in loud, disjointed action movie, including several jokes made at the Communist dictatorship of North Korea’s expense, undercut by a brief syncretistic pagan reference to a vague multicultural, politically correct “deity”; seven relatively light obscenities includes five “h” words and two “a” words, but with a hard-to-hear strong profanity, plus an obscene gesture; wall-to-wall action violence with no blood includes punching, kicking, beatings, shootings, bombings, explosions, and swordfights including a major villain being stabbed through the chest with a sword, multiple vehicular fights and chases, the world’s nuclear missile supply is launched with impending destruction of the planet until leaders self-destruct the missiles, London is impressively leveled by another form of bomb hitting it, and head villain pretends to be the U.S. President and tries to dupe the world’s leaders into destroying their nuclear weapons in order for him to control them and rule the world; no sex; no nudity but woman seen in her underwear from afar; no alcohol; no smoking or drugs; and, the villains kidnap the President of the United States, replace him and try to frame the good guys.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The G.I. Joes fight to protect the nation and the world. What does Scripture say about seeking justice and correcting oppression?
Isaiah 1:17 · Micah 6:8The film presents an international team working together against evil. How can Christians pursue unity without compromising truth?
Ephesians 4:1–6 · Philippians 2:1–4The movie portrays government power being used for wrongdoing. How should Christians respond when authorities act unjustly?
Acts 5:29 · Romans 13:1–4The film’s brief reference to a vague deity differs from biblical faith. What does Scripture teach about the one true God?
Deuteronomy 6:4 · Acts 17:22–31The Final Word
This movie’s patriotic heart is in the right place, but its incoherent story, poor direction, distracting 3D, high body count, and brief religious confusion make it difficult to enjoy. For a clearer family adventure, choose something else. Our verdict is SKIP IT.
