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G.I. Joe Sigma 6 - First Strike review
:. Director: Kobun Shizuno
:. Starring: G.I. Joes, G.I. Joe action figures
:. Running Time: 0:30
:. Year: 2006
:. Country: USA
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Adult fans of "G.I. Joe" toys, cartoons and comics books from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s won't find much to like about the mega-popular brand's latest incarnation, but its new fans will appreciate it.
Coming on the heels of the kid-friendly Valor vs. Venom cartoons and toys that pitted classic Joe heroes reimagined in computer-animated 21st-century style against Cobra's robotic and human-animal hybrid soldiers, "Sigma 6" switches to Japanese animation. The battles in this 75-minute version of the Saturday morning cartoon are explosive, colorful and frenetic, with the most appealing action surrounding the computer-animated robots and vehicles the traditionally animated Joe team and Cobra villains employ.
Compared to the classic 1980s Joe cartoons, there are few funny moments, very little characterization and no complexity among the villains. The classic arguments between the mercenary Destro and the megalomaniacial Cobra Commander are gone. A new part-robotic Cobra minion seems a likely competitor with Cobra Commander, proving that bad guys always fight among themselves, but his plot never gets going. Characters are just pawns for the video game story, which is satisfying on a visual level, but will be boring to anyone looking for much of a plot or even some cartoonish jibes among such formerly cranky and opinionated troops as Tunnel Rat, Heavy Duty, Scarlett and Snake Eyes.
Boys who like the admittedly cool toys will dig watching the figures and toys at work. But only the most G.I. Joe-crazed of nostalgia fans will find these new Joes worthy of a watch. Gone is the potentially timely idea of a U.S. special-forces unit of well-trained but outmatched experts and soldiers fighting against an increasingly vicious, backstabbing, egotistical enemy terrorist force. 9/11 has done away with terrorists as a bad guy for kids, and now it's all anime-style battles and superhero costumes (compare Duke then to Duke now.
DVD Extras: A lengthy animatic is interesting to look at, but the "Sigma 6 Files" are recycled ads for the show and the "Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander Art Gallery" is a few panels.
Brendan Howard
 Movie Reviews: from 1998 to 2011
New Film Reviews since 2012
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