---
title: "G.I. Joe: Retaliation"
year: 2013
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/g-i-joe-retaliation"
fi1m_id: "g-i-joe-retaliation"
imdb_id: "tt1583421"
tmdb_id: 72559
wikidata_id: "Q1146345"
fi1m_score: 48
critics_score: 44
critics_reviews: 21
published: "2026-10-05T13:04:45.523264+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T13:04:50.198514+00:00"
region: "DE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)

Directed by Jon M. Chu · 1h 50m · FSK 16 · Action, Science Fiction, Adventure, Thriller

## Identity

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/g-i-joe-retaliation
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** g-i-joe-retaliation
- **IMDb ID:** tt1583421
- **TMDB ID:** 72559
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1146345
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1583421/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/72559, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1146345

**Fi1m score: 48** · Critics 44 from 21 reviews

*In a sentence:* Ten minutes of ninjas on a cliff and a hundred of men in vests explaining foreign policy

> Jon M. Chu’s sequel has one set piece, ninjas on ropes across a Himalayan cliff, that we would happily watch again, and a hundred minutes around it that nobody appears to have read twice. Johnson and Pryce keep it watchable; the script does not.

## Synopsis

Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), a sergeant who likes his unit and his daughters, and Duke (Channing Tatum) lead the Joes, an American special-forces unit that counts Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki), Flint (D.J. Cotrona) and Snake Eyes (Ray Park) among its number. Sent out on a job overseas, the unit is hit in the desert, and the survivors come home branded traitors, looking for the original Joe, Joe Colton (Bruce Willis), who keeps a rifle behind every cupboard door. In Washington, the President (Jonathan Pryce) purrs through briefings with whisky in hand. In the Himalayas, Snake Eyes and Jinx (Élodie Yung) go after Storm Shadow (Lee Byung-hun) across a cliff face strung with ropes. Cobra Commander (Luke Bracey) and Firefly (Ray Stevenson) have plans of their own.

## Review

Jon M. Chu’s *G.I. Joe: Retaliation* is a sequel to a film about toys, and for 110 minutes it has decided to be about something else: international politics, a betrayed army unit, men in rooms full of screens. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick’s script sets all of that up briskly enough and then forgets to make any of it matter. There is one piece of action in the middle that we would put against most things of its kind, and around it a loud, flat, oddly joyless film that keeps telling us it is fun. Most critics have found roughly the same, and so have we.

Dwayne Johnson is the reason it is bearable. He plays Roadblock as a sergeant who likes his unit and his daughters, and the opening stretch, with Duke (Channing Tatum) and Roadblock bickering over a games console on a sofa, is the only time the film sounds like people talking. Johnson could do this in his sleep and does not; he gives it some care. Then the unit is sent out on a job overseas, and the job goes wrong.

The strike that follows is where we first worried. The unit is hit in the desert, and Chu stages it as slow motion and sand, Stephen F. Windon’s camera drifting up through the smoke while Henry Jackman’s brass climbs underneath. We felt nothing. We noticed ourselves feeling nothing, which is a bad sign in a film whose whole second act is meant to run on grief. Roger Barton and Jim May cut the sequence so that the explosions arrive before we have worked out where anyone is standing, and when it is over we could not have said who was missing.

Then, for about ten minutes, the film becomes something else. Snake Eyes (Ray Park) and Jinx (Élodie Yung) go into the Himalayas after Storm Shadow (Lee Byung-hun), and the fight takes place on ropes strung across a cliff face, ninjas swinging from one wall to the other, cutting each other’s lines, dropping past the camera into cloud. Nobody says a word. Windon hangs the camera out over the drop and swings with them, Barton and May hold each swing long enough for us to see where it ends, and Jackman, for once, lets the wind do the work. We sat forward and stayed there. This is the one sequence where Chu treats a fight as choreography rather than as a series of bangs.

Jonathan Pryce has worked out that nobody is going to stop him and is having a lovely time as the President, purring through briefings and helping himself to the whisky. He is the only actor who seems to have read the whole script and found it funny. Bruce Willis turns up as Joe Colton, the original Joe, in a suburban house that Andrew Menzies’s production design has fitted with a rifle behind every cupboard door and a pistol under the cutlery. It is a decent visual joke, and Willis delivers his lines across it like a man reading out the specials. Adrianne Palicki’s Lady Jaye is given a brain and a cocktail dress and little else. D.J. Cotrona’s Flint is a haircut with a grievance.

The rest is plot, and the plot is the problem. Cobra Commander (Luke Bracey) and Firefly (Ray Stevenson) arrive with schemes we will not describe, partly out of courtesy and partly because we are not sure we could. People stand in rooms full of screens explaining things to each other, and the explanations never join up. The film also takes its guns seriously in a way nothing else in it earns: the survivors arming themselves in Colton’s house is shot with a lingering, polished hush, and the 12A certificate sits oddly over it. The tagline is ‘Heroes are made in America’, and the film means it.

The first film was sillier and knew it. This one has a better fight and a worse time. See the cliff. The rest you can have on in the background, where it will do no harm, and Johnson will occasionally remind you that somebody in it was trying.

*Fi1m score 48, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics come away unimpressed. Twelve of the twenty-one reviews are negative, and even the kinder ones treat the film as a modest improvement on its predecessor rather than anything more. The praise clusters almost entirely in one place: the ninja fight on a Himalayan cliffside, which reviewers on both sides of the verdict single out as the one sequence with real invention and grace. Beyond that, Jonathan Pryce and Dwayne Johnson earn credit for keeping things lively.

The complaints cluster on the script. Reviewers call the plot incomprehensible, the dialogue childish and the tone too solemn for the material; several find the film joyless. The spread is wide, running from reviewers who enjoy it as a knowingly dumb romp to those who find it exhausting. Empire is the outlier on craft, finding Jon M. Chu’s direction lifeless and the action confused, where most critics rate the action as the film’s one reliable strength.

## Straight answers

**How long is G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and what is it rated?**

*G.I. Joe: Retaliation* runs 1h 50m and is rated 16 by the FSK in Germany. It is an action and science fiction film.

**Where can I watch G.I. Joe: Retaliation in Germany?**

*G.I. Joe: Retaliation* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Germany, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**What should I watch after G.I. Joe: Retaliation?**

After *G.I. Joe: Retaliation*, try [*The Raid*](https://film.one/film/the-raid) (2011, Fi1m 83): Ninety minutes of fights staged so clearly you could draw them afterwards. Then [*The Good, the Bad, the Weird*](https://film.one/film/the-good-the-bad-the-weird) (2008, Fi1m 74): Lee Byung-hun with a part to play and a desert chase worth the ticket; and [*Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol*](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible-ghost-protocol) (2011, Fi1m 82): Secret agents disowned by their government, done with jokes and a real building.

### Reviews we read (21)

- **IndieWire**, Todd Gilchrist (B-): The critic finds the sequel enjoyable and a meaningful improvement over its predecessor, though not a masterpiece. He especially praises Jon M. Chu’s inventive, exciting action choreography and the film’s affectionate use of the franchise’s mythology. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-g-i-joe-retaliation-is-no-masterpiece-but-popcorn-entertainment-that-redeems-the-series-somewhat-100244/)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The article is identified as a review, but its verdict is unavailable in the paywalled text. No specific praise or complaint can be verified from the accessible content. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/gi-joe-retaliation/5053348.article)
- **The Guardian**, Philip French (64/100, inferred): The available text does not reveal the critic’s overall verdict. It singles out Bruce Willis for providing comic relief in the hi-tech shoot-em-up. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/154129/g.i.-joe)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page appears to be a review, but its verdict cannot be verified because the article is inaccessible. No specific element of praise or criticism is available in the supplied text. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/movies/gi-joe-retaliation-directed-by-jon-m-chu.html)
- **RogerEbert.com** (63/100, inferred): The page content is blocked by a browser check, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the review is available to identify. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/gi-joe-retaliation-2013)
- **The AV Club**, Scott Tobias (C): Tobias pans the film as a soulless, overstuffed sequel that takes itself too seriously. He praises Chu’s action choreography and especially the Himalayan monastery sequence, but says they cannot redeem the film’s militaristic excesses. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/g-i-joe-retaliation-1798176269)
- **Slant Magazine**, Glenn Heath Jr. (2/4): The review finds the film weighed down by narrative and mostly flavorless action, despite flashes of directorial promise. It singles out the snowy mountain ninja battle as a vivid, graceful set piece. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/g-i-joe-retaliation/)
- **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (2/5): The critic dismisses the sequel as a lumbering, plotless adventure. He singles out its cheesy one-liners, perfunctory battles and bland martial arts as flaws. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-wkhqqg/gi-joe-retaliation/)
- **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (2/5): The review is negative, suggesting the film feels as though it could have been written by a seven-year-old. Its complaint is the childish quality of the writing. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/gi-joe-retaliation)
- **Total Film**, Joshua Winning (2/5): Winning gives the film a poor verdict, finding its story and dialogue weak despite its energetic action. He singles out a Himalaya fight scene as a standout, while praising Jonathan Pryce as the surprise highlight. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/g-i-joe-retaliation-review/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (35/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film a noisy, juvenile action spectacle that may satisfy its target audience but will alienate many others. He praises the visually inventive ninja cliffside sequence while criticizing the gun fetishism and ineffective 3D. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/gi-joe-retaliation-film-review-431310/)
- **Evening Standard** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel spectacular but weakly told, with little drama. They fault its incomprehensible plotting and reliance on CGI action instead of a decent screenplay. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/gi-joe-retaliation-3d-film-review-8552765.html)
- **Variety**, Justin Chang (30/100, inferred): Chang finds the film joyless, derivative, and largely devoid of personality, despite some improvements over its predecessor. He singles out the Himalayan ninja fight for its vertiginous visual flair. [Read](https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/film-review-g-i-joe-retaliation-1200329541/)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (30/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the sequel disappointingly flat and less entertaining than the first film. He praises the Ninja Mountain action sequence as an electrifying highlight. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2013/03/movie-review-gi-joe-retaliation.html)
- **Empire**, Olly Richards (25/100, inferred): Richards finds the sequel self-serious and disappointing, lacking the simple fun its premise calls for. He particularly criticizes Chu’s lifeless direction and the action sequences, which he calls confused and flailing. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/g-joe-retaliation-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (20/100, inferred): Sharkey finds the film a convoluted, overstuffed mess that its action and delayed 3-D conversion cannot rescue. She praises Jonathan Pryce as a steady source of comic relief, while noting that the humor provides only limited redemption. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2013-mar-27-la-et-mn-gi-joe-retaliation-20130328-story.html)
- **Den of Geek**, Nick Allen (3.5/5): The critic finds the film an entertaining, knowingly dumb action romp. The mountain-side fight stands out as its most inspired action sequence. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/gi-joe-retaliation-review/)
- **The Playlist** (65/100, inferred): The headline characterizes the film as imperfect but entertaining enough to somewhat redeem the series. It singles out its popcorn entertainment value as a strength. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-g-i-joe-retaliation-is-no-masterpiece-but-popcorn-entertainment-that-redeems-the-series-somewhat-20130327/)
- **Digital Spy**, Simon Reynolds (30/100, inferred): Reynolds finds the sequel better than its predecessor but still a soulless, messy spectacle. He singles out Dwayne Johnson’s charisma as the film’s saving grace, while criticizing the other characters as underwritten or forgettable. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a467411/gi-joe-retaliation-review-dwayne-johnson-cant-save-action-sequel/)
- **The Wrap** (25/100, inferred): The critic finds the film exhausting and shallow, with relentless action that fails to generate excitement. They single out Walton Goggins’s amusing performance as a rare bright spot. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/gi-joe-retaliation-review-saturday-morning-cartoon-writ-large-82726/)
- **Eye for Film**, David Graham (15/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel incoherent, poorly paced and largely joyless, a disappointing follow-up to the first film. The preposterous abseiling mountainside battle stands out as a rare entertaining set-piece. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/gi-joe-retaliation-2013-film-review-by-david-graham)

## Details

- **Director:** Jon M. Chu
- **Director:** Jon M. Chu
- **Writer:** Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese
- **Cinematography:** Stephen F. Windon
- **Editor:** Jim May, Roger Barton
- **Music:** Henry Jackman
- **Production design:** Andrew Menzies
- **Producer:** Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brian Goldner
- **Cast:** Dwayne Johnson as Marvin Hinton / Roadblock; Bruce Willis as Joe Colton; Jonathan Pryce as U.S. President; Adrianne Palicki as Jaye Burnett / Lady Jaye; Ray Park as Snake Eyes; Ray Stevenson as Firefly; Élodie Yung as Kim Arashikage / Jinx; Lee Byung-hun as Tommy Arashikage / Storm Shadow
- **Runtime:** 1h 50m
- **Certificate (FSK):** 16
- **Release (Germany):** 27 March 2013
- **Genres:** Action, Science Fiction, Adventure, Thriller
- **Budget:** $130 million
- **Box office:** $372 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vAo4rJPqQ4

## Where to watch in Germany

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy €3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy €9.99, hd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Raid* (2011), Fi1m 83: Ninety minutes of fights staged so clearly you could draw them afterwards. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-raid.md)
- *The Good, the Bad, the Weird* (2008), Fi1m 74: Lee Byung-hun with a part to play and a desert chase worth the ticket. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-good-the-bad-the-weird.md)
- *Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol* (2011), Fi1m 82: Secret agents disowned by their government, done with jokes and a real building. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible-ghost-protocol.md)
- *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* (2000), Fi1m 90: Fighters on wires and rooftops, and a story that deserves them. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon.md)
- *Commando* (1985), Fi1m 74: A big man, a daughter, a lot of guns, and no pretence of seriousness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/commando.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/g-i-joe-retaliation