Snake Eyes: G. I. Joe Origins (2021) - Charismatic martial arts action film with stunning choreographies, locations and acting - 9/10 (06/10/21)

I'm usually neither fond of superhero movies in general nor of the Marvel franchise in particular but Snake Eyes: G. I. Joe Origins is a very positive exception for me and a movie that is much better than its lukewarm reception might indicate.

First and foremost, this film is a feast of martial arts fans. Back in the seventies, there were four new martial arts films at the cinema every week but these days they are hard to come by. In this film, we see ferocious fist fights but also the use of daggers, pistols and swords and even some elements of magic. The choreography is stunning and the pace is at times breathtaking.

Up next, the locations for this movie have been chosen with care. The film starts with a series of different locations from a cabin in the woods over a shady underground fighting circuit to a port infiltrated with criminals. Most of the movie however takes place in a Japanese ninja dojo that looks absolutely stunning. This starts with the traditional buildings and continues with the surrounding forests, gardens, temples and shrines. The settings are very detailed and ooze with atmosphere.

The acting performances are also very decent. It was a great pleasure to see Iko Uwais on the big screen again but he doesn't play a ferocious martial artist but rather a wise teacher in this film which suits him surprisingly well. The same could be said about Peter Mensah as a blind master whose words are filled with philosophy and wisdom. My personal highlight is however Abe Haruka who appears as an analytical security boss at first but turns out to be an empathic, foresightful and intelligent woman.

The story is also very interesting as it offers many twists and turns and makes viewers ask themselves how they would react under similar circumstances. If I were on a quest to avenge my family but were invited as a friend to a ninja dojo controlled by such a charismatic security boss, I would probably not pursue the path of betrayal.

At the end of the day, Snake Eyes: G. I. Joe Origins is much better than its reputation and turns out to be a charismatic martial arts action film that should appeal to a much larger audience than those who are only interested in superhero movies.