Snake Eyes (2021) | Film Review

Move with the wind, and you will never be heard.

Growing up in the 80s, you would be hard-pressed to find a young kid playing with their friends who didn’t own at least one G.I. Joe action figure and likely carry it on their person. If you somehow managed to avoid these delightful dolls with the kung-fu grip, then you most certainly watched the cartoon every day after school. G.I. Joe was life for most kids of that era, and there were few characters as beloved from that property as Snake Eyes, the Joe’s silent ninja enforcer. Now, in 2021, his origin story arrives.

Henry Golding stars as Snake Eyes, a young cage fighter who bounces from location-to-location fighting MMA-style for cash. He is quickly recruited by Kenta (Takehiro Hira), an obvious crime boss, to work for him in exchange for information on the man who killed Snake’s – wait, sorry, that name belongs to Plissken alone – Mr. Eyes’ father. This job introduces Mr. Eyes to Tommy (a fiery Andrew Koji), the incumbent leader of a secretive ninja clan. When he saves Tommy’s life from a brutal assault, a blood debt results in Snake Eyes training to join Tommy’s clan while simultaneously uncovering a nefarious plot involving a clandestine organization known only as Cobra.

Henry Golding’s character is known throughout the film only by his moniker, as his father was gunned down by a mysterious stranger who forced his victims to roll dice for their life, and his dad rolled a snake eyes. It’s as ridiculous in practice as it sounds in print (but still better than how Han Solo earned his name). As the titular character, Golding’s charm is on full display, and in start contrast to the cartoon, Snake Eyes talks A LOT. He’s virtually a chatty Cathy compared to the 80s mute.

While Snake Eyes befriends Tommy and flirts with the clan’s protector, Akiko (the emotionally impactful and gracefully combative Haruka Abe), he also increases his skill as a fighter. Golding certainly has the posturing down pat, his stance is locked and ready to rock, yet he lacks much of the fluidity, force, and flow a skilled martial artist should convey. Especially for an eventual ninja. Even as an origin story, there was never a moment I was convinced Snake Eyes was a better fighter than Akiko, and especially Tommy. There were times I was honestly convinced the clan janitor could rival Eyes in a contest. Which is a bit of a conundrum for a movie revolving around the biggest badass in all of G.I. Joe.

Andrew Koji, on the other hand, blows every other performer off the screen. His martial arts skills are almost balletic in execution, and his fierce focus on each target is spot on. The only other actor in the film who rivals Koji on screen action-wise is Iko Uwais as the clan’s Hard Master. Furthermore, Koji handles a heavy dramatic arc with sensitivity and underlying rage. For a film called Snake Eyes, I was far more interested in Tommy’s plight for much of the film.

Director Robert Schwentke (Red) struggles a bit in the early goings with far too much shaky cam and disjointed editing of the action, but finds his footing about midway through. Though there are no memorable set pieces here with the lone exception of the “snake pit” scene (most of the shots are rather standard blockbuster fare), the film does move at a clip and keeps the action entertaining throughout. The only real issue other than the early shake-and-bake camerawork was all of the swordplay and bodies falling, yet hardly a speck of blood anywhere in sight. These are the cleanest streets littered with pierced bodies since The Wolverine.

All-in-all, Snake Eyes delivers a modern G.I. Joe film with an underwritten lead and stronger supporting characters than the coolest commando in all of cartoons, but it’s still fun. There are even a few other characters that drop by, like Baroness and Scarlett, to inject a few more smiles and kickassery into the proceedings. Snake Eyes isn’t a perfect film and the concluding moments feels cobbled together to plan for a possible franchise, but it is enjoyable enough to warrant your summer dollars at a matinee, which is all you really need to know.

And obviously, knowing is half the battle.

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is now playing in theaters nationwide
Starring Henry Golding, Andrew Koji, Haruka Abe, Takehiro Hira
Screenplay by Evan Spiliotopoulos, Joe Shrapnel, and Anna Waterhouse
Directed by Robert Schwentke