New International GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra Trailer

April 30, 2009

First the new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer leaked on YouTube a day before its official premiere. Now a new international GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra trailer has popped up online courtesy of Allocine (via Dark Horizons) that could be close or even identical to what we get stateside tomorrow. Paramount execs must have grinded their teeth to nubs by now.

After watching the following international trailer I'm still torn down the middle on my gut feeling about this film. One moment I'm applauding the coolness of a futuristic jet performing a vertical landing and the next I'm denouncing Steven Sommers and the script for putting the leads in Iron Man armor and sending them cartwheeling down a European street.

The armored suits and silly action seem targeted at a Power Rangers audience, yet the homage to old school GI Joe will resonate with children of the 80s, myself included. A half does not make a whole and the finished film will need to find a happy medium if its to compete with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen for the 80s toy-inspired summer box office crown.

The full US GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra trailer will be online tomorrow. Look for the film in theaters on August 7.