There was a stretch when Hollywood was trying to turn every toy brand, comic property, and action line into the next giant cinematic universe. Some of those bets paid off. A lot of them did not. The G.I. Joe movies landed right in the middle of that era, and while they never became the all-conquering franchise Paramount probably hoped for, they did carve out a place for themselves with audiences who liked their blockbusters loud, shiny, and a little ridiculous.
Now one of the key entries in that franchise is heading back to its home studio’s streamer. G.I. Joe: Retaliation arrives on Paramount+ on April 1 as part of the platform’s new monthly wave of film additions, giving the sequel a fresh streaming home.
Released in 2013, Retaliation leans harder into star power and larger-scale action than its predecessor, with Dwayne Johnson stepping into a major role alongside Channing Tatum. The story follows the Joes after they are framed and nearly wiped out, forcing the survivors to regroup and hit back against Cobra’s growing influence. It is a cleaner, punchier movie than The Rise of Cobra, and one that more confidently embraces the franchise’s cartoonishly high-stakes energy.
The cast includes Johnson as Roadblock, Tatum as Duke, Adrianne Palicki as Lady Jaye, Bruce Willis as Joe Colton, Ray Park as Snake Eyes, Lee Byung-hun as Storm Shadow, D.J. Cotrona as Flint, Jonathan Pryce as President Zartan, and Arnold Vosloo as Zartan.
Remembering the Icons of Film — Collider Movie Quiz
We pay tribute to the talents who helped define Hollywood.
Is ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s review stated that G.I. Joe: Retaliation isn’t interested in being smart, deep, or even especially character-driven, but it does understand the assignment. This is a movie built around giant weapons, ridiculous vehicles, ninja fights, and stuff blowing up on a massive scale, and for the most part, it delivers exactly that.
The best characters, Snake Eyes and Roadblock, are the standouts partially because they’re in tune with the film’s true lead: action. That’s all G.I. Joe: Retaliation is meant to be. Director Jon Chu understands that’s why people show up, so his task is to make sure the set pieces deliver, and for the most part he succeeds. Like all the best toy commercials, G.I. Joe: Retaliation makes you forget you’re buying a piece of plastic. It lets you imagine that you’re part of the action, and free to feel like a kid again—a reckless, violent, gleefully destructive kid.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation will arrive on Paramount+ on April 1.
