Today’s quick review: Snake Eyes. As a child, Snake Eyes (Henry Golding) witnessed the murder of his father. Now a young man, Snake Eyes gets a chance at revenge when Kenta (Takahiro Hira), a Yakuza boss, offers to track down his father’s killer. In exchange, Snake Eyes must gain the trust of Tommy Arashikage (Andrew Koji), the heir to an ancient ninja clan, and use it to steal a powerful artifact protected by the clan.
Snake Eyes is an action movie that serves as an origin story for the G.I. Joe character. The movie follows a young fighter who is torn between avenging his father and the path of honor and altruism laid out for him by his best friend. Snake Eyes uses its premise to good effect, delivering solid martial arts action with hints at a larger world of heroes and villains. But weak fundamentals and a lack of memorable moments leave it with missed potential.
Snake Eyes’ best feature is its action. The movie takes place in a world where ninjas keep order from the shadows and international terrorist groups seek exotic means of power. As such, Snake Eyes gets to draw on swords, guns, and martial arts for its action scenes. The choreography is not as sharp as in some other movies, but the quantity and variety will keep most action fans happy.
Unfortunately, the movie suffers from some key weaknesses. The emotional arc of the movie is muddy because Snake Eyes does not grow as much as his arc requires, remaining morally ambivalent for most of the film. The action is enjoyable but shallow. There are no major set pieces, and the movie has a hard time coordinating its group fights. Snake Eyes also makes smaller mistakes with its plot logic and cinematography that further hinder its efforts.
Overall, Snake Eyes gets enough right to be entertaining, but it misses the chance to tell a more engaging story. The skeleton of the plot, plentiful action, and one or two moments where the acting or world-building steps up all make it a fine pick for anyone in the mood for ninja-themed action. But anyone hoping for a movie that pushes the boundaries, or even does the character of Snake Eyes justice, may want to steer clear.
For a more complete rendition of the G.I. Joe world set in a different continuity, try G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. For a much more violent action movie about a modern ninja, try Ninja Assassin. For a superhero movie with a similar setup, try Elektra or The Wolverine. For a violent action movie that blends martial arts with modern weaponry, try either version of Mortal Kombat.
[5.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8404256/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for decent action held back by a mediocre story.