G.I. Joeis one of the few franchises that seems to have a hard time making it to the silver screen. The first attempt,G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, was one of the most overstuffed and nonsensical attempts to launch a film franchise; its sequel,G.I. Joe: Retaliation,didn’t fare much better despite havingDwayne Johnsonin the early days of his “franchise Viagra” phase.Henry Golding’s talent couldn’t saveSnake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. Paramount is making another attempt to relaunch the franchise with aG.I. Joe/Transformerscrossover, but there’s another film that the studio should look to for inspiration:Megaforce.Megaforceis chock-full of all the elements that would make a greatG.I. Joemovie— in fact, it’s the one movie that closely resembles a live action adaptation of theG.I. Joeanimated series.
A specialized task force made up of the world’s best soldiers and equipped with futuristic technology is assembled to counter a tyrant threatening world peace. The team embarks on a high-stakes mission, using their superior training and state-of-the-art vehicles to navigate treacherous terrain and combat the enemy. Their objective is to dismantle the dictator’s power and bring an end to his reign of terror.
What Is ‘Megaforce’ About?
Megaforcetells the story of a special military unit codenamed “Megaforce,“comprised of the best soldiers in the western world who are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. When the Republic of Sardun finds itself being invaded by its neighbor Gamibia, Megaforce gets involved — though this mission is personal for its leader Ace Hunter (Barry Bostwick). Years ago, Hunter had a falling out with Gamibia’s duke Guerera (Henry Silva); further complicating matters is his attraction to one of Sardun’s soldiers, Zara (Persis Khambatta), who enlisted Megaforce’s help in the fight against Guerera. Just from its setup alone,Megaforcebears more than a strong resemblance toG.I. Joe— Hunter is more or less the G.I. Joe Team’s leader, Duke, and Guerera takes the place of terrorist leader Cobra Commander. The similarities don’t end there, asMegaforceowes its existence to a toy company.
Hasbro Helped To Fund ‘Megaforce’
WhileMegaforceis a story of soldiers from different walks of life uniting for the greater good, there was a different kind of alliance going on behind the scenes. Golden Harvest, the production company that helped catapultBruce Leeinto movie stardom, was looking to break out into more western films.Megaforcewas one of the projects, and sawGolden Harvestjoining forces with Mattel, who sought to produce a line of toys based on the film. Bostwick addressed this inan interview withStarlog, saying that he knew upfront what he was in for. “I knew going into this project what the eventual marketing of it would be, so I based the character on something I could drop and something that would fit the action/adventure format.”
DirectorHal Needhamalso took up the challenge, especially as he was the one who convinced investorBob Kachlerto filmMegaforceas a movieinstead of a television series like originally planned. “If you go out and sell my cars, I’ll sell your movie. And that’s how it got started,” Needham said.The production crew even designed vehicles that worked, which is surprising given their design — they look less like any type of car and more like something ripped from old episodes of…well,G.I. Joe. The film even takes the time to show off all the vehicles, including a rocket cycle Hunter rides into battle. But the design was toyetic enough to work for a line of Hot Wheels tie-in toys, and fit Needham’s cinematic language. Prior to this, he directed theBurt ReynoldsclassicSmokey and the BanditandThe Cannonball Run, both featuring high-octane car chases.
Chris Hemsworth Is Rolling Into the ‘Transformers’ x ‘G.I. Joe’ Crossover Movie
Hemsworth is already set to star in the animated feature ‘Transformers One.’
‘Megaforce’ Is Utterly Ridiculous – But That’s Part of Its Charm
Megaforcewears its ’80s roots proudly on its sleeve.Everything about the film, from its concept to its action sequences, is over-the-top.Not only do Megaforce’s motorcycles shoot rockets, but they can also fly. All the heroes spot skintight bodysuits that wouldn’t look out of place in aPower Rangersshow, and their dialogue is just as cheesy. In the film’s final battle, Guerera attempts to escape in a tank…only for Hunter to hitch a ride on said tank, knock on the hatch, and when Guerera opens it, delivers this classic line: “Oh, I just wanted to tell you that good guys can win. Even in The ’80s!” This is the type of gung-ho military action thatG.I. Joethrives on, and it mostly works forMegaforce.
The “mostly” part is becausecertain elements haven’t aged well.It’s painfully clear that the film was shot in one location, with the plains of Nevada doubling for Sardun and Gamibia. Hunter’s comrade Dallas (Michael Beck) is also a proud Southern man to the point where he’s slapped on a Confederate flag on his battle vehicle. Granted, this was the same decade that madeThe Dukes of Hazarda hit, but nowadays, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Even worse is the fact that Zara is sidelined, despite undergoing training with Megaforce. She’s the character who arguably has the biggest stake in the Sardun/Gamibia war, so it doesn’t make much sense for her not to be in the thick of the action. EvenG.I. Joehad female protagonists in the form of Scarlett and Lady Jaye, and an antagonist with the Baroness.
‘Megaforce’ Inspired the ‘South Park’ Creators and Can Inspire ‘G.I. Joe’
WhenMegaforcemade its debut, it was up against some stiff competition in the form ofE.T.: The Extra-TerrestrialandStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. This resulted in poor box office returns anda sequel being scrapped, but it had a major effect onTrey ParkerandMatt Stone. The duo waxed poetic about their love forMegaforceon aSouth ParkDVD, withParker even describing it in great detailuntil Stone tells him he’s not talking aboutSouth Parkanymore. Parker and Stone constructedTeam America: World Policeas an homage of sorts toMegaforce; the general concept of a fighting force made up of the west’s greatest soldiers is there, but in true Parker/Stone fashion, it’s filled to the brim with politically incorrect humor. There’s also the fact that the entire cast of characters are puppets.
Even if it’s only acult classicthese days,Megaforceis a great example of how a futureG.I. Joemovie could be constructed. Part of the reasonG.I. Joehasn’t taken off at the box office is because the franchise tries to play it straight. But in a world where it’s about tocross over with a franchise that has giant robots transforming into cars, a film should lean more into the technology being utilized by Joe and Cobra as well as the more outlandish parts of the franchise.
