I seem to be the “G.I. Joe guy” around these parts, which makes me think I better go back to the original cartoon and animated movie and bone up on my childhood hobby. While I definitely know more about Joe than I did Transformers, I could hardly call myself an expert.
Dennis Quaid is starting to sound a little more like an expert than one would expect from the actor, especially considering he’s a little old to have been playing with the toys in their ‘80s heyday (yes, I know G.I. Joe toys predated the ‘80s, but that decade is when they really took off with their COBRA storyline, which is what the new movie will be focusing on). Still, the actor sounds like he really knows what he’s talking about when it comes to the new movie, which is why it’s particularly pleasing to hear him sharing details with someone like MTV Movies Blog.
Quaid’s discussion of the movie extends beyond his own portrayal of General Hawk to other characters within the movie. While most of the characters MTV reporter Larry Carroll asks about won’t be included in the movie, Quaid makes an interesting parallel between Joe and James Bond. The actor says Tomax and Xamot are out, as are Shipwreck and Wild Bill, at least as far as the script goes, but likens the world of G.I. Joe to the old school Bond movies where organizations like SPECTRE (or COBRA) take over an entire island and exist as their own country. If that’s the case, whose to say Tomax, Xamot, Shipwreck, or any of the others may not appear on screen in the background, kind of like X-Men teased audiences with quick glimpses of characters beyond the primary players.
Stepping beyond the characters, Quaid teases that he will deliver the trademark line “knowing is half the battle.” In what context? Well, the actor dodges that question, but jokes that he’s just going to throw it in wherever he can.
I can’t help but feel Quaid is a little annoyed at portions of this interview, which clearly was supposed to be for his upcoming picture Vantage Point, but it’s good to know that he knows enough with the franchise to joke around with it…. and knowing is half the battle (you had to know I was going to go there).
See Quaid’s discussion of G.I. Joe below:
