Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that G.I. Joe: Retaliation is the sequel to the much-maligned but financially successful G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, though it has many different characters (and, frankly, is far more entertaining, in a guilty-pleasure way). Like the first movie, Retaliation was inspired by the '80s cartoon/toy line and has constant (albeit minimally bloody/gory) action violence. Kids will likely want to see it because they're the ones who play with the toys, but there's a ton of fighting, punching, chasing, and explosions. And the city of London is systematically destroyed in one sequence, with apparently no consequences. A sexy female member of the team twice dresses in revealing clothing to distract men and get necessary information. She also undresses while a member of her team tries not to look. Language is limited to "hell" and "ass," though there are also two middle-finger gestures and one interrupted "mother-." While revenge is a running theme/motive, there are also messages about teamwork and characters learning to better themselves. Ultimately, because this sequel takes itself less seriously than the first movie did, it has a bit less edge and is a better fit for teens.

Sexual Content

The female member of the team dresses in a low-cut, tight red dress to get into an exclusive party. Later, she changes out of the dress while a male member of her team tries not to watch, but he accidentally catches a distorted reflection of her in a shiny surface. Her nearly naked bottom can be (sort of) glimpsed. She also dresses up in a revealing jogging suit (and bends over) to trick a man into giving up information. Also some mild, joking sexual innuendo between male friends.

Violence

Constant strong (albeit fairly bloodless) action violence, the most terrible of which is probably the systematic destruction of London, which is dealt with lightly and seems to have no consequences. Also lots of fighting/hand-to-hand combat and punching (with some cuts and bruises), bloodless shooting of weapons, chase scenes, and explosions. There are also martial arts fighting sequences, with shurikens and sai swords.

Language

Several uses of "hell," and a few uses of "ass" and "damn." One character uses two middle finger gestures. The main character says "mother-" but is interrupted before he can finish the second half of the word.

Social Behavior

Amid the nonstop action violence -- and the strong running theme of retaliation -- are some positive messages. The main one is teamwork, wherein many different people learn to work together, including one bad guy (Storm Shadow), who teams up with his enemies against a greater threat. The movie also has a message about the destructive horror of war, but that doesn't change the fact that revenge is a big motivation.

Consumerism

The film is based on a cartoon series that itself was based on a toy line (and the movie was actually co-produced by Hasbro, which makes those toys), so you could argue that the whole thing is an exercise in product placement. Other brands include Angry Birds and Under Armour.

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

Not applicable