''G.I. Joe: Spy Troops'' is a 2003 American computer-animated

military science fiction Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction that features the use of science fiction technology, mainly weapons, for military purposes and usually principal characters who are members of a military organization involved in military a ...

action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include l ...

produced by

Reel FX Creative Studios Reel FX Animation (or simply Reel FX) - formerly known as Reel FX Creative Studios (also known as Reel FX Animation Studios) is an American computer animation and visual effects studio based in Dallas, Texas; Hollywood, California. The studio dev ...

and distributed by

Paramount Home Entertainment Paramount Home Entertainment (formerly Paramount Home Media Distribution, and originally Paramount Home Video) is the home video distribution arm of Paramount Pictures, a division of Paramount Global. The division oversees PPC's home entertainme ...

. The film was released

direct-to-video Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy wa ...

and premiered on Cartoon Network on September 27, 2003. A sequel, titled '' G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom'', was released on September 14, 2004.

History

When Hasbro launched '' G.I. Joe vs. Cobra'' in 2002, an updated revival of the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toyline that was sold between 1982 and 1994, they commissioned

to produce a series of CGI-animated commercials to promote the new line of figures. They would follow this up with an hour-long

movie titled ''Spy Troops'' to promote the 2003 series of figures released under the sub-line of the same name. ''Spy Troops'' was written by

Larry Hama Larry Hama (; born June 7, 1949) is an American comic-book writer, artist, actor, and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s. During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles on the TV shows ''M*A*S*H'' ...

, who wrote the original filecards and the Marvel comic series.

Plot

The plot revolves around

G.I. Joe ''G.I. Joe'' is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier ( U.S. Army), Ac ...

, America's "daring, highly trained special missions force". The Joes have just perfected a new technology: Mind Interface Remote Control (MIRC), which allows soldiers to flawlessly command vehicles from a safe distance. The title refers to the fact that the two opposing forces, the G.I. Joe Team and Cobra, make use of spies to achieve their objectives. Cobra sends

Zartan Zartan is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books, and animated series. He is one of the main villains in the franchise as the leader of the Dreadnoks, and a mercenary who often worked directly for Cobra ...

, to infiltrate G.I. Joe headquarters posing as Shipwreck, and steal the MIRC technology. The Joes send Shipwreck and Snake Eyes to the enemy's camp, after learning about what happened. The Joes then organize an assault on Cobra Mountain and successfully regain the technology, destroying Cobra's base and chopper in the process.

Cast

Release

Spy Troops: The Movie was released on DVD in September 2003, with the 12" Ninja Showdown two-pack. It had a suggested retail price of $19.95. Later, it was also available alone, with a suggested retail price of $4.95. Cartoon Network premiered Spy Troops: The Movie on September 27, 2003 at 10:00 p.m.

References

External links

Reel FX Creative Studios home page
* * {{G.I. Joe 2003 direct-to-video films 2003 computer-animated films G.I. Joe (franchise) animated films Direct-to-video animated films Reel FX Creative Studios films 2000s American animated films Paramount Pictures animated films Paramount Pictures direct-to-video films Toonami 2000s English-language films