G.I. Joe - A Real American Hero/The Revenge of the Cobra (DVD, 2003, 2-Disc Set)

This is one of those DVDs that is hard to objectively rate, because most of us who like it, do so because of its nostalgic value. However, I will try here to be as fair as I can. The sound on this DVD, though fair, isn't that great. That's just a problem that goes along with transferring a nearly 20 year old television show to DVD. Its also uneven, as the sound levels on the opening are sometimes much lower than that on the actual show. The same could be said for video quality. Though there are minor scratches and imperfections on the animation cell from time to time, its not distracting, really, and so its not really worth complaining about. The animation on these episodes is, generally, good, though it can be a bit uneven at times. You can tell that the animation was outsourced, probably to Japan or Korea, and the style reflects that. For comparison, the animation on the regular series that followed this was far more uneven and, on the whole, not nearly as good. The stories for both mini-movies are very similar, but each involves different characters (I personally like the 1984/1985 characters from Revenge of Cobra--Flint, Zartan, Storm Shadow, etc.--the best). These stories are OK for a children's cartoon, but I wouldn't be looking for anything profound here. Overall, I rate this as good. You will probably have to shell out serious money for it at this point (I did), but if you are a true fan, that is a price worth paying (as opposed to waiting for the hype surrounding a Joe feature to convince Sony to re-release these).-srobi1

If I was rating this movie strictly on nostalgia value, this DVD would receive a "5." This DVD contains the first 2 mini-series of GI Joe. Whenever I think of GI Joe, the 1st episode of "A Real American Hero" is the episode that comes to mind. I really enjoyed this show, mainly because it takes me back to the 4th grade, when I would run home from school in order to catch this show. I can't say for sure if that causes me to look at this release through rose colored glasses, but I still enjoy this show. This is probably the best DVD for GI Joe, in my opinion. The stories are well thought out and well executed. The TV series was stretching for stories, but these two 5 episode story arcs had good storylines and the writers knew exactly where they wanted to end these tales. They weren't trying to fill a quota, so the story telling did not suffer. There aren't any DVD extras, just the two mini-series. If you're not familiar with GI Joe, this is the best jumping off point outside of the comic books. Just like with any comic book to TV adaptation, there are some character changes, but nothing that should cause unbearable pain. I recommend this for fans of GI Joe and for people who would like to get an idea of what GI Joe was about. If you were never a fan of the comics or the TV show, then this DVD won't likely change your mind. This show is better than a lot of the shows currently being produced and is a worthy buy for any fan. Now you know and knowing is half the battle.

G.I. Joe is a cartoon originally made to help market Hasbro's action figure toyline. However, it's amazing to see the amount of care writers placed in the plots and dialogue, especially when they didn't have to.
***THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE DVD VERSION WITH ACTION FIGURE AND INTERVIEWS***
Pros: Relevant interviews, well done animation and great dialogue (Destro - Premature panic is a sign of an immature mind!) and (Shipwreck - Now I remember why I hate dry land... there's no place to dive!)
Cons: The great Marv Wolfman (of Marvel and DC comics) keeps calling Destro "DOCTOR" and the interviewer never corrects him. These interviews are only available on the much more expensive DVD set with the action figure.
Overall: Not only an excellent trip down memory lane to '80's cartoons but an excellent adventure that adults can appreciate too. GREAT FOR KIDS AND ADULTS with PG cartoon violence.

This is the best GI JOE dvd out by far!!! I loved this 2 disk set!! It has a awesome story line!! There are 2 mini series shows, with 5 episodes apeice... Simply the best G.I. Joe show on the market today, and this one is OUT OF PRINT!! If you can get it cheap, grab it, you wont be disappointed!!!!!!!!

I love the DVD. The first mini series on the disc, I use to rent all the time when I was little. Plus Shipwreck appears in the 2nd mini series. I always like GI-Joe. The dialogue is so great and I swear there was a lot flirting going on with certain characters. Like Flint or Lady Jaye. Or even Shipwreck hitting on any woman. I think he hit on every female Joe. The Show brings back so many memories. I'm in my late 20's and I still enjoy watching the show and collecting the figures.