Alongside Transformers, G.I. Joe is another toy of the Hasbro company that evolved into a film franchise. Critics are relatively aligned in their opinion that those films don't have that much cinematic leverage apart from loud mayhem and extraordinary CGI effects. But the box office and the sales numbers of the home video releases speak louder than artistic needs. While Michael Bay generates billions of Dollars with his robots and therefore can do whatever he wants, it was interesting to see what the second Joe film would bring to the table. After all, the makers did take notice of the bad press the first one received. After the sequel was supposed to be released in theaters in 2012, a heavy delay followed that pushed the film back an entire year. A post 3D conversion and reshoots (Channing Tatum, leading man of the first film, had become a star and should get more screentime) were the official reasons. But those in doubt can rest assured that G.I. Joe - Retaliation is an astounding upgrade to the first movie. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a charismatic lead, apart from the basic concept and some exceptions, it all feels a lot more grounded and humoristic. The action is great nonetheless and should leave no fan disappointed.

Especially after the delay of the theatrical release that wasted a previously initiated marketing campaign that cost millions of Dollars plus the costs for the 3D conversion and the reshoots, quite a budget was accumulated. To make back the money, a mass-appealing PG-13 rating was imperative. Eventually, the film got it (for intense sequences of combat violence and martial arts action throughout, and for brief sensuality and language) and earned $372 million at the worldwide box office. Of course, there's room for more and the studio had the chance to kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand, an Extended Cut is a very popular way to attract customers to purchase the Blu-ray and on the other hand, it offered director Jon M. Chu the possibility to put back in some of his many deleted scenes and remove the PG-13 censorship that he had to apply. And indeed, the Extended Action Cut is quite well named with this title because it is substantially better than the theatrical version - not only in the action department. A number of more violent moments are back, a few large ones that are completely new (although we never see "hard R" material, it stays a popcorn movie) and surprisingly much more character development that even leads to some minor changes in the story. It's a shame that some of those new scenes weren't shown in cinemas but fortunately, you can watch them at home now. While American audiences will have to be patient to get their hands on the Extended Cut (it is Best Buy-exclusive for the first weeks), British customers have it easier. All Blu-ray editions feature both the theatrical and the Extended Cut.

Comparison between the Theatrical Cut (PG-13 / BBFC 12) and the Extended Cut (Unrated / BBFC 12) (both included on the British Blu-ray by Paramount Home Entertainment).

68 differences, consisting of
39 extended scenes
10 scenes with alternate material
7 additional scenes
6 extended scenes with alternate material
3 repositioning
2 extended scenes in the TC
1 additional scene in the TC

The Extended Cut runs 733.76 or approx. 12 minutes 14 seconds longer than the Theatrical Cut.

Additional Scene
0:03:30: The first big new scene can be seen in the prologue. Mouse and Flint have a duel in the camp. The one who can get a hand grenade out of a water barrel faster with his mouth will win. Mouse succeeds and Flint downplays his defeat by making fun of Mouse. Roadblock doesn't like that and preaches to him about how they are a team and that such a behavior is inadequate. He punishes him by pushing his head in the barrel again. Duke approaches and makes fun of Roadblock's lecture and how he should come up with something new. Duke thinks it could be more effective and pushes Flint's head back into the barrel. Duke and Roadblock grin at each other.
87.16 sec.

Extended Scene
0:05:53: This scene was shifted to the start and surfaces in the TC at about 40 minutes into the film. It takes place in the headquarters of the Blind Master in Tokio. While the TC has him as a kind of narrator explaining background elements of the story, emphasizing that the Joes have to succeed and act quickly in order to stop Cobra and Storm Shadow (the latter being shown undergoing surgery in the mountain village in small scene fragments). Also, the test fight between Jinx and Snake Eyes can be seen and the Blind Master tells Snake to trust Jinx. He wants that Storm Shadow is brought to him.

The Extended Cut doesn't have to rush things and so the beginning tracking shot of the skyscraper is longer. A butterfly flies through the air and is caught by the Blind Master. Jinx blindfolds herself and prepares to fight Snake in order to prove herself worthy of joining the Joes. The condition is that Snake can't get a single hair of hers, otherwise she would have failed. A much longer fight ensues in which she does perform well but in the end, Snake manages to cut a hair off of her head. She leaves the room frustrated and Snake gets the indestructible sword from the Blind Master who tells him that he has to stop Cobra.
The EX runs 130.24 sec. longer

Extended Scene
0:15:28: Flint shoots another enemy. As he stands up, the EX and TC show it both but from different angles.
1.56 sec.

Additional Scene
0:15:30: Roadblock eliminates two opponents, Lady Jaye kills one.
5.6 sec.

Extended Scene in the TC
TC: 0:09:42: Jaye slightly earlier in the corridor before she attacks the first enemy.
+ 0.68 sec.

Extended Scene
0:16:08: Additional shot of the enemies shot on the stairs and another goon that is killed by Duke.
2.48 sec.

Alternate Material
0:16:17: As Flint shoots the soldier through the cage, the TC is more harmless by showing the man already falling to the ground. The EX shows how the man is hit by the bullet and then falling to the ground.
The TC runs 0.16 sec. longer

Theatrical Version	Extended Cut

Alternate Material
0:16:39: The TC has the soldier being shot in the background while the EX has a closer shot of that. Also, the soldier is hit more often.
The EX runs 0.52 sec. longer

Theatrical Version	Extended Cut

Additional Scene
0:16:56: Flint shoots an opponent.
1.44 sec.

Extended Scene
0:18:39: After Roadblock told Duke that he'd have to play the babysitter for Block's kids for a weekend if he lost in the upcoming duel, Duke looks at his rifle and replies in the EX: "Yup, as long as I can bring this."
1.56 sec.

Extended Scene with Alternate Material
0:20:47: In the TC, Zartan goes directly to the bunker. The EX has the President's son ambushing his father and shooting him with a toy gun. The son cynically asks Havoc if he wasn't supposed to protect his father from being shot but Zartan tells him to stop and instead clean out his chocolate stash in the mother's bedroom. The boy imitates a cat and says: "Meow, kitty likes to scratch!". Zartan tells Havoc: "Next time take out his fat ass." and Havoc would like to act that out with pleasure.
The EX runs 26.68 sec. longer

Extended Scene
0:22:49: Zartan says that he brought back the interns and that they do their "jobs" in a "satisfying" manner.
8.2 sec.

Extended Scene
0:24:49: More soldiers fall from the helicopter attack.
3.52 sec.

Extended Scene
0:26:25: Three more soldiers are killed in the crossfire.
2.04 sec.

Extended Scene
0:26:39: Several soldiers flee and one is killed by the impact of an explosion.
1.12 sec.

Alternate Material
0:40:39: Only the EX shows blood as Storm Shadow shoots the guard in the chest.
No time difference

Theatrical Version	Extended Cut

Extended Scene
0:40:41: He kills more guards with the machine gun.
2.48 sec.

Alternate Material
0:40:45: The EX is closer and the TC more distant as Storm Shadow breaks the guard's neck.
The EX runs 0.28 sec. longer

Theatrical Version	Extended Cut

Additional Scene
0:41:05: Another guard is killed by an exploding insect outside.
1.16 sec.

Extended Scene in the TC
TC: 0:33:35: Storm Shadow strikes another guard with his sword. This is exclusive in the TC.
+ 0.84 sec.

Alternate Material
0:41:30: As Storm Shadow stabs the two guards, the TC is more harmless and shows the shocked Nigel.
The EX runs 0.64 sec. longer

Extended Scene
0:42:31: The EX has Firefly going towards the burning building in slowmo and shooting two guards lying on the ground. Offscreen, though.
5.4 sec.

Extended Scene with Alternate Material
0:45:23: In the TC, we see Snake sneaking through the night and watching as the helicopter takes off.

The EX is more interesting. He sneaks through the night, as well, but when he hears a sound, he hides behind the tree. Jinx approaches and Snake surprises her. She tells him that she wants to help (in this version, she hasn't convinced him of her worthiness yet). Together they see how the helicopter takes off and Jinx says that she knows there Storm Shadow would cure his wounds and that Snake would need her. He hands her two fighting sticks and she reacts along the lines of "there you go". As she wants to grab the weapons, he drops them to the ground and walks away. What a dry bastard.
The EX runs 38.8 sec. longer

Theatrical Version	Extended Cut

Extended Scene
0:49:13: Roadblock and his buddy make jokes about the size of Block's pants. The way the buddy looks at Flint before reaching out his hand is a different take in both versions but not relevant, really.
11.28 sec.

Additional Scene
0:51:06: The surgery that Storm Shadow undergoes is in one big piece in the EX.
39.52 sec.

Repositioning
1:11:41: As Zartan is brought outside by his bodyguards, the EX shows it before Jaye gets into the stairway. The TC has it the other way around.
No time difference

Extended Scene with Alternate Material
1:11:48: Interesting. When Roadblock waits for Zartan in the alley and wants to shoot him, Jaye and Flint are with him on that and advice him that he only has one chance to do so.

In the EX, Jaye and Flint are against that. They rather want to capture Zartan and bring him to Colton. Roadblock, however, wants to make a solo run and avenge Duke and the other fallen soldiers.
The EX runs 22.4 sec. longer

Extended Scene
1:12:57: Firefly hits Roadblock in the stomach twice.
1.28 sec.

Extended Scene
1:12:59: A hard first punch in the face and a knee strike follows.
2 sec.

Extended Scene
1:13:16: Roadblock headbutts Firefly.
0.6 sec.

Extended Scene
1:13:19: Block wants to kick Firefly but misses him.
0.96 sec.

Extended Scene
1:13:25: Firefly's head is bumped against the wall and then Block kicks his legs.
1.8 sec.

Extended Scene
1:13:36: Another hard hit with the iron pipe against Block.
2 sec.

Extended Scene
1:13:47: Two jabs at Block's stomach.
1.36 sec.

Additional Scene
1:17:51: Jaye stitches Block's shoulder and an infuriated Flint enters the room. He blames Block for not following his own lectures about how they are a team. Block raises his voice, too, saying that he doesn't want to bury any more Joes. He then leaves the room to clean weapons while Flint grumpily sits down. Jaye looks uncomfortable and then asks Flint to help her with her dress.
64.32 sec.

Extended Scene
1:19:11: Most likely just time saving. The EX shows how Jaye gets out of her shoes.
3.84 sec.

Extended Scene
1:20:12: Flint looks again at the reflection of the barely clothed Jaye on the TV screen.
5.36 sec.

Extended Scene
1:20:37: And once more. What a voyeur.
1.36 sec.

Extended Scene with Alternate Material
1:20:53: In the TC, he looks a little longer at her while the EX has Block dropping in, saying that they have to clean weapons. The world doesn't save itself.
The EX runs 4.76 sec. longer

Extended Scene with Alternate Material
1:27:37: The collage of the freedom summit is much longer in the EX. It includes the scenes of the TC (tanks driving in position, Firefly on the bridge, Cobra approaching in the boat) but it shows exclusively how Cobra and his crew leave the boat and meet a small army while "president" Zartan holds a speech. We only show the new stuff here.
40.64 sec.

Extended Scene
1:31:01: Two more soldiers are shot.
2.36 sec.

Extended Scene
1:32:36: The agents get actually shot when Colton attacks them. Only in the EX, of course.
0.96 sec.

Extended Scene
1:32:39: Jaye hits an agent, as well.
0.36 sec.

Extended Scene
1:36:14: A little more destruction on two TV screens in the EX.
4.12 sec.

Extended Scene
1:37:28: Jinx kills a soldier with her sword.
1.68 sec.

Extended Scene with Alternate Material
1:37:45: Other order of scenes as the chaos in the conference room ensues. In the TC, Firefly grabs the briefcase, in the EX it's Zartan. That also means that the order that Cobra Commander gives to Firefly is different. In the TC, he should get the briefcase himself, in the EX he should get it back from Zartan.
The EX runs 5.36 sec. longer

Theatrical Version	Extended Cut

Additional Scene in der TC
TC: 1:25:38: Firefly goes through a corridor with the briefcase.
+ 3.76 sec.

Extended Scene
1:38:46: A few frames of additional fighting ballet without use.
0.68 sec.

Additional Scene
1:39:18: Jinx leads the other presidents through the catacombs and kills several of Cobra's soldiers.
16.4 sec.

Alternate Material
1:40:03: Two additional scenes in both versions. The TC has Firefly with the briefcase telling Cobra Commander that he has it. Cobra Commander wants a status report from his technicians about when the Zeus satellites are in position. This comes in the EX later on.

The EX has an extension of the fight between Jinx and the Cobra soldiers. She can take some of them out but is then pressured into a corner and Snakes saves her. Together, they kill a number of enemies. In the meantime, Storm Shadow follows Zartan, who puts the briefcase on a table and then hides with a Cobra soldier. As Shadow enters the room, he hears Zartan say that he never expected that Shadow would become a Joe. The TC doesn't feature that.
The EX runs 48.48 sec. longer

Alternate Material
1:41:25: Both versions have Shadow fighting against the red ninja while Zartan watches helplessly what happens. When the two fighters stand before a wall of wooden boxes, Zartan pushes it on them and they are buried under it.

In the EX, the fight is considerably longer and Zartan tries to shoot Shadow several times but misses. The ninja duel has a different result, too, because Shadow does also stab his opponent. They are then buried by the boxes and Zartan approaches, wanting to shoot Shadow. However, he is no longer under the boxes and puts his sword towards Zartan's throat. Suddenly, an explosive insect sits down on the sword and explodes. Zartan and Shadow whirl around. After that, Firefly enters the room, chuckles and says "Boom." while taking the briefcase and leaving again.
The EX runs 85.28 sec. longer

Repositioning
1:43:12: As the agents hear the chaos outside, the EX has it slightly earlier than the TC.
No time difference

Extended Scene
1:43:18: Colton breaks an agent's neck.
1 sec.

Extended Scene
1:44:02: Colton fires a second time and an agent is hit.
0.48 sec.

Alternate Material
1:44:04: A few more frames in the TC before the agents are hit while the EX shows longer as they fall to the ground after being hit. Redundant.
The EX runs 0.24 sec. longer

Extended Scene
1:44:24: Havoc gets hit by much more bullets.
1.48 sec.

Alternate Material
1:45:12: When Shadow throws the sword towards Zartan, the TC stays on him while the EX "flies" with the sword, showing how Zartan is stabbed by it.
No time difference

Theatrical Version	Extended Cut

Extended Scene
1:45:39: Jinx and Snake shoot around a little more.
1.4 sec.

Extended Scene
1:45:43: Flint shoots a soldier and stabs another.
1.4 sec.

Repositioning
1:45:49: Now, the EX has the scene with Firefly telling Cobra Commander that he has the briefcase and Cobra Commander asking for a status report about the Zeus satellites.
16.2 sec.

Extended Scene
1:46:57: Block makes more use of the machine gun.
2.6 sec.

Extended Scene
1:47:26: The approaching Block shoots two more soldiers on his way to the boat.
1.68 sec.

Alternate Material
1:47:29: The last hit soldier falls to the ground in a different way. That's not really relevant, though.
The TC runs 0.16 sec. longer

Extended Scene
1:48:54: More shots during the duel.
1.44 sec.

Extended Scene
1:48:56: Again.
1.6 sec.

Extended Scene
1:48:59: Firefly punches Block in the stomach.
0.72 sec.

Extended Scene
1:49:16: More deflected punches on both sides.
1.24 sec.

Extended Scene
1:51:27: Jinx wants to give Snake the sword back but he signals her that she should keep it. She has obviously proven herself as worthy. She is happy.
17.84 sec.