G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) is a high-octane action film directed by Stephen Sommers, based on the popular Hasbro toy line and comic book series. The movie serves as a modern-day origin story for the G.I. Joe team, a group of elite soldiers who fight against the sinister organization known as Cobra. The film stars an ensemble cast, including Channing Tatum as Duke, Marlon Wayans as Ripcord, Sienna Miller as The Baroness, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cobra Commander, and Dennis Quaid as General Hawk. Packed with explosive action, advanced technology, and colorful characters, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra delivers a thrilling, larger-than-life adventure that aims to bring the beloved franchise to the big screen. The story begins with the introduction of the Cobra organization, a shadowy and highly advanced terrorist group led by the enigmatic Cobra Commander (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Cobra has developed a series of dangerous and technologically advanced weapons, which they plan to use to destabilize the world’s governments. The organization’s most powerful weapon is a set of nano-mites, which can destroy anything they come into contact with, including cities and military installations. The G.I. Joe team, a secret international military unit, is ᴀssembled to counter Cobra’s growing threat. Led by General Hawk (Dennis Quaid), the team consists of highly trained soldiers with specialized skills, including Duke (Channing Tatum), Ripcord (Marlon Wayans), Scarlett (Rachel Nichols), and Snake Eyes (Ray Park), among others.

The plot unfolds as the G.I. Joe team races against Cobra to prevent the group from using their destructive nano-mites to wreak havoc on the world. As the Joes infiltrate Cobra’s base of operations, they uncover the true extent of the organization’s plans, including the manipulation and betrayal of some of their own members. The film’s narrative introduces several twists and turns, as well as character backstories that are interwoven with the larger plot. One of the key storylines involves Duke’s complicated history with the Baroness (Sienna Miller), a member of Cobra who was once his fiancée. The Baroness, who is revealed to have a personal connection to Cobra’s origins, struggles with her loyalty to the organization and her feelings for Duke. The conflict between personal history and duty plays a significant role in the unfolding of the story. As the action intensifies, the G.I. Joe team faces a series of epic battles against Cobra’s forces. From high-speed chases to intense hand-to-hand combat, the film showcases spectacular action sequences that keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The movie’s visual effects, including advanced CGI technology, bring the high-tech weapons and gadgets of the G.I. Joe universe to life. One of the film’s standout action set pieces involves a thrilling chase through Paris, where the Joes battle Cobra operatives while navigating through the city’s streets and buildings. As the battle between the two forces escalates, the Joes must work together to stop Cobra from launching a full-scale attack on the world, leading to a climactic showdown between the two sides. In the final act of the film, the G.I. Joe team successfully prevents Cobra from activating their global weapon, but not without a cost. The team faces internal conflicts, betrayals, and loss, all while trying to neutralize Cobra’s plans. The film ends with Cobra Commander still at large, promising that the war between the two factions is far from over. The final scenes set the stage for future installments in the franchise, hinting at more thrilling adventures to come.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a fast-paced action movie that introduces audiences to the iconic characters and world of G.I. Joe. While the film is not without its flaws—some critics noted its over-the-top action and reliance on CGI—it delivers the kind of larger-than-life entertainment expected from a franchise rooted in action figures and comics. The movie blends high-tech gadgets, explosive battles, and the timeless struggle between good and evil into a film that appeals to fans of the original material as well as new audiences. The performances from the cast, particularly Channing Tatum and Sienna Miller, help to bring the characters to life, making them engaging and relatable despite the film’s fantastical nature. In conclusion, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) is a fun, action-packed film that introduces audiences to the world of the elite G.I. Joe team and their ongoing battle against the dangerous Cobra organization. Filled with thrilling combat, impressive special effects, and a compelling ensemble cast, the movie serves as a fitting beginning for the G.I. Joe film franchise. While it may not be a cinematic masterpiece, it successfully delivers an entertaining, action-packed ride that fans of the franchise—and action movie lovers—can enjoy.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.