Joanna Hunkin: Which comes first, the film or the toy?

AS a child, I was forced to play with G.I. Joe. I had Barbies and other girlie toys but if I wanted to hang out with my older brothers I had to adopt the combat-clad action figure and play war.

And actually, I didn't mind. It was much the same as playing with my Barbies, just less pink.

But for the life of me I cannot imagine wanting to watch a film about the plastic military man.

Sienna Miller, Channing Tatum and the cast of G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra dropped into Sydney this week to promote their coming film. A film, which I would wager, will be as entertaining and enlightening as the Tomb Raider franchise (for anyone who thinks that is a compliment, let me be clear: it is not.)

Films and toys have gone hand-in-hand for some time now. In 1977 Star Wars was the first film to earn as much, if not more, money from its merchandising than it did from the film itself.

By the early 90s, it was expected that any major school holiday release would come with a spate of action figures, video games and Happy Meal trinkets.

By the late 90s, film-makers reversed the idea and began basing films on video games - to some degree of success.

So it was, perhaps, inevitable that someone would eventually decide to start making films based on toys.

It may have been reviled by critics the world over, but no one can deny the Transformers franchise has proven a very profitable venture. Particularly for Hasbro, the toy manufacturers behind it, and also the company behind G.I. Joe and the Star Wars toy collection.

But at least the Transformers toys were supported by a cartoon.

Quite a good cartoon, I seem to recall. Certainly enough to entertain my fickle 5-year-old sensibilities. They had a back-story and distinct personalities, on which the film version later drew on.

G.I Joe is just a toy. An anatomically incorrect toy in combat pants.

Hasbro tried to make it into something more - collaborating with Marvel Comics to create a comic book and producing two extremely naff animated series in the 80s, neither of which lasted more than two seasons - and failed.

He is boy Barbie. I certainly wouldn't want to watch a film about Barbie, my most beloved of childhood toys, so why would anyone want to see the G.I. Joe brought to life?

Perhaps I am not the target audience. But you have to wonder, who is?

Transformers and G.I. Joe are children's toys but the films certainly aren't appropriate for under-10s. One can only assume they're meant for today's teens and adults who grew up with fond memories of the action figures.

In which case, why is Hasbro bringing out a new range of G.I. Joes - clearly targeted at kids - in conjunction with the war story? You didn't see Saving Private Ryan accompanied by Tom Hanks action figurines.

In essence, they are bringing out toys based on a film based on toys. It is commercialism and cross-promotion gone mad.

Transformers may have proven there is some merit in films spawned from the playroom, but G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra appears to be nothing more than a thinly veiled, hugely expensive advertisement for the Hasbro figurines.