The Expendables
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Certificate: 15
Rating: 2/5 (3 for action lovers)
Action movies these days all seem to think that realism and plot are the most important points. To prove them wrong, along comes Sylvester Stallone with a film so 80’s it comes with a mullet and boom box.
The Expendables brings together all the great action hero stars of previous years, promising hard hitting, low plot action that went all out of fashion along with tape cassettes. Here’s a hint though, if you’ve never heard of Dolph Lundgren or Jet Li, this film probably isn’t for you.
Stallone’s latest sees him leading a team of do-gooding, hard as nails mercenaries who get hired to topple the dictator of a small, made up South American island.
They get there only to see that there’s more than meets the eye to this job and decide to bail, only for
Sly to change his mind and bring his crew in for the explosions.
Despite being about a team of mercs though, we only ever meet three for more than a couple of scenes. And of those, only Sly and Statham’s fantastically named Lee Christmas get any real story.
Throughout though, it’s apparent that this cast is a lot better at fighting than acting. Apart from Mickey Rourke, who steals any scene he’s in.
Eric Roberts does his best as the smarmy villain, but he never really gets anything meaty to get his teeth into, with bad drug growing and bullying being the worst of his shown crimes.
This really is the downside of all the brawny action. There’s no motivation for the explosions, making the film simply seeming like a lot of fire fights held together by clunky dialogue and character development.
To the film’s credit though, Stallone still knows how to blow stuff up and when this film decides to get gun-ho, it goes all out. These frantic fights are easily the highlight of the movie, and lift it from true mediocrity.
Also, much has been made of the fact that this is the first time Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnie have all get on screen together. Not to ruin it, but it’s one, short, talky scene. Not something to sell the film on.
The Expendables thinks it’s a reminder that the old school is the best school. Making hardcore action fans want to go back and watch Predator, Cobra and Commando though might not have been what
Despite the below par plot, script and acting, The Expendables is a fun time for anyone who enjoys a little too much gunpowder with their popcorn.
The Expendables is out now.
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith