As long as there are motion pictures, there will always be movies that catch your eye due to the fascinating effects, pretty visuals, and captivating explosions that are captured during the trailer, making you want to get up and go see it before you know what it’s all about. Then there are just gritty, old school, in your face action flicks that keep you on the edge of your seat having you begging for more action, that you of course have to see to believe. With “The Expendables,” you get everything you want in a pure action film. Oh, and not to mention an all-star cast from the 80’s and today as well.
The bottom line is that this film is everything you would expect it to be.
An in your face action/thriller about a group of mercenaries led by Barney Ross [Stallone], hired to do damage by infiltrating a South American country, and overthrow its ruthless dictator. Once the mission begins, the men realize things are not what they seem, finding themselves caught in a dangerous crossfire full of shootings, death and explosions, not to mention deceit and betrayal. With an innocent life in danger, the men struggle with an even tougher challenge, one that threatens to destroy this courageous group. Their only chance of escaping the country in one piece is by fighting to survive.
The highlight of this film is obviously the cast, which includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Dolph Lundgren and many more. The icing on the cake aside from this massive cast are the cameos that make their presence in Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The best and funniest scene in the movie involved both Willis and Arnie including Sly, which will have you laughing until your stomach hurts. The dialogue is brilliantly written and shows comedic grit involving a trio of Hollywood action greats. Stallone as a writer and director shows why he is a genius for creating a film with a plot that flows and makes the audience focus on the action alone and forget about the mediocre acting at best.
Speaking of acting, most of the cast do a great job of working together and making such an intriguing connection that the audience can relate to, due of course to good chemistry. The dialogue seemed to flow steadily throughout the film, with the exception of two actors who were less than mediocre- one being Mickey Rourke, who seemed to break in and out of his southern accent. For instance, one moment he would sound like he was from Texas and then the next he would speak in his regular tone. Steve Austin was no better, sounding like a horrible version of himself, reminiscent of his days as an entertainer for the WWE. Acting for a live audience and behind the camera are two different styles of acting. It seems like he’s still used to his wrestling days.
It was nice to see Dolph Lundgren back on the big screen, playing a Mercenary with a drug addiction, who also has a problem with authority. It was like old times watching him and Sly reunite. Lundgren’s character was comedic as well, even though he was not trying to be. There were a few punch lines in which he says that will have you laughing your head off. Statham did a good job as well. His character was tough as nails and being Stallone’s side kick helped.
Overall, “The Expendables” was a fun action movie with an authentic cast and feel to it and is definitely worth watching. Just cover your ears when you see Terry Crews coming through, not because he yells during the movie like in his old spice commercials, but because he blasts away the bad guys with the loudest and baddest machine gun you have ever heard in a movie. Can you say “puh puh puh puh puh power?” That scene alone will have you cheering for an insurmountable amount of time.
“The Expendables” is no Rambo, but with a cast of this magnitude, it doesn’t have to be. Just know that when all is said and done you will leave the theater with a smile on your face being thankful that this movie was not a disappointment. Look out “The Expendables” are ready to set of some hardcore explosions.
Enough to have Michael Bay himself eat his heart out.
No one said this job was going to be pretty.
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