Directed by:
Sylvester StalloneCinematography:
Jeffrey L. KimballComposer:
Brian TylerCast:
Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, David Zayas, Giselle Itié, Charisma Carpenter (more)Plots(1)
Barney Ross (SYLVESTER STALLONE) is a man with nothing to lose. Fearless and void of emotion he is the leader, the sage and the strategist of this tight knit band of men who live on the fringe. His only attachment is to his pickup truck, his seaplane, and his team of loyal modern day warriors. He is a true cynic who describes what he does as “removing those hard to get at stains”. The team behind him is made up of Lee Christmas (JASON STATHAM), former SAS and a savant with anything that has a blade, Yin Yang (JET LI), a master at close quarter combat, Hale Caesar (TERRY CREWS), who has known Barney for 10 years and is a long barrel weapons specialist, Toll Road (RANDY COUTURE), a skilled demolitions expert and considered the intellect of the group and Gunnar Jensen (DOLPH LUNDGREN), a combat veteran and an expert in precision sniping who struggles with his own demons. When the mysterious Church (TBD) offers Barney a job no one else would take, Barney and his team of expendables embark on what appears to be a routine mission; over throw General Gaza (DAVID ZAYAS), the murderous dictator of the small island country of Vilena and end the years of death and destruction inflicted on its people. On a reconnaissance mission to Vilena, Barney and Christmas meet their contact, Sandra (GISELLE ITIE), a local freedom fighter with a dark secret. They also come to learn who their true enemy is; rogue ex-CIA operative James Monroe (ERIC ROBERTS) and his henchman Paine (STEVE AUSTIN). When things go terribly wrong, Barney and Christmas are forced to leave Sandra behind, essentially giving her a death sentence. Haunted by this failure Barney convinces the team to return to Vilena to rescue the hostage and finish the job he started. And to perhaps save a soul... his own. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (11)
The ultimate action carnage led by the fighting elite turned out pretty decent IMHO. The action scenes were pretty brutal, the soundtrack was pretty pumped up and the cast was really badass. Some of the effects were glaring, as was the point of a few scenes, but as a whole it stood at 75% for me. In short, a parade of action stars who came together in one film to give you a good beating.
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I hope someday they publish a collector’s edition on an over-played VHS videotape with the special Czech “speed-dubbing" and normal editing. Then and only then can these be considered to be the real McCoy action movies “like out of the eighties". But as it is half way between a pleasant movie playing at being nostalgic and real, unadulterated nostalgia (the church, the church!). But it has three main problems. Too much “Bournesque" editing, too little work with the personality cults of various testosterone legends (this happens only in scenes with Jet vs. Dolph and in the church) and of course the must fundamental problem - no Asia Argento, but instead (no) Charisma.
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I was absolutely sure that I wouldn't like it, but from time to time one must endure mental torture in order to appreciate even more the movies that are truly worth watching. Half of the members of the cast I categorize as "My Least Favorite Nightmares," and some of them, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, I don't consider actors, but rather stereotypical figures, while others, like Sylvester Stallone, as below-average actors, and it is characteristic that if a quality action actor like Bruce Willis appears in something like this, they just briefly show up on the screen. The Expendables pay homage to violent action films from the 80s with muscle-bound heroes and these sorts of productions didn't make the slightest impression on me even at 15 years old, let alone today. Action productions that I appreciate include titles such as Indiana Jones, Die Hard, or the Bourne series, in general, movies that rely on a quality screenplay and top-notch acting. The Expendables is just as dim-witted as its genre predecessors and the scene of the contract negotiation in a church, which has humor, can't save it. For me, The Expendables is the same as a really strong cigar for a devoted non-smoker. Overall impression: 15%.
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Stallone is such an experienced hard worker and intelligent person that he basically confirmed what was expected, and he doesn't disappoint in The Expendables. He made exactly what was expected of him, paying homage to classic action movies of the past decade. There is a clear and distinctive directorial style (gore, action), which is a good thing, of course. But on the other hand, considering that the last Rambo was made by the same director, I would have expected a more coherent action. Overall, it is watchable, so mission accomplished.
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Films of this kind can never excite me, already from their very basic nature – heroes that only rely on their muscles can never be heroes to me (and they aren’t). The Expendables are a celebration of dumb brute force – and a pretty expendable film as far as I’m concerned. Long live modern action films that rely on something other than how long and how often a hero on ‘roids can drop “funny” wisecracks. Back in the 80s, that may have had its charm (which I can feel even today when I watch those old films), but I don’t see any reason to go back to that. PS: The church scene was incredibly artificial and forced, like the rest of the film. PS2: The inferno at the end is pretty cool in the details but utterly confusing as a whole.
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