Writer, director and action icon Sylvester Stallone apparently gathered some ’80s tough guy buddies and said, “Let’s make a movie.” I have to admit -- even though I am huge action film fan -- when I saw The Expendables trailer, I thought it was going to be terrible one-liners, tough guy stares and excessive killing and huge explosions. Well, The Expendables was all of that, but I am not sure if it was a great action film ride. Like a roller-coaster, it had its up and downs.
The first 15 minutes is actually pretty cool, as guys known as the Expendables come in contact with Somali pirates who have American hostages. The Expendables actually give the pirates money for the hostages. Of course, the pirates want more money.
Stallone plays Barney Ross, the leader. But stop the presses -- C’mon, in a tough movie like this, Stallone…the writer! gives himself a name like Barney?! Well, Barney tells the pirates to take the money or leave it. The pirates have red lasers from the Expendables’ big guns pointed at their chests. They don’t take the money, so the Expendables take their lives.
The plot is a shaky one. Barney is talking with Mr. Church, played by Bruce Willis, about another job. When Trench, played (uncredited!) by Arnold Schwarzenegger, walks in with the sunlight behind him, his shadow is so big we know it’s him. He is a former friend of Barney’s who is going after the same job. After some verbal jibes, Arnold defers to Barney and walks out. It was a scene designed to put all three action stars in the same room. Cinematic magic went poof.
The supporting cast helps kick the movie into second gear. Jason Statham as Lee Christmas (Transporters movies), Jet Li (Lethal Weapon 4) as Ying Yang , Randy Couture (mixed martial artist) as Toll Road and huge Terry Crews as Hale Caesar (Everybody Hates Chris) give the movie its over the top crazy characters.
Mr. Church wants the Expendables to kill a South American dictator played by David Zayas (Dexter). Barney and Christmas go to South America to check the situation before the team goes. In the country, their contact is a beautiful woman, Sandra, played by Giselle Itie. During the recon, the military confront Barney and Christmas -- the only two white men in the country. A shootout and car/truck chase ensues. Barney, Christmas and Sandra barely get to the plane, but Sandra refuses to leave.
Later, Barney feels bad that he left Sandra. He decides to go to get her, but the team tells Barney he is not going alone. In the country, the Expendables wreak havoc on the bad guys, just blowing stuff up and killing soldiers.
The editing of the action scenes was so quick that I couldn’t make out who got shot unless they got stabbed. The movie is big on knives.
At the end, the bad guys are all gone. There is a tender moment between Barney and Sandra when she hugs him. For all the blowing things up, getting beat up and shot up that Barney did in coming to Sandra’s aid – he gets a hug, not a passionate thank-you kiss? Even a tough guy need a kiss!
The Expendables was okay fun. Lots of killing, explosions, car chases and corny one liners may have made the movie a throwback to the ’80s and ’90s. I am not sure if I enjoyed the time warp experience.
Edited by Michele Ristich Gatts
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