The Expendables (2010)
Dir: Sylvester Stallone
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Eric Roberts
Is this film a “skip”? No! At least not for me it isn’t, because I love the movies I mention in the title above… well, I sort of like them. Here’s the thing, you’re either in the mood for seeing butts kicked, testosterone O-D’ing heroes bonding and things blown up – or your not. When I saw The Expendables, I really wasn’t in the mood.
Consider the movies I’ve mentioned in the title: these are decent action movies for sure, but they’re not classic. I think The Expendables was brilliant from a marketing standpoint: by including each and every major action star from the past two decades, suddenly this film became an “instant classic”, a must-see, a movie all the cool kids were going to see! But really, it’s no classic at all, is it? Once again ol’ Burke was duped by the killer cast!! The story to the film is flimsy: believe me when I say the interaction of the stars was much more interesting than the story, which involves a fictional island country with a “real-life” C.I.A. baddie corrupting its dictator General. Who else can save the day but (drum roll), The Expendables!
I give credit to Stallone for staying so true to his genre lo these many years. I was impressed with Jason Statham’s action sequences – that guy is one hell of a stunt man. The best dialogue surrounded Randy Couture’s (see note 1) character’s cauliflower ear. And I was relieved to see Mickey Rourke and Dolph Lungdren keep up with the acting prowess of the rest of the cast. In the end, I’m glad I saw the movie: and it has one of the best posters for a film in a long time – I mean, it’s a skull in front of a pair of wings made out of weapons!
Note 1: I have seen both Mr. Couture and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in person. Let me just say that these MMA’ers have intimidating physiques. They are like small, compact, muscular bombs in circular form, like The Incredible Hulk, meaning that they look like they could explode into action at any second. I suppose that’s the point of their training? I dunno.