The Expendables 2 Review

With the first Expendables, Stallone and crew promised a return to the bombastic 80's and 90's era action movie. Instead we got a brainless and surprisingly dull movie filled with aging action stars that simply didn't command the same screen presence they used to. With the sequel Stallone hands over the directing reigns to the more capable Simon West who with a more self-deprecating script finally deliver the movie we were originally promised. The Expendables 2 is still dumb and their isn't even an attempt to develop characters or delve into motivations, but the action is more intense and no one is talking this seriously. Case in point a Chuck Norris cameo which openly acknowledges his internet meme status, as he and the Expendables exchange "is it true" stories which get more ridiculous with each new concocted premise. The villain this time around is played with scene chewing delight by Jean Claude van Damme, his character Vilain (dead serious) is trying to attain weapon grade plutonium from a conveniently abandoned Soviet mine to sell for money because he is the bad guy.

The film has a large cast and thus some characters are highlighted then get the shaft, Jet Li  for instance is only in the first 20 minutes. MMA fighter turned action star Randy Couture has two or three speaking lines. But the movie does know when to hand the film over for what the audience came to see. When Chuck Norris shows up its all about how mythical his status has become. Jokes are dropped constantly, most are eye rolling and groan inducing, especially anything that mentions these aging heroes previous works. The amount of callbacks are ridiculous and they aren't even funny. Terry Crews telling Schwarzenegger he''ll terminate him, or Bruce Willis fed up with Schwarzenegger saying, "you've been back enough, I'll be back" with a nonsensical "yippie kay yay" retort from Schwarzenegger.  They're all inanely reveling in their past glory but I guess its what people want to see.

Expendables 2 is in no way a great film, the acting is nonexistent, the plot is paper thin, the action is big and loud. The in-jokes are blatant and obnoxious. But damn if it isn't awesome watching Van Damme roundhouse kick Stallone or Chuck Norris single handedly kill 30 soldiers and destroy a tank. Thankfully director Simon West understood what was lacking from the first film and cranks the volume up to 11, this franchise need a boost of bombast and a lighter tone and its all the better for it. With the rumors of a sci-fi sequel with additions like Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Nicholas Cage and John Travolta and even an all female spin-off; It looks like The Expendables are here to stay and that's looking like a more enjoyable prospect.

(3 out of 5)