I am all for the return of the action hero. We haven’t really had one since the late eighties and early nineties. The Rock came as close as anyone, but then decided to venture off into more comedic and traditional fare. Films like “Predator”, “Terminator”, “Die Hard”, “Under Siege”, “Rambo” etc., seem to be things of the past. The world of fantasy and superheroes have unfortunately taken over the blockbuster business for the time being.
So along comes “The Expendables”, a reunion of many terrific actions stars from the past, along with a smattering of second-rate stars from the present. I love the concept while bemoaning the fact that it is necessary to resort to such an idea. It feels like an All-Star Game or a Pro Bowl… lots of big names with nothing at stake. It feels more like a celebratory gathering than an actual film.
Stallone leads a team of mercenaries on an ass-kicking mission to… oh yada yada yada. Does it really matter? There are tons of fights and explosive action sequences — all laden with more testosterone than a sack of Rocky Mountain oysters. There is a token girl added to the mix, although she is largely a plot device. Mostly, this movie caters to guys who want to shout “DUDE!” or “WHOA!” or “AWESOME!” at the screen while stuffing their faces with nachos.
I am being dismissive. I have to admit that I actually enjoyed the reunion a little. Stallone is typically good in roles like this one. The set-pieces are spectacular and the story has a nice momentum that precludes any boredom that might set it. I had fun on the most base level imaginable. There is no substance in this movie at all — purely a sensory experience.
The film suffers from the lack of two major stars… Steven Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme. I would much rather have seen them on screen than the pseudo-action stars of today like Jason Statham, Steve Austin and Jet Li. All in all, “The Expendables” feels like an unnecessary trip down memory lane… enjoyable but depressing.
