The Expendables: Review By Superman81

As an 80's era baby, I grew up with action mega stars such as Arnold,Stallone, and Willis. So I was very happy to hear that Stallone was putting together a movie for the fans of the 80's and 90's action era. I only wish Sly had done so maybe around 2000 or 2001 when Arnold and Sly and Willis were a little younger and still somewhat in their prime. Arnold would go on to get into pretty good shape for T3 and showed he still had it even though T3 wasn't every Terminator fans favorite. Arnold also was not the Gov. of California and with full reign to act he and Willis could have added much more depth to The Expendables. Sly did his best to get other stars of the 80's and 90's, such as Wesley Snipes, JCVD, and Steven Segal. All of which turned him down. Really guys?? Really?? You have so much going for you now days that you cant take 5 mins to make a cameo appearance to please the fans that paid for your good movies and your bad ones?! Which in the previously 3 mentioned names is pretty much every movie since 2000. Snipes hasn't had a good movie since Blade. JCVD is the straight to DVD king and Segal had a not too bad theater release back in 2001 with Exit Wounds but has been on a milk carton ever since.

The movie however does deliver on the action we have come to love from Stallone. Adding more recent action film stars such as Jet Li and Jason Statham were very good choices. Even though Dolph Lundgren has seen better days, he was a team player and showed up when Sly offered him a role. I like Terry Crews a lot and when I heard Snipes turned down that role, I was glad Crews got it. (thank god 50 cent didn't get it) WWE 90's superstar Steve Austin has not done so bad transitioning into films and I think his character was well played. Austin I think has the potential to be a decent action star, given the right role. I was not to big on Eric Roberts being the villain, and in fact every time I saw his acting in the movie it seemed like he was playing Sal Maroni in TDK all over again. I think his role would have been better suited for James Caan or even Dennis Hopper had the film been done a few years ago before Hopper got sick.

The church scene in which Stallone, Willis, and Arnold are all talking was something fans had hoped to see for a long time and might not ever see again. All three top action stars in one movie, in one scene, at the same time. It was the best scene for me and being a life long Arnold fan I was very stoked to see him on the big screen again.

The movie overall I gave a 3.5 due to the lack of originality in the plot. How many times have we seen the dictator storyline? Quite a common theme in action movies. But hey who really thought this movie was gonna have a great storyline?! Hell it wasn't even a good storyline! It was a base storyline with a sh*t load of action and explosions as filler!! That is what I expected, so I didn't leave disappointed.

The acting was good not great. I actually found Mickey Rourke to be the better acting of the film. I did not feel that the actors tried to over act and just went with the flow. They knew it was a movie for action fans and was not trying to win any Oscars.

The movie had tons over the top explosions (full auto shotgun blowing up concrete bunkers) and lots and lots of bodies piling up. The airplane escape scene with Stallone and Statham is a must see. If you like heads and limbs being chopped off then The Expendables is for you!!! So we got car chases with gun fire, severed limbs, gore and blood, huge explosions, and a thrown in romantic angle! Sounds like an action movie to me!

Whether you grew up in the 80's or 90's, are fans of Stallone,Willis, or Arnold, or not fans at all, there is something in this movie for every action fan to enjoy. I think Stallone did this movie for the fans regardless if they are fans of his. He sticks a middle finger up to the critics cause he didn't do this for them, but for me and you and the rest of the movie loving world.