The Expendables

[Impact]

Review, Discuss and Have Fun!

[Impact]

Really fun and exciting. While its not for everyone, it is a great ride. Some great one liners as well.A-

[mdot1982]

Lobotomy.

[fmpro]

Really loved seeing all these old guys to gether..Great fun 8/10

[BK007]

It bemuses me to listen to the Internet jack off toward this.

It sounded badass, it looked like a half-rate DTV Rambo in its first trailer.

I watched it anyway, and suffice to say I wasn't part of the group shooting at Stallone the first time he grunted.

Either than nostalgic reasons, is there anything that saves this movie? Every human element thrown in to string together a coherent story and thicken the 2D characters looks so jarringly out of place and laughable. Thing is, you don't even need character moments in a brainless, ballbashing action testosterone-fest to be a bloody good movie, but this tried and miserably failed. Of course those pathetic attempts could be overlooked if there actuallywas a brainless, ballbashing action testosterone-fest in there. So colour me surprised that so many race to arms to defend this sorry production lavishing "best action movie" among other exaggerated hasty orgasmic reactions on it. There is not a single moment of ingenuity and creativity in any of its set-pieces and moneyshots and everything plays out like a yearning for the glory days of the stars, and mostly non-stars of this endeavour. When movies like Crank, Shoot 'Em Up and Taken are all able to rise out of ho-hum storylines and provide fantastic adrenaline entertainment, there's no reason why this steroid sausagefest should not, but then again, the storyline does seem to be on paper a lot worse, like the fifth DTV sequel spin-off of Die Hard or a follow-up to the gem that was the Losers. But I digress, and as a parting shot, offer up another couple movies-A-Team and Takers-that at least managed one epic scene, which would still be one more than this trainwreck.

[IndustriousAngel]

For us (meaning age 40+) this was a delightful and nostalgic film. I don't need to watch it a second time but we'll check out the sequel. While I usually like a good story, sometimes two hours of mindless action are fun too and that's what this was. Still, I liked "R.E.D." a lot more.

[Captain Craig]

BI really, really like the film but it falls a bit flat with some explanations. Especially Gunner at the end.Can't wait for the sequel next year!!

[baumer]

One of the best films of 2010. Certainly the most fun.9/10

[rockNrollaDIM]

I tried to go into this with an open mind and consider that it's a nostalgia film, throwback to Rambo-style actioners of the '80s, and can't be taken too seriously. But I just couldn't. I thought it was loud, dumb, and cartoonishly violent. Of course I understand these are exactly the qualities that were trying to be conveyed, so I suppose they did succeed in that regard and it must have been a fucking blast for the 35+ crowd who grew up on this stuff, but for me- I prefer the Bourne, Mission: Impossible, etc style of 2000s action (and while we're at it, even '90s action like The Fugitive, No Way Out, Long Kiss Goodnight).I guess I respect them for trying to have some sort of plot and character development but then the fact that the primary struggle of the film was 65 year old Sly Stallone's mission to save his 20 year old supermodel love interest was a complete eye-roller for me. Some of the stuff with Jet Li was funny and I like Jason Statham but despite all the action and explosions, I still fell asleep with 10 minutes to go. So yeah, not my thing.4.0 (D)

Edited July 23, 2012 by The aDIM Legacy

[Kvikk Lunsj]

4/10too mainly for me. It bunch old guys trying to be cool again.

[Phil in the Blank]

The essential problem with this film is that it takes itself way too seriously.If the movie had a tone closer to that of, say, Machete, it really could had been a great film. As it is there is enough there with the return of these 80's stars to be worth watching for the nostalgic action junky but I can't recommend it to anyone else

[baumer]

4/10too mainly for me. It bunch old guys trying to be cool again.

This reminds me of Rocky II when Balboa was doing the cologne or deodarant commercial, and he couldn't read. The line was supposed to be something like, "when you use Blah blah cologne, you will smell manly"......but he couldn't read it right so he kept saying "mainly". Kind of like your typo there.

[baumer]

The essential problem with this film is that it takes itself way too seriously.If the movie had a tone closer to that of, say, Machete, it really could had been a great film. As it is there is enough there with the return of these 80's stars to be worth watching for the nostalgic action junky but I can't recommend it to anyone else

Too seriously? That's a first.

[Rudolf]

some decades ago that would have been unthinkable: we now have 70 year old Popstars (Paul McCartney) and 65 year old Actionstars (Arnold Schwarzenegger) ; 68 year old Tina Turner went on tour

Edited August 1, 2012 by Rudolf

[Ozymandias]

It was an enjoyable film for what it was. I wasn't expecting any kind of story going into this, just mindless action that not even Michael Bay can seem to get right. I do though hope Expendables 2 is more like Die Hard and Commando though, where there is a coherent story. Also, Simon West has made some awesome and memorable films like Con Air and The General's Daughter.9/10

Edited July 31, 2012 by Shpongle

[Phil in the Blank]

Too seriously? That's a first.

Yes, to put it in 80's terms, the tone needed to be closer to Commando.

[baumer]

Well, I disagree. Commando is a classic but Expendables was close to an 80's action film and I think it nailed it quite well.

[Punishment]

Finally got around to watching this movie and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the story was very well done and the action/fight scenes were outstanding.Expendables 2 does not hold a candle to this one IMHO

[Olive]

6.5/10

[cookie]

Take away the unnecessary subplots that ultimately add up to nothing, terrible shaky-cam/editing and the fakest CGI this side of a syfy movie and it's an enjoyable throwback. Though even then I think the script could've used more memorable one-liners.

Edited November 12, 2012 by C00k13