Marval Movie

Howard Hawks was once asked what makes a movie good, not great just good. He said "Three good scenes, no bad ones". Well The Expendables has exactly three good scenes, the rest are suck.

The first good scene comes at the start when we are introduced to our protagonists rescue boat crew that has been taken hostage. The men come in with their big guns and ego's while making a bet which is faster, knives or guns. At this point the movie seems to be enjoyable with its tongue firmly (and comfortably) implanted in its cheek. 

The next good scene comes when Stallone meets with Bruce Willis about a mission and then they are joined by Arnold Schwarzenegger and we get three action movie legends of the eighties and nineties in one room, all working off each-other. They don't even need to fire a gun just then standing around lightly conversing is a highpoint.

Micky Rourke plays the groups den mother essentially. He is the only one that comes close to a character and delivers a performance that seems like it should have been saved for a better movie. But still I appreciate effort, even if it's being wasted. As for the other performances Stallone is probably the best, that's surprising being that he was the writer and had to focus on directing, or maybe he didn't bother with directing his cast and thought that they would either be able to direct themselves or their star power would blind audiences from their obvious lack of motivation. It didn't.

The duduk kasus is that these are the actors and nothing more, Stallone forgot to add in the characters. Never do I refer to them in my mind or in conversation as their characters names, they are Stallone, Statham, Lungaren etc.

To say there is a plot would be wrong there is more of an excuse to add explosions in the movie. Bad guys doing bad things and its up to our guys in tight fitting tops and big guns to stab, punch, kicks shoot and virtually wipe out the opposition from the face of the earth.

The sound design seems cheep and unfinished the music is off balance with the gunfire and explosions and even then the sounds come off unclear.

The last good scene comes at the end of the movie where it seems to realize where its focus and direction should have gone. But at this point it's too late, the movie has already wasted your time and your patience has fizzled out eight explosions ago.

You will come to The Expendables for the cast, no shame in that, a cast this big and luring would grab just about anybody. But once your there, you'll wonder how you were coxed so easily. Just to see all these actors together on the screen is worth it in a small way but turn off your brain, walk away and don't look back.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4