The Expendables 2 Review

The Expendables is one of our most favourite movies. It stars all the great actors from the 80’s and has some serious action in it. We have been following The Expendables 2 ever since it  was announced 2 years back – to see all these great stars back in action supported by cameo’s from veterans from the 80’s is a high few other movies can match. Last Saturday, we watched the Expendables 2. Suffice to say I had a smile on my face throughout the movie and bothered the hell out of my neighbouring seats by clapping and passing cheesy comments throughout. Please to note, while the movie is fresh in my mind, my brother and I have decided to quit are jobs and create a crack team of marines in the near future.

Enough about the experience.. on to the review – The Expendables 2 unites some of the biggest and baddest actors of Hollywood, who come together to form a crack team, whose job is to shoot people and while they are not doing that, they generally chill, drink and pass their time. In a pre-credit sequence, Stallone, Statham, Lundgren, Schwarzenegger and their fellow mercenaries rescue a kidnapped Chinese billionaire; while doing this I do believe they cut Nepal’s population by half. Let me quickly summarize the plot, hopefully without spoilers. In the rest of the movie, they’re blackmailed by top government agent Bruce Willis to drop into a dangerous area of the Balkans and take on a ruthless branch of the Russian mafia creating havoc in the area. The plot thickens when the Russians are about to sell off a recently discovered stash of Soviet plutonium to the highest bidder. Surprisingly, they are led by the Blood Sport legend, Jean-Claude Van Damme. What follows is a plod through familiar action-movie locations (an abandoned mine, an abandoned village, an abandoned army base).

The film moves at a rather fast pace, it almost looks forced. I don’t blame the director, a cinema screen is the one place that can hold all of these oversized personalities and physical specimens. But he should have given a little more time for the plot to develop. That being said, the action sequences more than compensate for the plot. What I really enjoyed is the comedy in the movie – it is unintentional and makes for some exceptionally funny moments; of course, the current gen will probably not get half of the jokes in the movie, but who cares. Bruce Willis driving a smart car, Stallone’s Barry Bonds sized forearms and head, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s hair, Van Damme kicking a knife into someone’s chest, Stallone running and how (I haven’t seen him run that hard since he raced Apollo Creed), I don’t think kids today will be able to connect all these dots. The cameos are where the movie shines – Van Dame, Chuck Norris…about Djokovic (the tennis star) watch the movie and find out. The scene where Arnie, Willis and Sly share the frame is crazy, left me clapping for a good few minutes.

So overall experience while watching the movie? This is a tough one, some will absolutely love this movie, others will hate it. If you play FPS video games, even 3^rd person shooters, you will very easily be able to relate to the movie – it is non-stop 102 minutes of absolute mayhem! I thought it was very similar to Gears Of War on the 360 minus all the futuristic stuff and action. In my opinion and Stallone put it best, “We’re the ancient Avengers,” he says of his co-stars in The Expendables 2.

Captain America, Thor and Iron Man rule now. But in the 1980s, Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis and Jean-Claude Van Damme were box-office superheroes. This movie just reiterates the same – they still rule. Watch this one for some crazy, over-the-top action and you will not be disappointed.

Here are some awesome clips from the movie

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From The Expendables to The Expendables 2

My all time favourite drunk movies to watch are Expendables & 300 – the crazy action, brilliant star cast & performances, add to that the mad adrenaline, it just does not get better! With Expendables 2 releasing this weekend, this post is a tribute to the greatness that was Expendables. The movie released in 2010, announced itself with a bang considering the star cast which included Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Terry Crew, Randy Couture, Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Jet Li & Dolph Lundgren. Never before in recent memory had a star cast like this been assembled. Add to that the greatness of the movie, scenes which remain in your memory forever!!!

The scene where Sly, Bruce & Arnie come together in the church, Mickey Rourke tattooing Sylvester Stallone, the opening sequence wherein the hostages are rescued in style by the team. Eric Roberts, Steve Austin & the Noguira brothers playing the bad guys to the tee. The scene where Stallone & Statham fly the plane over the dock & burn it to crisp are etched in memory. Also the cars & bikes used in the movie are pretty damn spectacular – Jason Statham rides a Ducati Desmosedici, Stallone drives a 1955 Ford F-100 & Mickey Rourke rides a custom chopper courtesy Bourget Bikes. Also for the movie promotion, Stallone was quoted at Bike Week in New Orleans saying “I personally chose all of the bikes “; Stallone spent time talking with Brigitte Bourget and her builders at G.Smith Motorsports-Bourget Bike Works. The lot showcasing dozens of custom bikes priced upward to $90,000 was a featured attraction during the first Bike Week New Orleans, May 6 to 10. Stallone left with a deal to use several Bourget bikes in the movie.

Memory refresher time! The plot of the first Expendables movie revolves around an “expendable” team, hired to do jobs that no one else can or will, who are sent to infiltrate a South American country to overthrow the ruthless dictator and liberate the country…the dictator being Eric Roberts. Also the plot has some interesting character interactions and storylines stitched in like Jet Li & Dolph Lundgrens issues, Jason Stathom & his story with his love interest, etc. making this movie a full on entertainer.

For the sequel, more or less the whole team returns with additions – some greatness i.e. Chuck Norrris & Jean Claude Van Damme. Rumor has it that Steven Segal was also going to be a part of this flick though his issues with Van Damme were the reason for his non participation. Also the cast includes Liam Hemsworth, Chris Hemsworth aka Thor’s younger brother. Arnie & Bruce also have a substantial piece to play in the movie and are not just there for cameos like part 1. A quick preview to the plot for the sequel is as below. The Expendables are reunited when Mr. Church enlists them to take on a seemingly simple job. When things go wrong, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Catch our review of the movie early next week and also take a minute to view the video of some kick ass action from the movie Expendables 2.

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