THE EXPENDABLES (2010) - Movie Review

Director: Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Writer: Dave Callaham, Sylvester Stallone
Runtime: 103 min
Rated: R for strong action and bloody violence throughout, and for some language
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray + DVD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

Mercenary leader Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and his loyal men take on what they think is a routine assignment: a covert operation to invade the South American country of Vilena and overthrow its dictator. But, when they learn that the job will be a suicide mission, they must choose redemption or the destruction of their brotherhood.

Review:

Sometimes the best ideas are also the simplest. That's the core principle behind Sylvester Stallone's "The Expendables". Gather an ensemble of ageing 1980s and 1990s action stars, and have them kick some ass. No big story is required, just a simple scenario involving a third world country as the setting, and a villainous team made up of a ruthless dictator and a shadowy ex-CIA mastermind for our heroes to go against.

Some might say the story is too barebones and underdeveloped, and it's certainly true, but I've learned to appreciate a movie that doesn't waste my time with overwritten hodge-podge and overly convoluted plot beats. Stallone knows this isn't Shakespeare or "Citizen Kane", and leans hard into the B-movie schlock. It's a retro throwback to a time when movies like this were produced en masse.

Still, it can't be said that it doesn't have decent production values. After all, it cost around $80 million to make. The movie features great stunts, a ton of big explosions, and all the mayhem and destruction that you can fit into a 90-minute movie. What really doesn't work is the dialogue, which is clunky as hell. Not one decent one-liner can be heard in this movie, and that's a letdown, especially considering the cast involved.

Well, I believe I've established that this isn't high art, and it doesn't want to be high art. It's a movie that knows exactly what it is and who it's for, and doesn't miss its target. Even so, it could have been much better, and that keeps it from getting a higher score. Regardless, it's still very entertaining and rip-roaring fun for action enthusiasts.

SCORE: 7/10