The Expendables 2 reviews

Theres a good reason for calling this series: The Expendables. Apart from the fact that these mercenaries are considered expendable and hence assig... read more

Theres a good reason for calling this series: The Expendables. Apart from the fact that these mercenaries are considered expendable and hence assigned missions that the official authorities wont take up, it must also be understood that these movies are highly insignificant and we really dont need them. When this series does die out, I wont miss it either. There are better ways to pay homage to the action films of the 80s. It doesnt help that I am not a fan of Sylvester Stallone at all, not just when he acts but especially when he writes or directs. I cringe even more whenever my eyes witness the botox on his face.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis (Im a fan of both) hang around the periphery of the film when they deserve to take center stage. Their dialogue exchanges, however cheesy, dont sound stupid like anything Stallone says in the film. My favorite one comes near the end when Willis shows Stallone his new aircraft and he says *That plane belongs in a museum* and Schwarzenegger declares *We all do*

There is a scene where a character intelligently called Gunner takes a tissue which has Einsteins theory of relativity on it and then blows his nose with it. Obviously, this movie is just plain dumb and I think it even knows it. Now I love guy movies. To be honest, I love chick flicks too. But what I dont love are dumb guy movies and dumb chick flicks. The Expendables was to the guy movie that some Twilight movies are to chick flicks. The worst scenes are the ones where the boys sit down and have a conversation. What follows could hamper your grey matter development as it did for me. But this film isnt about the talking. It is about the action. Sadly, the action too is run of the mill. It isnt as doggone stupid as the first film but it isnt an improvement either. Whenever I started to think this could be a better movie there is always an inane dialogue that drops. For example, Jason Statham is dressed up as a priest in one scene and he says something like this: By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you- man and knife. (Yes, that happened)

There is also a Chuck Norris joke incorporated into the film. I wonder why the filmmakers would put The Good, The Bad and the Ugly theme while Chuck Norris walks into the frame. Got our homages confused, have we? Id rather see Clint Eastwood do it but then again, hes Chuck Norris. He could walk into any movie with any background score and own it.

Jet Li is wasted and Jean Claude Van Damme is adequate as the villain. The Expendables 2 is strictly for fans of the 80s action films who dont ask for too much in their weekend movie entertainment. It has its share of action and one-liners that could please any fan just because it is there, not because how well it is executed or delivered. My dream action ensemble film would star Harrison Ford, Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Liam Neeson and Kurt Russell. The ghosts of John Wayne, Steve McQueen, Bruce Lee and Toshiro Mifune could also appear unleashing some Deus ex machina. Alas, Ill have to suffer another Expendables movie soon.view less

They are back. But they are not horribly bad this time, but bad nonetheless. The Expendables 2 at best, is slightly better than it's predecessor wh... read more

They are back. But they are not horribly bad this time, but bad nonetheless.

The Expendables 2 at best, is slightly better than it's predecessor which had suffocating space for rationality and gloriously failed in the humor department. Not that these are any parameters for the target audience of the film, but I hate to be the guy who walks in a theater convinced not to expect any traces of cleverness in the plot, performances or the lines.

The sequel, obviously churned out for commercial gains, rather than to aesthetically carry forward the Expendables legacy (Did I just say that?) is infused with such terribly lousy lines; I recommend you carry your music player and plug in to your rock playlist to make the most out of this high-octane actioner.

The gang, helmed by Stallone and Statham have been assigned another operation by the haggard-looking Wills that involves cracking a secure-code from a crashed aircraft somewhere in Albania. Armed with two new recruits, Liam Hemsworth and Nan Yu (an inclusion simply to break-free of the sexist trap), the team sets out only to be ambushed by the menacing Van Damme, who gets hold of the data and proceeds to finish the operation.

Stallone, with a deadpan expression and a tired body, has just one thing to say, "Track 'em, Kill 'em".

So it's a wafer-thin plot which is a shadowy excuse to infuse the picture with all the man-bashing, man-exploding, man-cutting and man-melting. The Expendables predictably get hold of the bad guys, and in the process massacre people that may equate to the entire population of Sudan.

Although the blood-shedding is genuinely inventive and more accessible than the unwatchable gore of the first part, it is the lines and the people mouthing them that make this one a confused watch. If one can ignore that aspect completely, of long gone action heroes revitalizing their fading careers, and unsuccessfully so as far as their enactments are concerned, you will safely devour the brilliantly crafted set pieces.

But the screenwriters are such genius studs, they insert their embarrassing one-liners with a lot of conviction and do so at the most awkward instances, depreciating the overall quality of the film to a new low.

Sample this,

"If you don bring my big weapon back, your ass is terminated."

Other devices to evoke humor includes personal references to the ensemble cast; unsurprisingly the funniest of them include the ones directed at Arnold Schwarzenegger and Stallone himself. The self-depreciating humour works, but only to a level and after that it is evident as a fairly unimaginative way, not to mention totally witless method of writing dialogue.

Nobody expects them to write Aaron Sorkin lines, but then nobody expects them to come across dumb and stupid machine-gun mercenaries either.

But in comparison, Expendables 2 is more human than its insanely heartless predecessor, watchable both because of staisfying action interwined in a not very inventive but at least a coherent plot.

Let's hope that the entire cast is not nominated for the Razzies, in which case Stallone needs to write a speech.

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The Expendables 2 ReviewThe wait is over! The biggest action film of the year is out and is dominating the box-offices all over the world. Simon We... read more

The Expendables 2 Review
The wait is over! The biggest action film of the year is out and is dominating the box-offices all over the world. Simon West (known for helming the Nicolas Cage blockbuster, Con Air.), takes over the director chair from Sylvester Stallone for The Expendables 2. The film boasts a larger cast of action heroes than the previous instalment, with newcomers Jean-Claude Van Damme, Nan Yu, Chuck Norris & Liam Hemsworth joining the series veterans Sylvester Stallone, Jet-Li, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren and Jason Statham with Bruce Willis & Arnold The Governator Schwarzenegger given larger roles.
The Expendables receive a job from Mr. Church (Bruce Willis), to retrieve a MacGuffin from somewhere in Eastern Europe. Obviously, the things dont go as planned and when one of their men is murdered by the villainous Jean Vilain (Van Damme), The Expendables vow to take revenge. What follows is an action packed, testosterone fuelled ride that make most of the 90 minutes plus film a worthwhile watch. The film doesnt have much to offer in terms of story or character development but makes up with the brilliantly choreographed action sequences and the wry humour from the manly cast. Sylvester Stallone does a fine job in portraying the only character the film largely focuses on, Barney Ross, the leader of the Expendables. Jason Statham as Lee Christmas is also fun to watch. The film is never short of bullets firing, bloodshed and people being killed.
But, its the inclusion of Chuck Norris as Booker in the film which gives it a comical yet action-packed tone. His entry in the film is at a very crucial point, when the Expendables need help badly, he single handedly defeats an army of bad-guys and even kills a tank! The dialogues exchanged between Norris & Stallone are some of the films funniest lines. The larger roles for Arnie & Willis means that they get to show their action skills and speak some funny one-liners in their scenes. The scene always bring a smile to any action genre fan when Arnie yells John McLanes, yippee kay yay or when Willis tells Arnies character that, youve been back a million times, now its my turn! The climax, set in an airport terminal along with the hand to hand combat between Stallone & Van Damme is simply a blasting experience.
The film pays homage to the action heroes and films of the 80s and 90s, and mostly derives its humour from the roles that the actors have previously played. Simon west has directed a sure-shot blockbuster what may be the last big hit of this summer after the debacle of Total Recall & the Bourne Leagcy. If you want over 90 minutes of testosterone fuelled, gut wrenching, spine shattering, decapitating, round house kicking action film, then The Expendables 2 is the right choice for you!!!
Verdict-3.5/5
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good

nice movie

nice movie

nice movie

nice movie

nice movie