I can understand why this film receives mixed reviews. And I can also understand why this film is doing quite well, commercially speaking. Audiences love to feel good. We love to see our heroes beating up the bad guys, many bad guys. And we hate to see our heroes getting hurt or get killed. “The Expendables” delivers just that, with a big team of stars. I was not expecting anything intelligent from the plot and hence, this film works for me. Some dialogs can be entertaining too. The clip with the uncredited Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis is probably one of my favorites (though some may cringe). There is not much acting to highlight per se. But I enjoy watching one particular scene as Mickey Rourke recounts the past. That is a convincing piece of acting.
I am a big fan of Stallone and his career thus far has inspired me to rise up to the challenge against all odds (that Rocky theme song still plays inside my head when that happens). Directed and co-written by Stallone, “The Expendables” is full of loud action. Some action scenes are so incredible that can only be seen in a shoot-them-all type of video game. The story is pretty simple. A CIA officer has hired the mercenary group called The Expendables to kill off a dictator in a fictitious island backed by an ex-CIA agent. And in the mist of this, the general’s daughter whom seems to disagree with her father’s dictatorship is involved. Hardly an epic storyline, I must agree. But it is good to see the actors having fun with the scenes like good old friends.
We watched this film at Cathay Cineleisure and the sound effect was loud, really loud: The gunfire and the explosion and let’s not forget that super loud machine gun that is capable to blow bodies and military structures into pieces with a single shot or two. Fortunately, not everyone in The Expendables equips that I-win weapon. I like the knife fight better. More stylish to watch.
And yes, there is some blood and gore. But worries not. I have seen worse on screen, much worse. It was the loud sound effect that seemed to bug me, for just a bit.