The Expendables

Sly Stallone finally nails the old school fun!

Lover: Taken from IMDB
“Wow.. this movie was very good. I have been looking forward to this movie for over a year and it did not disappoint me. Yes the story is not the best. But that's OK because you don't need a 'very' good story line as long as the movie is entertaining as hell. The acting could have been better but its still good acting. This movie has action, funny moments,intense moments, insane violence just anything you want in an action movie! Most Critics are giving this film negative reviews on but this movie is mostly for the fans. Bottom line very good action packed action movie that's brings back the memories of the 80's. Stallone, Statham, Li, Couture, Crews, Lundgren, Austin, Willis, Schwarzenegger, Rourke, the gang is here!Very nice work Stallone!”

Couldn’t agree more, this film is just really good fun!

Hater: Taken from IMDB
“Bunch of sweaty blokes try to out-macho each other. The heroine is tortured, then dragged through bullets, raging fires and explosions as the whole set is blown up, yet emerges unscathed with perfect hairdo. Pointless appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Missed all opportunities for some decent jokes, and had to repeat an average one just in case we missed it. Unlikeable one-dimensional characters, predictable plot, no twists and not an ounce of suspense. I found nothing to like about this film, and would have walked out if I had woken up. Expendable plot, expendable dialogue, expendable characters ... I could go on interminably, like the film does.”

This is fairly negative but I would ask, what else were you expecting!?

What I thought:
Sylvester Stallone of late has been trying to make us go back in time with him, whether he’s growing old gracefully or going through a late mid-life crisis who knows? Rocky reminded us of old days and a character we all love but it was never going to compare with the first one, they never did! Rambo was a selfish movie and felt horribly forced. The Expendables however…

He’s finally done it, like Frankenstein's monster the expendables extends its muscular hand though the grave. As Sly Screams “I’ve created a monster!” we all cheer and the reason we cheer? The Expendables is the movie he should have made instead of Rambo, it harks back to the old 80’s action movies that if released now would be welcomed with sniggers of laughter. It’s got non complex characters with very easy to follow morals and ideas of right and wrong (you try and rape woman I cut off head and hand and slice your neck). It’s got great one liners “next time I’ll deflate all your balls”, everyone delivered with a tongue solidly in cheek.

Then there’s the action, a team of hard guys take on impossible odds and come out unscathed, that includes the actors and their careers! It’s just good old fashioned fun and seeing lots of people getting killed hasn’t been this much fun since the action movies of old. There is that “one” scene of course, that does hold gravitas and I don’t care who you are, the sight of Arnie walking through the doors is literally pant wetting. It does feel forced, like friends just having a chat rather than acting. None more so than Arnies as he literally phones this job in. The last joke however is a killer!

What a great year we’re having!