The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discussion

[Sagart]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Just out from a preview screening.

If Sly set out to recreate the 80's action movie, he succeeded, insofar as it's dumb as hell, the story's crap, the characterisations are wafer thin, the dialogue is groan-inducing...and it's great fun!!

First off, it's gonna be a gullty pleasure movie, up there with Commando and Rocky 4. There is little or nothing of artistic merit in this movie but on a Friday night at the movies I don't want artistic merit. I want crazy stunts (love the sea-plane 'dive & shoot'!!), huge explosions, ridiculous weaponry (hello Terry Crews!!), a hottie or two (Damn, Charisma Carpenter just gets better with age), bone-crunching fights and Sly Stallone.

I got all of these in abundance!!!

One sad note though; Arnie looks OLD!!! He really looks a shadow of his former self. I know time waits for no man but, damn!! Funny, 'that' scene creaks a bit under the weight of expectation. it's cool for about 5 seconds, then you just end up wishing they'd done this 15 years ago. Still for what is and for what we get, it's simply dumb fun and I, for one, am quite happy with that.

I must admit, my enjoyment of this was increased by the fact that I was in London on Monday and met Sly, Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren in Leicester Square at the movie's UK premiere. Jason signed a photo from 'The Transporter', Dolph signed a pair of Ivan Drago boxing shorts and Sly signed a pair of boxing gloves for me and shook my hand. The bruising has just gone down!!! Hell of a day!!

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the movie.

 

[DarthPipes]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Just got back from it and I enjoyed it. The theater was packed, to the point people were moving down the aisle to make room.

The Good...

-The film is fun and definitely a throwback to the 80s action films. The humor's good too.

-Terrific action. Stallone and Steve Austin have a great fight scene in the movie.

-Enjoyable cast. It's nice to see Stallone back in mainstream movies. Stathem (who is definitely the number two star of this film) put in a good performance. Mickey Rourke does some good work too and was a lot better here than in The Expendables. Arnold and Willis are there just for the sake of it but their scene with Stallone works. Hey, Dolph Lundgren alone guaranteed me seeing it!

The Bad...

-It takes forever for the main mission to get going. I thought this really dragged down the film and made it a little plodding at times.

-So the villain is a rogue CIA agent. Wow...I've only seen that plot twice this year two other times (The Losers and The A-Team). Can't we just go back to foreigners being the bad guys?

I hope this does well because this could be a good franchise and a way to bring old action stars back into the mainstream.

BTW...I can't believe Van Damme actually turned down a role in this film. I guess he's enjoying the straight-to-DVD hell he's been living in for over a decade. I read that Stallone wanted Kurt Russell for Bruce Willis's role but Russell turned it down because he wasn't doing ensemble work at this time. Just what the hell work is he actually doing? I think the only thing today's generation knows him as is Kate Hudson's step-father.

 

[DarthPipes]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Looks like The Expendables grossed over $13.3 million on Friday. Looks like Stallone is going to have a big hit on his hands.

 

[joVuNik]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

If Sly set out to recreate the 80's action movie, he succeeded, insofar as it's dumb as hell, the story's crap, the characterisations are wafer thin, the dialogue is groan-inducing...and it's great fun!!

Agreed. I saw it last night and it was a fun ride but the movie overall was pretty average.

Sly will make a lot of money, but this movie will be ripped to shreds in the reviews. It has zero rewatchabilty (for me at least) which is important to separate an ok movie from a good movie (were not even talking great or let alone excellent lol).

I gather it will do well enough that they will greenlight a sequel.

-

 

[JarodRussell]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

If Sly set out to recreate the 80's action movie, he succeeded, insofar as it's dumb as hell, the story's crap, the characterisations are wafer thin, the dialogue is groan-inducing...and it's great fun!!

Hm... the 80s action movies I know are way more intelligent, with better stories and deeper characterizations than today's action movies. So...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Love the line about Arnold's character: "He wants to be President."

(Does Arnold really want that, BTW?)

On the other hand, there's something I do not understand: Somebody want to explain to me why, at the end, all the expendables managed to forgive Gunnar (Dolph's character) for turning traitor and trying to kill them all? Gunnar betrayed the team once, he could do it again. Why do they still trust him?

 

[Dac]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

I agree with everything DarthPipes said. Its fun, but little bits and bobs hold it back from being great. Namely Mickey Rourke giving an incomprehensible 5 minute one shot extreme close up monologue. I mean, seriously, what the hell was he going on about?! All I could make out was "'n shit."

Having said that, the final action piece was fun, and Sly despite being 64 still manages to pull off being an action hero. I can't believe im saying this, but they could make 2 more expendables movies, and another rambo and I still think Stallone could pull it off.

 

[royalfan5]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

I wish Dolph would have been given more to do, or at least get the chance to say "if he dies, he dies". Also, I had a hard time not thinking of Detective Batista everytime they had David Zayas on screen. Also, could we get an Eric Roberts/Jason Patric buddy villain movie?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

I had a hard time not thinking of Detective Batista everytime they had David Zayas on screen.

I remember him from the many, many, many times he's been on Law & Order (he's one of their most prolific 'repeat offenders' - actors who've done more than one role).

 

[Admiral_Young]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

The film is projected to win the box office this weekend with an estimated 35 million, seems rather conservative to me but enough to get the job done. Feel bad for "Scott Pilgrim" which is projected to finish fifth this weekend and out of the top three despite clearly being the more favorable film reviews wise.

 

[Admiral2]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Above Average!

That said, I hereby declare the Stallone/Willis/Ah-nold scene THE GREATEST SCENE IN MOVIE HISTORY!

 

[DarthPipes]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

I agree with everything DarthPipes said. Its fun, but little bits and bobs hold it back from being great. Namely Mickey Rourke giving an incomprehensible 5 minute one shot extreme close up monologue. I mean, seriously, what the hell was he going on about?! All I could make out was "'n shit."

Having said that, the final action piece was fun, and Sly despite being 64 still manages to pull off being an action hero. I can't believe im saying this, but they could make 2 more expendables movies, and another rambo and I still think Stallone could pull it off.

Rourke's speech was incomprehensible but he sold it like a champ.

The "He wants to be president" line seemed to draw the biggest laughs in the crowd. The crowd was into the movie, laughing several times and it was a packed house.

Sly is awesome but I think Jason Stathem was the standout. It's Sly's movie and his movie.

 

[Captain Craig]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

EXCELLENT...for the genre it inhabits

This was a fun film. It does have a few issues but its just to much above an 'above average' that I had to go excellent.

I'll see this one again.

We know Arnold has a team, check
Mr.Church(Willis) mentioned his 'boys' aka his team, check

Ok so we still have plenty of 80/90's action stars to round out these teams.

Any combination of the following to fill the rosters and/or be placements like Austin on the wrong side.

Chuck Norris, JCVD, Steven Segal, Kurt Russell, Mel Gibson, Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes and Will Smith.
Just for good measure in the third film we find out that Mr.Church's boss is Clint Eastwood.
Hey as long as we are dream casting may as well go large!!

On the other hand, there's something I do not understand: Somebody want to explain to me why, at the end, all the expendables managed to forgive Gunnar (Dolph's character) for turning traitor and trying to kill them all? Gunnar betrayed the team once, he could do it again. Why do they still trust him?

I feel like an edit should be here, even if its not. I got a stinking suspicion that when he met Stallone at the truck and peered over his shoulder about the op and shouted a few "You can trust me's" back at him that some 'unspoken' had just occurred.

Its fun, but little bits and bobs hold it back from being great. Namely Mickey Rourke giving an incomprehensible 5 minute one shot extreme close up monologue. I mean, seriously, what the hell was he going on about?! All I could make out was "'n shit."

My take on that was it was meant to act as the emotional catalyst to give Stallone's character that last push to go make the situation right and save the girl. Otherwise he'd begin to feel like Rourke's character, soulless and lost.

The film is projected to win the box office this weekend with an estimated 35 million, seems rather conservative to me but enough to get the job done.

For sure good enough, especially considering the budget. Also, this movie really doesn't have the star power for the typical under 21 lot. This movie is really geared to the 30 and up crowd. Hell it might catch on though and show the new crop of teen movie goer what an 'Action Star' is really about.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Yeah, Statham was really cool. Only part I didn't like was that whole subplot with his girlfriend.

 

[DeVario]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

It was cool! It was tight! It was fresh! It was sick! It was awesome!

 

[FordSVT]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Most of those bad reviews in the OP sound like the were written by people who never really liked this genre of movies in the first place. Like this guy.

It's not like the movies these guys made (with some obvious exceptions, such as the first "Rocky") were any great shakes to begin with. Sure, it's fun, after a fashion, to see them all in the same place, kicking and creaking. But that's about all it is.

Goodykoontz? Really?

I intend to see it, looks as much fun as anything else I've seen recently.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Well, let's see:
Badly written, paper thin story, badly edited, crappy dialogue... and completely awesome! I love it when bad guys in a film are real bad guys, not guys that are "misunderstood." I loved this movie!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

"I'm getting a text..."
"Excuse me?"

 

[BenRoethig]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

So I've only seen the TV trailers I'd take Arnold's appearance is a Cameo?

Yes. I think the main reason for the scene was to have Sly, Bruce and the governor. He appears as a competitor as an homage to them competing for blockbuster action flicks.

On a side note, it also seemed like the roles that Jet Li, Crews, and Couture were written for VanDamme, Segal, and Snipes.

 

[BenRoethig]

Re: The Expendables (Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren) Grading & Discus

Yeah, Statham was really cool. Only part I didn't like was that whole subplot with his girlfriend.

If it wasn't Charisma Carpenter, I'd agree.