Film Review: The Expendables 2 (15)

The Expendables 2 Review by Jack Flahavan

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

The Expendables 2

Back from the wreckage once more come 'The Expendables', a band of old-timers who just don’t know when they’ve had their day. Sylvester Stallone and co. have cut down the dead weight of their mid-life Hollywood fantasies, rejuvenating their fighting physiques for another hour and a half of action-packed carnage. Added to the bill are Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Bruce Willis, injecting more testosterone into the muscle-bound egotism on display in the previous film.

Same old, same old

From the off, 'The Expendables 2' supplies the audience with all of their pre-conceived expectations with a hail of bullets, a barrage of fists, and an apocalyptic amount of explosions. For all action enthusiasts, this is pure pleasure on the most elaborate scale. The narrative is typically generic and easy to follow, covering the fundamental action-movie themes of terrorism, personal rivalry, and the battle to preserve planet earth from impending destruction. The main feature is, as always, combat; and Stallone and his crew of hyper-strength heroes perform this with more flair than anyone in the film industry. Though the conventions may be clichéd and worn-out, the entertainment value is enough to appease perhaps even the most cynical of critics, who, if they decide to look beyond characterisation and acting capabilities, will begrudgingly enjoy what they see.

Tongue-in-cheek

Aside from the flexing of muscles, the film has genuine moments of comic hilarity that comes from the self-parody in the script. Where egos are stroked from time to time, there are always cutting lines that deflate the arrogance, making fun of the ridiculous nature of the action-movie genre, and the legacies carved into it. Arnold Schwarzenegger, arguably the greatest action-hero of all time, is certainly the butt of the joke on most occasions, along with his compatriot Stallone. The legends that were made in their younger days are now more humbly recognized as artefacts of cinematic antiquity, and the cast are never above having a laugh at themselves, making the film a great deal more enjoyable than the prequel. After all, how could one not laugh at the sight of a bunch of older men, some pushing seventy, parading machine guns and rampaging through perilous surroundings? The game they play is clearly one best suited for younger men, making the preposterous situations they find themselves in utterly farfetched, but nonetheless very pleasurable to watch.

In conclusion, it’s a concrete cold fact that the 'The Expendables 2' certainly won’t be winning any awards, but I can wholeheartedly say that I found it to be one of the better films I have seen this year. Go and see it! You’ll get your money’s worth (I believe!).