The Expendables 2 (2012) User Reviews

Exactly what I wanted from the first film - The Avengers of action movies.

[Matt_Layden · 8/10 · 13 August 2012]

While on a mission one of the "Expendables" gets himself killed, this leads the crew to go on a mission of revenge. But is it too much to handle?

I was severely disappointed in the first Expendable film, the mediocre action, the use of CGI blood and the unimpressive villain ruined the experience. So I was hoping that the second time around they would correct these issues. I can safely say, they did and they did it in spades. The big change is Stallone is no longer behind the camera, so he is more focused on his role of Barney and his mind isn't split between two separate places. The biggest change though is the tone, The Expendables 2 does not take itself seriously at all and neither did I, so I had a blast watching what is ultimately a parody of the action genre.

I can look past the acting, lack of story and plot because the film doesn't try to give you one. It's a simple film with a simple purpose. Get as many of these big guys into one film, make it a guys flick with lots of action and killing and they succeeded. The biggest misstep this film has is the motivation behind the revenge. The wrong person dies. A character is killed off that we have almost zero emotional connection with, it would have made more sense if it were another character that disappears early on in the film. It seems this character's sole purpose was to have these characters get their revenge on, which makes it less engaging for the viewer.

I was surprised at how underwhelmed I was by the action in the first film, here it is more stylized and fun. The film steps on the gas from the very beginning and almost never lets up. We are thrown into this action sequence at the start, which is better than anything the original had to offer. A more competent action director is behind the lens this time, Simon West who gave us Con Air and the more recent Mechanic. He understands what is needed and delivers some wild action sequences.

As I mentioned before, the film does not take itself seriously and it has a very tongue and cheek demeanour about it. It's not afraid to wink at the camera, specifically when Chuck Norris enters the screen and steals the show with the funniest line in the entire film. The film is full of one liners you would expect from an action film. During a fight, one characters exclaims, "Let's wrap this up" he then proceeds to take a chain and wrap it around another character's neck to choke him out. Another scene we have a bad guy get shot a dozen times by everyone and Stallone retorts, "Rest in pieces". Finally, my favourite, Stallone says "heads up" then proceeds to throw a head to some people. Yes, this movie is violent, so no fear about the PG-13 rating.

So what about the guys? Well, they all come back, some have a lot more to do than others. Lundgren is basically the comedic relief. Crews and Courture again get short shifted and feel like background characters. Schwarzenegger, Willis and Norris all have more in depth cameos and finally Van Damme shines as the villain. Van Damme really deserved more screen time. We are introduced to him, then we cut back every so often as he tries to steal his plutonium, then we have him fight at the end. He deserved more screen time, so did his right hand man, Scott Adkins. Both are more martial arts type fighters than big gun shooters and since this is a Stallone film, this is a big gun shooting movie. They get their fight sequences, but both of them I thought could have been a bit longer. Especially the Van Damme/Stallone fight.

So in the end, The Expendables did exactly what the first film should have done. It's a hilarious parody of the action genre and has non-stop excitement from start to finish. This is finally the film from these guys that I've been waiting for.

Action Filled Sequel that Delivers

[Floated2 · 8/10 · 11 October 2013]

Now I enjoyed the original Expendables for what it was but I was felt disappointed in the outcome because of the way it was hyped up and I felt a lot of things could have made it better, and that things were missing. Now years later, watching the Expendables 2 and not having as such high expectations I went into the film excited and thrilled for surprises. I also did not read any reviews or check critics ratings upon watching. I found this to be greater than the original for many reasons. The plot was more focused, the characters were more detailed (we got to like them more), and mainly because of the more well directed intense action scenes.

The film is separated into two parts. The first 45 or so minutes showing their plans on where to go. Focusing on Billy (Liam Hemsworth), and roughly the second half of the film is of course where we see his departure. Maggie steps in and takes a major role. I found both parts solid, yet the second half more interesting simply because we see the characters mesh more, and Arnold, Willis, and Chuck Noris get larger roles providing well in dept action and fight scenes.

This is one of those few exceptions where the sequel is better than the original. The Expendables was quite serviceable in my opinion, but it never really lived up to the potential of what could have been with the dream team cast it touted. This time however The Expendables take on a whole new attitude. The violence is more non stop and well delivered by the camera shots, there are more fight scenes, shootouts and the final battle fight between Stallone and Van Damme. However one thing I could have done with out is the several references to past 80's action films (Arnold saying "I'm back!/ Yippie- Ki-yay/Who's next-- Rambo!", etc). Mainly because his delivery was flat. Other than that, the Expendables 2 is a solid action thrilled popcorn film and delivers for its time being. We will see how the Expendables 3 turns out!

A Nutshell Review: The Expendables 2

[DICK STEEL · 8/10 · 16 August 2012]

The mercenaries are back! And if the response from the box office is stellar, I suppose The Expendables can build upon a formula that's established through the two films to date, that somehow follows how James Bond would have done it, with its longevity inspiring similar treatment. There's the opening big bang action sequence, followed by Bruce Willis' shady CIA operative Mr Church coming on to provide Barney (Sylvester Stallone) and his team a challenge they cannot refuse (by way of blackmail). Technology and weapons go down to bare basics with loads of guns, knives and brass knuckles, with room for a female companion somewhere, against a mob boss played by somebody well known.

The Muscles from Brussels Jean-Claude Van Damme had agreed to step into the shoes of the villainous boss called erm, Villain, and shows he still got the moves with his signature roundhouse kicks. His plan is to make billions through mining weapons grade plutonium from a mine mapped out by the CIA, and together with lackey Hector (Scott Adkins), snarl in cocky fashion for the most parts, with Hector doing most of the dirty work of enslaving villagers to do their dirty bio-hazardous work. I guess egos got put aside when both got signed on to play villains amongst hundreds of faceless goons who are plain fodder when the Expendables come knocking, no thanks to a personal vendetta being set up early in the movie, giving Barney just cause for tracking, hunting, then killing.

Don't expect The Expendables sequel to be any brainier than the original of course, since nothing is cerebral here, and anything that exhibits a little bit of ingenuity, or brains, get mocked at. Just look at how Dolph Lundgren's Gunner Jensen got treated throughout as a mad scientist equivalent. It's really all about the bigger the guns, muscles and explosions, with the first scene establishing just how our heroes would plough through their adversaries - with ease like hot knife through butter. There's plenty of CG blood, gore, decapitations of various appendage done in a myriad of styles, they're all dumbed down to somewhat cartoony violence - where no matter what the faceless goons throw at The Expendables, nothing sticks, with vice versa accuracy the other way round. You may balk at scenes involving high caliber weapons literally ripping through a hole in someone's body or blowing up heads to smithereens, but it's the way the heroes become executioners, all without remorse.

Directing duties are given to Simon West, and in all honesty, he ensured a better way to shoot all the action, that is a leg up from how Stallone decided to do it, which was a blurry mash of clashing bodies in extreme closeups. Here we get to see who does what, with some incredible stunts filled with movie logic loopholes, you'd fare better if you leave your inhibitions at the door, and enjoy this action film for what it is. The screenplay by Richard Wenk and Stallone doesn't leave any room for character development, except for the continued buddy bromance between Barney and his right hand man Lee Christmas (Jason Statham). And their crew also got pared down with Jet Li appearing in just the first two scenes, with the team made up most of the time by Barney, Lee, Gunner, Hale (Terry Crews) and Toll (Randy Couture), with Yu Nan replacing Li as the token female and Chinese character who balances brains, guts and brawn.

What this outing now had, is plenty of jokes. It doesn't pretend to be what it's not, and junks seriousness, ever willing to trade in laughs at every opportunity. There are enough corny one liners here, and action set ups, that parody the action careers of Stallone, Willis and Schwarzenegger combined, the trio whom most audiences are really here to watch gracing the same screen together. And let's not forget good old Chuck Norris as Booker, with a tip of the hat going in the direction of the countless of Chuck Norris jokes that get a leg up when told by the legendary man himself, with his Booker having a reputation of being much of a lone wolf, coupled with a knack of appearing when needed, and given the abilities of all his action film roles combined.

The story centers on a vendetta to be settled between The Expendables and Villain, and being a personal one too, with a handful of emotional scenes for Stallone to flex his acting chops a little. In what would be an uncanny coincidence, Stallone himself had to battle personal loss during the promotional tour of this film with the passing of his son. Despite having his crew made up of veterans of action roles past, Stallone continues to show that he has a fun-filled, violent action franchise that's picking up traction, and has enough legs to warrant more films to come, especially when more names like Snipes and Eastwood have been bandied around as potential inclusions. Action fans, this is something that you won't want to miss, especially if you've grown up in the 80s and 90s!

The Expendables are back and stuff gets blown up! What else did you expect?

[Aaron1375 · 9/10 · 22 August 2012]

I went to this film expecting another fun explosive ride and I got what I was expecting. Lots of explosions, plenty of bullets and numerous kills. I have to say I enjoyed this one a bit more than the last one, I am not sure what the critics were complaining about, but then they were harsh to Sylvester and Arnold's films back in the day too, so I guess I should not expect anything different this go around. And speaking of Arnold, it was great to see him back and part of the action this time. Probably one of the reasons I enjoyed this one a bit more than the second film.

The story has our gang going into some type of military type installation to retrieve a hostage right from the get go. Suffice to say, before the title comes across the screen you are exposed to lots of action and violence. Ah Sylvester, you sure know how to do it right. We get introduced to a new member of the team and sad to say we have to say goodbye to one of the older members. Granted he was not killed, but he does exit the film early and does not return. I could not believe he did not come back, and if I have a gripe about the film it is that this character did leave so early. Well Church (Bruce Willis) finds Barney (Stallone) and he wants a favor. He wants Barney to take his team to the site of a crash to retrieve something. Something that Van Damme wants and gets. Barney's group goes after this villain, not because of what was taken, but for revenge! The character's are expanded upon here a bit more. It was great seeing Dolph with the team for the entire film. He is still crazy, but he is a bit more under control and actually provides some very humorous moments. Arnold and Bruce are in this one a lot more than the previous film too. They get to take part in the action this time as their roles are not merely walk ons this time. Chuck Norris also gets to do his thing, just as he did back in the 70's and 80's. Van Damme was also in this one a good deal and he made a very good villain. He was much more memorable than the villains from the previous film, I mean Stone Cold was good at the fighting, but did not leave an impression on me as far as acting. Van Damme on the other hand played the part of a villain very well, this film may open up another avenue for him.

This film was fun for me. I am not suggesting it is a work of art or anything, but I missed the first film in the theaters, so I was not going to miss this one. I wanted to see this troupe of action stars shoot it up on the big screen and I got what I wanted to see. Arnold's return was particularly satisfying for me, as there has been a void in my movie theater life since he became governor. I want to see him on the big screen as he was a favorite of mine as a kid and young adult. I also enjoyed seeing Norris on the big screen for the first time in my life. I thank Stallone for bringing all the big guns to the table and while others may not have cared for this film...for me, it was a blast! So sorry if you do not care for my opinion, but I enjoyed this film.

Welcome back to the '80s

[dvc5159 · 6/10 · 17 August 2012]

It takes a certain mindset to appreciate a movie like "The Expendables 2". One has to be a fan of the action genre of the 1980s and early 1990s, as well as enjoying those action heroes' persona and screen presence whenever they appear on-screen. They did not necessarily have to act well, but they had to be tough, heroic, stoic, larger than life. Realism need not really apply here - it's all about the fun factor. People paid to see these guys blow away the scum of the earth as they only know how.

"The Expendables 2" is the first sequel (and it most certainly would not be the last) to Stallone's 2010 surprise blockbuster which was intended as a glorious throwback to the films of that era. This one is no exception. However, it is a rare sequel which is better than the first. The story may not be important in these types of movies, but in this one the screenplay had a much clearer and stronger narrative than the first film, making it clear that the stakes are raised, thus enabling the story, however shallow, to be more engaging for the audience.

Director Simon West ("Con Air") did wonders with the action sequences as he usually does with his movies. The majority of the action sequences are well shot with wide angles and much better stunt choreography (with CGI touches added here and there, but not as pervasive as the first film's CGI blood; good ol' squibs are used here mostly) which gets annoying with the film's rapid editing at times. Brian Tyler's music score was fairly engaging but didn't really stand out. Overall, the technical aspects of the film really shows off the big budget for the film, and it pays off ultimately.

But what about the characters? If you've seen the director's cut for the first film, that's about as close as you can get for character development. Like the first, this is all-out action, but it has some dramatic moments too. There is a line about coping with death that Barney Ross mutters that feels kind of sad knowing Stallone's own real- life predicament. Van Damme's having a blast as the Villain, and a menacing one at that. The biggest disappointment was that of Jet Li's very minimal screen presence, like a cameo. Hopefully an extended version will fix that problem.

The film's biggest entertainment value comes in the constant one-liners from and between the action icons of the eras, as well as their presence and their dispatching of the bad guys. The banter here is certainly more hilarious and less bland than the first film - there is much more chemistry between the characters. Their screen presence needs no explanation: Sylvester Stallone. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bruce Willis. Jean-Claude Van Damme. Chuck Norris. Dolph Lundgren. Jason Statham. Jet Li. Need I say more? Cult or mainstream, these guys each has hordes of fans - and they have good reason to.

I grew up on these types of movies and ultimately "The Expendables 2" satisfies my craving for good old-fashioned movie bloodlust in wake of the ever-rising wave of PG-13, CGI-laden action films ("Total Recall" remake, anyone? Oh Arnie, where art thou?). That being said, I expect an extended director's cut as I feel that some parts were awkwardly put together, and hopefully these removed scenes will make the film better as a whole. For now, "The Expendables 2" is very good entertainment, as shallow as it is technically well-made and ends the 2012 summer movie season with a big bang.

Now bring on "The Expendables 3" with Steven Seagal and Wesley Snipes (to basically complete the cycle of 80's/'90s action heroes). Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell, Harrison Ford, Nicolas Cage and Clint Eastwood (my #1 action hero) are also most welcome indeed.

Overall rating: 65%

Action movie rating: 75%

The Expendables 2 (2012)

[SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain · 7/10 · 26 August 2012]

The Expendables 2 is the ultimate fan service and gives us even more than we got for the first installment. The Expendables 2 sees Barney Ross and his team having to pay back Mr. Church by going on a simple mission of retrieving an item from a downed plane. All goes well until Jean Claude Damme shows up. Van Damme is an excellent villain. He is clearly having a lot of fun and looks damn cool at the same time. The film just builds up to action set-pieces and cameos that don't always make a lot of sense, but are much appreciated. With so much going on, not everyone gets their due. Li has to leave early on to make some room, and Crews and Couture are sidelined for more A-List stars for the finale. The final action sequence what you paid your money for. Stallone, Willis, Lundgren, Norris, Schwarzenegger and Van Damme all taking part in a single action scene. It's great to finally see it but it does go too much towards comedy as the characters trade their famous catchphrases. The film has delivered on its promise even if there is a distinct lull in the second act where the dialogue is cringe worthy and it tries too hard to develop characters we don't really care about. I am now very excited for Stallone and Schwarzenegger's next projects and The Expendables 3.

Bring it on, BABY! Bring on the firepower and the mayhem. Keep it coming!

[GOWBTW · 9/10 · 18 August 2012]

This sequel did not disappoint! Maximum star power, maximum firepower, maximum excitement. "The Expendables 2" was a thrill ride that no one will ever forget. Sly is back with his crew once more, but this time they gain a new recruit: Bill the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) who's a top notched sniper, and Maggie (Yu Nan) who is smart but very gutsy in nature. They bring back all the ones who just had cameos in the first installment. It got more fun when they got Booker(Chuck Norris) " The Lone Wolf", and Jean-Claude Van Damme. There's one drawback, he's a villain. The action in the movie was totally non-stop, there was also a lot of humor, clichés, and one liners in the film. So long to list, I can't catch up if I tried. "I''ll be back!", is a classic. Sly and Van Damme? An unlikely battle in the making, however, it's a new epic battle anyone can think of. Dolph Lundgren was known for his intellectual talent back in the 80's. He really put it into good use here. If you thought the first movie was something, you haven't seen anything like this. "The Expendables 2" is a must see movie for years to come. All star action, all star humor, and just enough adrenaline to keep you alert at all times. Enjoy this movie! 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Blistering action flick

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 14 December 2012]

Wow! THE EXPENDABLES 2 is exactly what it sets out to be: a genuinely exciting, fast-paced action movie packed with all manner of violent shoot-outs, show-downs and stuff blowing up. It's a definite improvement on the first film, doing away with the poor CGI blood and dodgy shaky-cam in favour of plentiful set-pieces that are well-shot and easy to follow. Okay, so there's a certain repetitiveness in watching nameless bad guys being blown away by massive guns and the plot is hardly anything to write home about, but nevertheless I had a ball with this film.

One reason I particularly like it is for the cast. As a fan of action cinema, especially that of the '80s, how could I fail to love the calibre of the ensemble squad they've assembled here? The good news is that roles for Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger have been beefed up and the less interesting members of the crew (Terry Crews and Randy Couture) have been put into the background, as is right. Add in some hilarious moments for Chuck Norris and a hateful villain in no less than Jean-Claude Van Damme, and you have action movie heaven. Watching these guys trading quips is my idea of fun, and Schwarzenegger in particular seems to be having a ball. You realise just how much you've missed his trademark humour when you see him in action here.

Others in the cast fare less well, but are still worth seeing. Jet Li contributes some blistering hand-to-hand combat at the outset but then disappears for no good reason, while Jason Statham feels slightly wooden for the first time, his hard-man schtick grating on the nerves a little. Dolph Lundgren gets very little screen time too, although we do get Scott Adkins lending skillful support as a henchman. Director Simon West brings the same level of anything-goes OTT mayhem to this film as he did to CON AIR, banishing memories of WHEN A STRANGER CALLS at the same time. At this rate, I say bring on THE EXPENDABLES 3!

A reloaded *** kicker and better than the 1st one.

[omarh92 · 7/10 · 16 August 2012]

I must admit, the hype for the first film was too much and in the end, we all got some intense 80s style action but with a poor story. This sequel however actually has a story, a story of revenge. The first film introduces the gang so we get to know them. The second however, we already know the gang so now we actually see how they truly are and how they work. This film is better since the rest of the team (other than Stallone) get more screen time and they have their humor moments. Van Dammne played a very very very very very AWESOME villain, and towards the end of the film, he shows even at the age of 50, he is stronger than ever. Arnie and Bruce Willis had a great screen time too with perfect humor, seriously the chemistry between those 2 and the rest is great. Speaking of chemistry, Dolph Lundgren's role is MUCH better now and very enjoyable. Chuck Norris, you'd be surprise how he is. The cast was great, the story is better, the action is MORE intense, there is great humor. In conclusion, Expendables 2 brings back the 1980s action style with it's teaspoon of humor. Enjoy the film!

ATTENTION, can somebody please claim the body of the pg-13 action movie, its dead, thank you.

[janus-20 · 10/10 · 18 August 2012]

What we have here is an almost contemptuous lack of respect for property and human life. But, when that human life is vile, murderous, plutonium pilfering dirtballs, then its time chop, break, snap, blast, liquify, incinerate and decapitate (repeat).

There's very little point in going into a great deal of explanation of what makes this so worth a trip down to your local cinema. Suffice to say Sylvester Stallone has once again saved action movies and put the meat back on the bone.

Here he is aided and abetted by messrs Schwarzenegger, Willis, Norris, Van Damme, Statham, Li, Lundgren, Crews, Couture, who all dive into the proceedings with an enthusiastic amount of esprit de corps, taking the carnage to a hitherto undiscovered level.

This is an action movie with both feet planted firmly in the 80's and there nothing wrong with that one iota. The guys banter, crack jokes, shoot and cause things to blow up, the bad guys are hissable, murderous wretches to a man and are blown up.

Everybody is clearly having a blast, so in translation, so do you, of particular note, Jean Claude Van Damme provides a standout performance as sneery and arrogant Jean Villain.

If you like proper action movies i would be bewildered if you didn't enjoy this. Sly, you did it again, you are without a shadow of doubt "the man".

If they can deliver Eastwood, Ford, Cage, Snipes, Russell, Biehn, Weathers and T for the next one, then my money is already spent.

If you didn't like, well what did you expect?

[adam_evans14 · 4 May 2013]

So with the release of the Expendables we witnessed a film that possibly can't be repeated in terms of scale. The reason lies with the over the top preoccupation with 'the action flick' in the 80's. So in bringing all these iconic figures of the action genre together the expendables evokes nostalgia among the older audiences while the ignorant can claim they want to see the new Jason Statham film.

Indeed my study of film on an academic level has led me to be called a snob somewhat. But, i'm the first to admit i enjoy a tongue in cheek film if it claims not to be anything other. When watching the film I know for a fact that it's written purely for entertainment purposes and nothing else. A popcorn movie. Any critical acclaim would be ludicrous. The films (both this and the first one) openly mock the ridiculousness of the 80's action flicks with outrageous shootouts and a collection of more testosterone than a sperm bank. If Stallone had sat down and claimed the expendables was the best script he's collaborated on one could only assume he's been taking the Spielberg tablets of Indy 4 (note; why i hate films like Indy 4 and Die Hard 4....they're supposed to be more serious whereas expendables you have to take it with a pinch of salt for what it is).

One thing that did get on my nerves though was perhaps the scenes involving Arnie. The references to Terminator with the uttering of 'i'll be back' brought a smile at best the first time; but to murder it time and time again at every opportunity got a bit annoying, and ultimately i ended up wishing he'd get shot for it. Considering Arnie was possibly the most famous of the action hero's of the 80's (along with Stallone...take your pick, it's between them two no doubt) i'd have liked to have seen him involved in the film properly and not just for comedic purposes.

Also he really looks long in the tooth compared with Stallone who's anti ageing cream could probably rake in more than the gross of Rocky. He's a tank and fair play to him, he looks amazingly good for his age.

Should they make an expendables 3? Probably not. I think people would get a bit bored of the chedderness of it, and besides the charm of nostalgia will have worn off by then. However if they did go ahead, i certainly won't protest and it would be interesting to have the full set with the inclusion of Steven Seagal. All in all, if you like dumb action flicks, this will do nicely. But don't tune in expecting an ambiguous and thought provoking film, and be disappointed when you don't get one. If you are then for shame.

Yes it's cheesy, Yes it's dumb but Yes it's fun!!!

[brady-vallbacka · 7/10 · 17 October 2012]

A decent fun action flick that won't disappoint you. I hated The Expendables and was disappointed about all the hype. But this one was a way better film. There actually is a story and talking and not 100 mins of action. This film has cheesy one liners and will not win an academy award but if you're looking to ease back and relax with some buddies to a no brainer-flick this is a good one. Good action and decent screenplay and bad-ass characters featuring Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Jason Statham and more bring a solid action flick that I hope the sequel will be like this one and not like the first one. This is one of Stallone's better action flicks.

Actually much better than the first + very enjoyable!

[d0wen · 8/10 · 23 October 2012]

I disagree with some people feeling that this film was no better than the first. It is easily better than the first, which is a very hard thing to do (normally). I thought the first movie wasn't brill but it was OK, it was kind of what I expected but I did expect a bit more in the fight scenes and I felt that Jet Lei just like the story wasn't up to much. Everything Stallone is doing here is a great idea and it has a great feel to it. Expendables 2 has finally got to where the first one should've been. This one is far more enjoyable, the action / fight scenes are better, which is mainly why we watch these sorts of films, but also the characters and their relationships with each other are better. Some of the scenes are pure genius. Some of the scenes are not but hey ho. I am really looking forward to a 3rd instalment but I do feel that they will take it too far and end up with some of the most annoying and worst ones appearing like Steven Seagal and Vin Deisel... I hope not! If they do then they might as well go the whole hog and get the Heather Small bird from M People on there to just totally annoy us all!!

Expendables 2... Anyone who is between the age of 30 and 60 that remembers the best 80's action flicks with the likes of Arnie, Stallone, Bruce Willis, van damme in will know that these films didn't ever really have great acting in, it was all about the action and the fight scenes. Expendables 2 has got it going on! Really enjoyable film.

Explosions, Dismemberment, and Hilarity

[griffolyon12 · 8/10 · 5 December 2012]

With The Expendables 2, it's exactly what you'd expect it to be. It's Sylvester Stallone on screen with Arnold Schwarzenagger, Bruce Willis, and Chuck Norris, all kicking butt and taking names as this gang of guns-for-hire work to bring down an evil madman, played by Jean Claude Van Damme. There isn't any real depth to this movie. It's wall to wall action with tons of explosions, dismemberment, and over-the-top jokes. If you come into this film just looking to have a good time and to be thrown back to the 1990s for an hour and forty minutes, then you'll enjoy The Expendables 2, but don't expect much more than that.

I give The Expendables 2 an 8 out of 10!

What the first should have been

[masonsaul · 8/10 · 22 November 2019]

The Expendables 2 is proof of concept. A funnier, more self aware sequel that actually delivers on the promise of bringing together so many action icons together in a single film whilst specifically fixing so many of the flaws that stopped the original from being this good.

The cast is much stronger here, suitably star studded with much more substantial roles for Willis and Schwarzenegger. Stallone and Statham still get time to time to build on their double act but it feels like more of an ensemble with less Expendables getting sidelined.

In the villain department Jean-Claude Van Damme is way better. He's so restrained and carefree for the most part and then changes completely for the final showdown, swapping to a sadistic showman. This is exactly the sort of villain a film like this requires.

Simon West's direction improves quite a bit in comparison to its predecessor, the fights are less choppy, the poor CG is toned down if still present and from its opening moments it really delivers some beautiful carnage. All of this is once again serenaded by another perfectly bombastic score from Brian Tyler.

Enjoyable old school action flick.

[poolandrews · 6/10 · 10 November 2012]

The Expendables 2 starts as ace sniper Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) tells his boss Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) that he wants to leave the Expendables, a team of tough mercenaries who are for hire & take on dangerous jobs that need lots of firepower. Ross accepts his decision, however later that night the sinister CIA man Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) orders Ross & his team of expendables to carry out one last job for him, since Church can have them all jailed for life or killed Ross has little alternative but to agree. A plane has crashed with some extremely important cargo locked in a safe on-board, it's up to Ross & the expendables to find, retrieve & deliver the cargo back to him before it falls into the wrong hands. The mission at first seems easy & all goes well but after finding the cargo Ross & the expendables are ambushed by the sadistic Villain (Jean-Claude Van Damme) & his men who steal the precious cargo & kill Billy the Kid leaving Ross & the rest of the expendables swearing vengeance...

Directed by Simon West who I guess was a decent enough choice after turning in enjoyable enough big budget fare like Lare Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) & the excellent Con Air (1997) which still remains one of my personal favourite OTT action films (Nicolas Cage should be in The Expendables 3... while we're at it how about Wesley Snipes & Kurt Russell too) this is a direct sequel to the highly enjoyable old school action film The Expendables (2010) & while I didn't think it was quite as good The Expendables 2 is still a lot of fun & thankfully doesn't abandon it's violent action film roots. The first twenty odd minutes & the last twenty odd minutes are brilliant, action packed, funny & highly entertaining & it's a slight shame that the intervening hour is a little dull & empty. The major problem with The Expendables 2 is the lack of a substantial story, there's very little here & what is here is merely there to hang the action set-pieces off. It's hard to think about the character's as individuals rather than the actor's that play them which is also maybe doesn't help, that's the one great negative though & the killing of Billy the Kid & the revenge mission that ensues takes a backseat to the action, the egos & the one-liners so be prepared for that. The script is nicely nostalgic, it gives the main cast plenty of opportunity to throw in several gags & references to their earlier films & well known one-liners in an amusing & playful way but never in a derogatory mocking sense. At about 100 minutes long The Expendables 2 doesn't outstay it's welcome & your never far from the fight, shoot-out, one-liner or explosion.

The likes of Bruce Willis & Arnold Schwarzenegger get much bigger roles this time around although Jet Li is only there for the opening fifteen minutes, I suppose we should be grateful a compromise was struck & he came back at all as he has said he wants to quit Hollywood. New action film star additions to the cast include the legendary Chuck Norris who seems very game to live up to his reputation (the Cobra gag is hilarious) while Jean-Claude Van Damme is still in very good shape unlike a few of the other's as age catches up with them but to be fair the fact they are all in such good shape at their age says a lot. Jason Statham is great values as always, his sole fight scene in a Chapel is fantastic as are all the action scenes, West manages to bring scale & excitement to things while never confusing matters with shaky hand-held camcorder crap & quick editing. This is the way action scenes should be shot, loud, violent & great fun, the hilarious scene with Schwarzenegger & Willis in the little car is worth watching the film for on it's own. 80's & 90's action fans starved of that type of film over recent years should definitely get a kick out of it.

With a supposed budget of about $100,000,000 The Expendables 2 has great action scenes & plenty of star power, during the 80's & 90's who would have thought all the top action film stars of the day would team up? Filmed in China & the US but mainly in Bulgaria. I liked the performances here, everyone seems to be having fun although I wasn't impressed with new female team member Nan Yu who has little to do & gets lost amongst the egos.

The Expendables 2 is a great old school action film, full of violence, gun fights, explosions & senseless death & destruction. What more do you want? Apart from a story that is. 80's & 90's action fans should lap it up, I did. Apparently The Expendables 3 is already in production.

Better than the first one

[Maleplatypus · 7/10 · 12 October 2012]

So, if "acting" does not count (and in this kind of movie it really shouldn't - some deserve a free pass :), everything else is much better than the first movie. Especially the story. Don't get me wrong: it has been obviously designed for a classic black/white presentation, where good guys are always good, and bad are even worse. The are also some quotes on movie classics (you know: terrorized village graving for help, some stranger(s) come(s) and blah, blah, blah) and it is altogether fun. Nice 100 minutes (with credits). Mindless but fun nevertheless. Arnie is finally "back" (after so many promises), nobody beats Chuck Norris (I guess jokes about him are true; most of them) and it all looks like a nice geriatric party (only shooting, no singing). Like Space Cowboys (God forgive for comparing this two movies!) but with no space.

Want fun? Go for it. It delivers. Much, much more than, for example, Mission Impossible. I'm looking forward for 3rd part (if most of the cast does not die of age, since bullets don't want them).

Quote from Billy Madison " We are all dumber for having heard it!"

[scottedunlap · 1/10 · 26 August 2012]

The first thing that strikes me about this movie is, why does it look SO bad? Is it the feel or style they are going for? I dunno, it just looks bad. Maybe they are trying to Vaseline screen the aging stars, who are all in great shape by the way, or are they saving on film? Do they even use film anymore? SPOILER ALERT Virtually every action scene here is over the top and totally unbelievable except for a short scene with Jet Li. The initial escape scene makes NO SENSE! Sly gets shot while going down a seemingly infinite zip line? Statham's got his back so he stays behind while they are surround and the rest of the team continues the escape on the water high speed style. Out of nowhere Sly and Jason are rescued by fledgling team member snipers them out of the situation. Sly grunts "Time for plan b" back to the water chase. Jet skis, for no apparent reason appear from nowhere and the team abandons the boat. Just when all is lost, Stallone and Statham zoom overhead in the plane they arrived in. How is this plan b? Wouldn't the boats and jet ski's be plan b. Jet skis shoot into the ramp of the plane as the plane struggles get get enough lift to take off before they crash into a huge damn. Hey, since we are having trouble gaining altitude, let's head for the HIGHEST POINT on the dam! Most of the action scenes pretty much follow this level of nonsense. Oh well, maybe the writing is good? Nope! Back story for the newbie team member to make us care about him when he gets killed pretty much goes like this, "So, how did you get into this line of work?" " I was in Afganistan for three years when my platoon got trapped in the oil zone. By the time we got out, four of my friends were dead. When I got back to base, they had shot the dog I was taking care of, so, I'd had enough killing for the day"! That's it? That's the best the writes of this mega budget could come up with? Also to the character, since you had enough killing you decided to become a mercenary where you would kill people all day! Speaking of death, I read a stunt man died making this POS. people die everyday, on the subway, in their sleep, lots o reasons, but honestly, I can't think of a bigger waste of life than to die for this movie.

Blood and guts and veins in my teeth

[dfranzen70 · 8/10 · 25 August 2012]

You don't feel the testosterone in The Expendables 2 as much as immerse yourself in it, whether you like it or not. It manages to be awesome on several levels – a frantic action movie, a self-deprecating comedy, and… okay, that's about it. But still! Explosions that make sense! The mocking of catch phrases! Great casting that doesn't feel forced! Stallone not in the director's chair! Yes, there's so much to like about the movie that we can overlook a lot of clichés and hammy performances. Let's look at the plot. Barney Ross (Stallone) and his team, having bilked Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) out of $5 million in the first movie, now have to make amends. No, Church doesn't have them tossed into Gitmo, and he doesn't kill them. Instead, he gives them a mission, the accomplishment of which would make them all even-Steven.

The mission involves an infiltration into the jungles of Albania to rescue a secret something (a MacGuffin) from a downed airplane. Things don't go as expected. Ross and his team lose not only the MacGuffin but also one of their own. Tearfully, they vow revenge.

Ross's team consists of Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Bill the Kid (Liam Hemsworth). Church inexplicably adds another member to their team – a soldier/intel expert named Maggie (Nan Yu). She may have been the second MacGuffin.

The team tracks the bad guys to a series of secret mines in old Russia, where apparently a metric buttload of uranium exists for the taking. The bad guys, led by the well-named Villain (Jean-Claude Van Damme), plan to grab all of the unguarded uranium and, presumably, either hold the world hostage or just blow it up. We're not told, because it hardly matters.

Now, this may not be the best of films. You won't find a truly intricate plot, even by Mission:Impossible standards. It is what it purports to be: men blowing stuff up with lots of weapons. At least this time there's a woman involved, but you can guess one of the reasons she's there. In any event, the stunts are exhilarating to watch and the action is intense, but what makes the film is the deft, complementary comedy. Church versus Ross. Ross versus Trench (Arnold Schwarzeneggar, yes). Trench versus Church. The movie is, in its entirety, a nod to the mindless action movies of the 80s in which many of these fellas appeared. Catchphrases from those old movies are mocked. Everyone looks bad ass, so much so that you forget that guys like Stallone and Schwarzeneggar are in their sixties.

It was exciting to see the oldtimers in the first film, and this one adds some new (old) blood. Hemsworth, although not as ripped as his brother Chris, is terrific. Oh, and did I mention that a certain Chuck Norris is in this? I am not making this up. He's in it. I love how he's referred to as a lone wolf, a nod to his movie Lone Wolf McQuade, or that his character is named Booker, a nod to his movie Good Guys Wear Black. I wish he'd been able to do some martial arts, but the man's 70 years old, so I guess we can cut him some slack.

This is a manly man movie. There's a lot of blood, many guns, lots of scars in the making. There is no romance, barely some flirting. You wouldn't expect that, anyway. The Expendables 2 delivers what it promises – it's a whipped-up frenzied concoction of old-school action movies with a generous sprinkling of creativity (in script and in cinematography).

So that's why I liked the movie. Blood, guts, witty repartee, that about does it for me when I want not to think. You won't need to think here. Watch it – your brain will appreciate the rest.

Great to see they're still here!

[caseyx · 9/10 · 12 August 2012]

I saw The Expendables II this morning at a pré screening. What can I tell you about this movie. Firstly, it's really action packed. You're blasted off in the first few minutes leading up to the actual story. Obviously, this is not a film with a great script or impressive acting.However, the story works well for what it's supposed to do! It is greatly entertaining if you are looking for an action packed movie loaded with iconic action stars like Stallone,Willis and many more. The addition of Chuck Norris and van Damme to the cast worked out well. It's really good to see Chuck Norris in action again and he really pulls it off! I expect that the people who will like this movie most will be the fans of the old guard like Stallone, Schwwarzennegger and Norris and the other cast members. Someone I really liked was Liam Hemsworth who did a great job and stood his own between these action giants! Nan Yu as Maggie was also a good casting choice an did what she was supposed to do.

Aside from the "overdrive" action the film also had a lot of humor, which gave some counterweight to the action.

I hope, but quite frankly expect this will do really well in cinema's globally. As a long time Sylvester Stallone fan I can only hope that he (and his family) will find the strenght to overcome the loss of his son.

To the people who are going to see this extravanganza, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

The Expendables 2: I'm just not the demographic

[Platypuschow · 3/10 · 22 May 2018]

To me The Expendables franchise is a pretencious vanity project.

Yeah sure I get it, all the most famous action stars thrown together for old school action. I understand the appeal, I just don't like it.

Now despite what my profiles analytics say I don't really like action movies, they're not my thing unless they have a lot of other themed content (Action/horror etc). Sure I respect the old school original action films, they had a certain novelty charm to them but here it comes across as recycled as much as it does a homage.

Considering the list of famous names the action isn't as explosive as you'd imagine and the fight scenes are really quite lame. How can you have Stallone/Arnie/Willis and not have the best action? How can you have Van Damme/Norris/Jet Li and not have great fight scenes? It's like they decided they didn't need to make the effort because they had the cast, well you did.

The Expendables 2 is on par with the first movie, namely brainless action with a generic cliched storyline and nothing even remotely original.

It's like they took all these stars, threw them into a paint by numbers action flick and assumed it would work. Oh wait, it did. The franchise has been very successful. I'm sure it's nostalgic for the old and new and exciting for the young.

Well it doesn't appeal to me. Call me weird but I want more than gun fights, explosions and fist fights. I want story, I want substance, I want originality.

The Good:

Old school action

Few neat action movie references

The Bad:

Statham still can't act for crap

Some of the cgi is ropey, really shouldn't have been any anyway

Mindless

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Charisma Carpenter is improving with age

Real heroes open fire with high impact automatic weapons even when innocents are in the same direction

Better than the first by a mile

[tonystalloney · 8/10 · 6 August 2012]

First off, yes, much better than the first.... thank god, more locations, funnier and better put together.

No time from opening credits, its straight into the action, which is more epic imo, and is what should have been seen in the first film but maybe due to a low budget we were subjected to a lesser affair The team work well, all of them and Hemsworth does really well as the new boy on the block and second time round and you kind of know these guys. Arnie, bruce are seen more but are not seen as much as the usual gang, and li is seen the least.

Norris is great, seen here and there, great entrance and more of a cameo, and van damme makes good his role as the villain.

The story pretty much straight forward, better than the first, but nothing special, some dialogue was hard to hear, and sly does try to be serious in some scenes which got a laugh and I don't think its how it was intended but its not that much of a big deal really as there are funny moments in the film, more so than the first film.

Fight scenes were better this time round, not too prolonged, timed well, and the one on ones didn't drag on too long. Sly & van damme's fight could have been a bit longer but I guess after all the chaos leading up to that point it was sufficient enough without getting too silly, reminded me of a Rocky fight here and there....he he One liners were good, dolph was great, the girl is good also, be good to see her in exp3, locations and sets fab, cgi was not obvious and edited well.

One thing I will say is sly does have issues coming across as funny and I don't know why. He's funny in real life and was funny in rocky but its hit and miss and it shows here in some scenes.

Its not 10/10 in my book. Maybe when i see it again it may be better in my mind, but like i say a better story would of helped If there is a 3rd, I would like to see more of a story if that is at all possible, see what you think guys when its out, but it's a big improvement on the first and that's a good sign

Distracting excess but mostly lacks actual excitement or reasons to be engaged

[bob the moo · 3 December 2012]

I do enjoy a good action movie – indeed if I'm honest I also enjoy an average action movie as long as there is lots of noise and action throughout. This was the reason i came back for the Expendables movie even though I had no real expectations of it being any good – at very least I knew that things would explode and that the film would exist in the fantasy world of macho 80's style action movies. The opening scene of the film does leave you in no doubt as to what you are getting, as the team rescue someone from the heart of a fortified town, killing probably hundreds in the first 15 minutes alone. It isn't thrilling but it is very loud and enjoyable for what it is.

Sadly it cannot just keep doing this and at some point the characters need to talk and a rough plot needs to come out. At this point the film really grinds to a halt because none of the dialogue actually works particularly well. It tends to come in one of two forms, the most painful of which is the vague attempts at depth or character. These lines tend to be said by a grave-side, in the quiet moments when the odds look bad or in other reflective moments; I think one line actually worked but generally they are corny as hell and clunk across the screen – at best some of them are just misjudged for the tone of the film or the scene. The other dialogue tends to be jokey banter but, although it is occasionally amusing in its obviousness, this doesn't work either because it always feels scripted right down to the letter. The delivery doesn't help but the writing seems to be all about making as many references to the star's other films as possible – not making them clever references, but just making them out loud. Even when it is just banter without the references, it doesn't feel natural and it doesn't have much spark to it. Fortunately this does still leave the action sequences.

The action is mostly noisy, OTT and silly but it works as such, causing mayhem and having large action stars being indestructible in the way that they used to in the 80's. Problem is that there is a reason why those films had to change over time, because it is hard to really build tension and excitement when your stars are unstoppable and the action is very much "A-Team with blood". As seen here, the action doesn't thrill because it doesn't change too much and doesn't provide much in the way of creativity or actual danger being posed to the characters. There are some exceptions but these are few and far between – Jet Li's group fight early on was enjoyable for him being given the space to work, while Stallone and Van Damme's head-to-head is fun even if it isn't as good as it could have been and doesn't do quite as much as I would have liked.

Just as he helps that final fight though, Van Damme does help the cast and makes a great villain. I am not sure why the film gave him so little to do but he makes an impact with little time as he is colourful and crazy. Of the rest it is variable but generally tends towards the obvious. Stallone is fairly hard to understand and has no range here – not sure what he is trying to do but he can't find a character of interest and he doesn't do much for the fun aspect. Statham on the other side does a great job again by playing to his strengths of humour and physical ability – like Li in that regard, he gets to do what works for him. Crews, Lundgren and Couture are so-so while Norris, Schwarzenegger and Willis are there for their names more than anything else. The addition of Yu could have made some difference but mainly she is given terrible "fawning" material with Stallone which is badly done.

Expendables 2 is not an awful film if you come to it to get the thing it offers – mindless OTT action in a very basic mould. As such I quite enjoyed it but it would have been much better to actually care about it or be thrilled by it – as such it is a real basic action movie that only stands out from the straight-to-video market by virtue of the stars involved.

Very good sequel

[valbrazon · 9/10 · 9 August 2012]

I have seen it at the french premiere with the presence of Silvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jean Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The ambiance was awesome, everybody yelled when the actors came and loud applause have been done for the first time we see Chuck Norris and good actions scenes, like the final fight. Probably the best premiere i have seen.

About the movie, i preferred it to the first one. the first had good actors and load of actions. Keep the same for the second, a bigger role for Schwarzenegger, add Bruce Willis and Chuck Norris and you will have The Expendables 2. Jet Li is only present at the beginning and disappear for the rest of the movie. There are some references to others action movies like Terminator, Die Hard and Rambo.

If you liked the first one, i recommend you to watch the second.

Good fun

[trevperks · 8/10 · 10 July 2013]

This film was a real blast from the past. Having watched these actors in the 80s -90s I enjoyed the one liners and the over the top action they have been associated with in the past.If you are after an action film with a good story then this is not the film for you.If you want to immerse yourself in larger than life characters, with lots of guns and impossible situations then you will get on just fine. I'm not sure if the younger audiences will fully appreciate this film with out understanding what these actors did in the past.I have given this film 8 out of 10 because if I rated it any lower *Chuck Norris* said he would kick my ass.