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.

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.

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.

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.

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%

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!

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.

At Least It Doesn't Take Itself Seriously!

[msprouse-7-431049 · 6/10 · 30 June 2013]

Due to nostalgia this film is greater than the sum of its parts. If you are looking for a realistic action flick, this isn't it. Expendables 2 is even less realistic than the original Expendables. This movie doesn't even take itself seriously, which is a good thing. Part of the effort and energy of the film, particularly the writing, seemed to be to get all the great actors into the film including their "signature" lines. For example, you'll hear Arnold say "I'll be bock". That's really the main enjoyment is the nostalgia of those action stars and my there are so many! So this is a recommendation if you are a real fan of these action stars and their of the last thirty plus years.

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.

The Ultimate Action movie

[master-warrior · 6/10 · 6 October 2012]

Don't expect any thrilling storyline that keeps you guessing because it's quite the opposite. What you can expect, however, is the epitome of 'action film', seriously explosions, guns, bad terminator references and an epic entrance from Chuck Norris what more could you ask for! For example there's an action scene with the ultimate classic action heroes: Stallone, Willis, Schwarzenegger, Norris if that isn't every guys dream in an action film I don't know what is.

What you should expect: Explosions, Guns, Skulls, Bad Movie references, a dream cast list, some weird horn ruining the music but overall epicness

Yippie Ki-Yay!

What is this? I don't even...

[troymartin93 · 2/10 · 2 September 2012]

I don't care if I'm the minority here but seriously if anyone has ever seen a decent movie before then they would realize how ridiculous this film is. So much talent can be had from this cast as most of us have seen over the years. If the dialogue from this movie wasn't enough to deter me from liking it then it was the multiple references to previous action films starring the individual cast that did it. The addition of Liam Hemsworth playing billy the kid was a strong move considering his part was by far the most interesting and well portrayed. Better kill off the greatest part in the film (it was pretty evident and cliché that Billy was going to die due to the fact that in every film where someone is about to leave or better themselves in some way leads to their death). Another thing that really bothered me about this film was the fact that Jason Statham's "honey" bothering him throughout the film had literally no relevance, yet they led the audience to believe it would.

The editing in this film was tragic... Ever since Stallone has been making a "come back" with action films, the animated blood that is featured is some of the most unrealistic i've seen. When I first witnessed this odd looking blood was in the most recent "Rambo". I thought then that it was interesting looking but eventually due to the excessive amount of it being used i grew tired. There is a scene in The Expendables 2 where they have cleared out a small church filled with Van Damme's cronies and only one enemy is left. They proceed to light this man up, (which i found comical) but once again the terrible editing in this scene ruined it. You can clearly see his entire torso covered in poorly edited bullet holes that don't even move with the mans body.

With a cast and crew like this, I'd think they'd be able to fund for some fantastic special effects. Thanks for the disappointment though.

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!

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.

Better than the first film.

[lonnielongino · 7/10 · 16 May 2020]

This is one of those rare cases where the sequel is better than the original. The first film didn't develop a storyline until the middle of the film. It was just pretty much high name action stars performing huge action sequences with no plot. But this second film starts out with an interesting story and also doesn't disappoint on the action. All of these big name actors yet Jason Stathams character stands out as witty and wisecracking. He & Stallone work well together.

Translating Bulgarian to English.

[daka_az · 7/10 · 26 December 2012]

The scenes with Bulgarians speaking ware not translated correctly. To be clear, they ware translated completely wrong. The sentences ware completely different. For example at one scene the man was saying: "Stay. at least we are together." and the translation was: "Be brave, we'll be home soon.". Another example can be found here: "And who are you? Go light candles!" was translated like: "Where the hell are they, Priest ? Stay out of the way. "

Other than that, it was a good movie. It is a good movie to kill some time, but far from a masterpiece. If you like guns, guns and guns, go watch it.

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.

Cheesy Action movies of the last century makes a Hollywood comeback

[thornsthorns · 7/10 · 13 November 2012]

Bollywood action movies of the last century make a Hollywood comeback.

Seriously ridiculous movies both expendables. Expendables 2 seems more like a deliberate spoof than expendables 1, and wasn't meant to be taken seriously.

But its still loud, brass, obnoxious, crude, ridiculous, and corny. The fight scenes remind me of something out of a Bollywood Rajnikunth movie, where an old man beats up a hundred people with machine guns with nothing but his hands and fist, without getting shot or scratched at all. Whilst doing ridiculously corny cool poses and tough guy lines.

If this was a movie done by anyone other than big Hollywood names, it would be laughed out of the box office as a pile of tripe.

But the big names, make it a big movie.

Entertaining enough, but nothing special. A 7 at best when history will look back on it.

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

Well

[hobgoblinlol · 6/10 · 11 October 2012]

I didn't like the first one that much despite having a kick-ass cast it kinda had a weak story-line. The main thing in Expendables were the actors. And I mean of course it is great to see our favorite action stars come together including retro ones, but the movie didn't have much. It hardly had any villains to stand up to those people besides, Austin who had a decent fight scene and did kick Barney's ass, but then got killed in a very dumb way. Like i said not much of a story line, BUT the sequel changes and improves that as far as i can see.

In expendables 2 the story-line is improved, bigger cast is assembled and it has a lot better action including retro stars like Arnold and Willis and Chuck Norris shooting the hell out of everything. In expendables 2 we all so get better villains. Jean Claude Van Damme is a perfect villain and he plays a guy called ''Jean Villain'' which is a cool name, but kinda unoriginal if you get my point. For me, he stole the show, but sadly he wasn't in it much which is a let down. Also, Scott Adkins did a great job too. I really liked Boyka looks he had playing Hector. So, yes, the Villains were pretty cool in this movie. Also, there are so much good cameos and references made in the movie that it cracks me up time to time. Like the part where Dolph calls Arnold ''Terminator'' or when Arnold says his famous line. The thing is that expendables needs work on the story-line and character development. Also, it'll be nice to see them reload more often and of course cliché of 7-8 dudes killing hundreds is in there which enjoyable of course along with rest. Cheesy, but great. And that's what i like about the movie. It's not trying to be God father or Pulp Fiction. It knows that it's just trying to be a kick-ass action film to entertain fans and it is self-aware and yes, i think it does a fine job at it despite some clichés and stuff and it is an awesome movie. But now it has 7.3 and who knows? maybe even lower in other sites sadly. The thing with expendables is that: take ALL of those actors away and replace them with some random dudes. The movie won't be great, because stand-alone story-line and stuff aren't that good. Expendables 2 is a a great, especially for all retro action fans out there. But it needs to work on story-line, suspense, less-clichés and other stuff. If they improve even better for the next Expendables ( i heard Van Damme is coming back as twin brother of Villain which is cool) and give it a much better story instead of mind less shooting it will have a score of 8.0.

Now, some cons: Jet Li disappears after the intro scene, Van Damme and Adkins aren't in it much, is little bit cliché, Willis, Norris and Arny aren't in it much too and the fight scene in the and was a let down and was egotistic for Stallone. Van Damme should have got more offense instead of getting punched 50 times by Stallone, he should of kicked Stallone's ass! same thing with Adkins vs Statham. Adkins should of beat Statham's ass. And that's also cliché, because good guys go through everything with ease. There are only few scenes when they take cover. Stallone does get kinda beat up by Van damme, but not enough. Same thing with Statham vs Adkins.

Still, a good movie. 6/10 check it out.

Pure garbage

[tzrjustbrowsing · 3/10 · 23 August 2012]

I have no idea why so many people like this movie, maybe I have high standards, but i have to say, all the characters in this movie just don't mix. You can't have all the characters the MAIN character and the story is just pure garbage.

The only bit I liked in this movies was the part where Chuck Norris flashes into the scene, other than that it's just a bundle of shooting and screaming and nothing else really.

The whole story didn't even have a feeling that something was happening. The plutonium was considered a piece of candy that was stolen and everyone was focused on being a 'badass'.

If all mercenaries would be crying babies like this guys, how will they ever survive a seeing a small puppy on the side of the road? In my opinion it's just pathetic.

At least the first movie had a topic, people were talking in their native language, here everyone knows English, no matter where they are from.

Truly I give up, since most of this actors are some of my favorite, but repeating old movie lines (I back, I'm coming back, You came back enough), just makes them look like clowns.

One good thing about this movie is that they did get the character of Jean-Claude Van Damme right. He is a true psycho, but they just found out this right now.

Other than this, the movies deserve a 3 star rating, and this is generous considering that the director of the movie just bashed all the characters head on raw concrete with his amazingly stupid script.

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!

Does exactly what it is meant to do

[romouele · 7/10 · 30 September 2012]

First things first, anyone expecting a great movie full of thrilling plot, complicated characters and witty intelligent conversation should NOT watch this movie, it's an action movie with some comedy to help break up the flying dead bodies, and it does this well.

The movie is an out and out action flick, the kind guys like to watch when we're young and secretly still enjoy occasionally when we get older, and it's brilliant at it, some of the lines are shoe horned in and obvious, but they're still entertaining, if you want to watch a great action movie this year this is a great choice, full of nostalgia for those in their late 30's it a fun watch just don't be expecting anything too serious.

If you've just had a Lobotomy, Watch this movie !!!

[cardiffhut · 1/10 · 10 October 2012]

If you had a lot of money, lots of spare time, and an IQ of 10, what would you do? Easy : club up with like minded people and make a movie, glorifying yourself and your dumb pals.The Result : The Expendables and if that wasn't enough to satisfy the ego-maniac...The Expendables 2!!! The plot reminds one of a spoilt, rich brat wondering which of his toys he needs to play with (and destroy)..by the end of the movie, Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone has successfully demolished all his toys and got himself a new one. Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is back again with his "I'm back (again)" dialogue thats become so overused its a shame that he still thinks its up to some good.They even got Chuck Norris to do a really dumb appearance.Thank god for the actors who stayed away from this movie.

Easily the most mediocre acting, dialogues and script of this century.The special effects are good.A lot of money that could have fed a lot of poor people gone up in flames.

If you are a die hard Stallone,Schwarzenegger,Bruce Willis fan and want to watch the movie, my advise is get a Lobotomy; makes it a whole lot easier on you-Hollywood has reached a new level of mediocrity.

worth a watch

[ocal-ogden · 7/10 · 9 October 2012]

Here we have a group of action guys doing what they do best, make action movies.I am glad now we have this action packed movie expendables2. Expendables 2 is a good movie full of action and jokes and a few surprising cameo appearances. The movie features some great actors with a few side remarks regarding the stream of action movies they have all produced together. The first scene is great full shooting and smashing all the stuff that makes a film watchable.The movie does not overdo its stay and finishes at the right moment. Expendables 2 does not really fizzle from the first scene it keeps the pace going and is well worth watching. I for one have now seen the movie twice and rarely do i do that.