Expend4bles
LIONSGATEIt is time for the Expendables series to be put to rest. It is inexcusable that four entries deep, Sylvester Stallone’s baby is as grey, dull, and forgettable as it is. It always had the potential of being a grand time at the movies: action stars of yesteryear get together to play a group of mercenaries, wreaking havoc in the world and fighting terrorism. Sadly, the casts never reach their full potential, with bigger names like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis always settling for supporting, one-scene roles, and the action – generally set in generic locations like industrial complexes and office buildings – lacks any of the inventiveness of the ‘80s nor the clean-cut clarity of contemporary classics like John Wick and The Raid.
The Expendables has always settled for the bare minimum, and the third sequel, horribly stylized as Expend4bles, pretends that the third film never even happened, since it repeats much of the same narrative, only somehow worse. The lack of Jet Li, Terry Crews, Arnold, and even the younger blood like Glen Powell and Ronda Rousey is heavily felt, as the remnants of the team are only a tired Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture, a visibly aged Stallone, and the always reliable Jason Statham. The new additions of 50 Cent (easily the worst performer in the ensemble), Megan Fox, Levy Tran, Tony Jaa, Andy Garcia, and Jacob Scipio lack the edge and screentime needed to make them feel like the cohesive, well-affirmed team that they should be.
The Statham-Stallone combo was always the heart of these films, as the two veteran actors share the only genuine chemistry in the series. It is a shame then that Stallone is sidelined in the first act, losing a key component of what makes these films watchable, turning this into a stealth Statham vehicle. The whole narrative of Expend4bles crumbles under the absence of its creator, as the script falls back on trite cliches and plot points that have been tackled time and time again in the genre. It is the year 2023, and it is inexcusable that an action film such as this lacks anything progressive about it, instead reinforcing dangerous stereotypes of what an ideal man should look like.
There is no interest in breaking the mould here, which is a surprise given that adding new vitality to the franchise was the whole idea behind The Expendables 3. It is especially insulting that both Megan Fox and Levy Tran, who have both proven to be very solid action performers, get nothing to do here outside of looking pretty and shooting some bad guys in the climax. The entire narrative focus is on Statham wanting to kill a terrorist (played by Iko Uwais), with the plot devolving into the usual twists and turns that will surprise nor shock anyone in the audience.
All of these narrative issues could be excused if the action was at least good, but Expend4bles has the worst set-pieces of the entire series, which is quite an accomplishment. With terrific martial artists like Tony Jaa and Uwais and skilled fighters like Statham, Couture and Lundgren, this should have at least two solid encounters that make the most of their skills. Unfortunately, Scott Waugh’s uninspired direction resorts to the usual tight close-ups that can be quickly edited together in the cutting room. There is no rhythm to the fights, no clever use of weapons, no catchy one-liners, not even explosive moments of extreme violence. Total numbness is the main emotion (or lack thereof) throughout the interminable 100-minute runtime, with not a single stunt, explosion, or rushed CGI bringing anything close to excitement.
In a year with long-running series like Mission: Impossible and John Wick showing that there is always room for improvement in the action genre, it is infuriating that the latest Expendables takes ten steps back compared to what came before. The first one is not great, but at least it turned Jason Statham into a household name more than anything that came before. The second Expendables is admittedly fun, courtesy of a solid cast and nasty bursts of violence. The third one may have been PG-13, but Mel Gibson’s maniacal villain, Harrison Ford’s cameo, and Antonio Banderas’ gonzo performance made it a pleasant watch. Expend4bles is irredeemable, a total waste of time and money, and hopefully the final nail in the coffin of a series that has long run its course.