Never Ending Movie Carnival
Never Ending Movie Carnival
Expend4bles review: Lacks Soul and Stallone
What: When Expendables ticked off in 2010, it gave us an opportunity to see all our action heroes in one frame in a larger than life canvass. Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgreen, Arnold, Jet Lee and many others.
The franchise propelled with instalments with newer heroes joining the bandwagon, the titular Expendables, who emerge as saviours and the last line of defence when all the other options are off the table.
Expend4bles movie synopsis
The latest in the action franchise Expend4bles is an unapologetically middling and mediocre affair where the anchor of the group Barney Ross (Stallone) is killed in a mission within the first thirty minutes. Rest of the film hinges on Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) and his feisty, fiery action.
The Expendables are sent to Libya to prevent the mercenary Rahmat (Iko Uwais) from stealing nuclear warheads from the elusive Ocelot whom Barney had failed to capture years ago. Barney dies in the mission and the rest of the gang, barring Lee, is despatched by CIA operative Marsh (Andy Garcia) to get Ocelot and Rahmat. Lee is replaced by his former lover Gina (Megan fox) and her accomplice, while being secretly tracked by him.
Meanwhile, he discovers a file revealing Ocelot's sinister plan of igniting another World war and on the other hand, Marsh and team are taken hostage.
Expend4bles movie review
Staying faithful to the franchise's sentiments and sprawling template, director Scott Waugh (Act of Valor, 6 below, Hidden Strike) peppers the plot with relentless action, hand to hand fists and extreme brutalities. Statham cuts people as if he is slicing apples and pineapples. Tony Jaa, the new entrant in this instalment, adds his combat prowess to the enterprise. But the trouble lies in the fact that barring them, rest of the troop are on vacation like the film's logic.
It sabotages the film's nostalgia factor because we got to see them together in the flabby action sequences and here it looks like Statham's solo driven vehicle - an actor who has his agility and action chops intact but saddled with clunky and uninspired dialogues, and surrounded with more wooden performances.
Expend4bles – final word
Hey Scott, a film without Stallone is as good as a life without its soul. A Needless remake. A misfire.
Ahwaan Padhee, is an IT Techie/Business Consultant by profession and a film critic/cinephile by passion, is also associated with Radio Playback as well, loves writing and conducting movie quizzes. More By Ahwaan Padhee