The Expendables - 2010

Millenium Films, Nu Image

Written and Directed by Sylvester Stallone

Cast:

• Barney Ross – Sylvester Stallone
• Lee Christmas – Jason Statham
• Yin Yang – Jet Li
• Gunnar Jensen – Dolph Lundgren
• James Munroe – Eric Roberts
• Toll Road – Randy Couture
• Paine – Steve Austin
• General Garza – David Zayas
• Sandra – Giselle Itié
• Lacy – Charisma Carpenter
• The Brit – Gary Daniels
• Hale Caeser – Terry Crews
• Tool – Mickey Rourke

Story: Rebel mercenaries are recruited to take out a tin-horn dictator on an island where a CIA operative gone rogue has taken over. One of their former teammates betrays them and almost gets them killed. The team leader turns down the job, but decides to go back to rescue the woman who helped them escape, who also turns out to be the daughter of the dictator they were supposed to kill. They escape with their lives, blow the living hell out of the palace and the grounds, rescue the girl, and get back alive to reunite with the teammate who almost got them killed. Alls well that ends well.

Review: Okay, thin on plot? Yeah, but who needs one when you have a collection of action stars like this? Stallone manages a tour de force with this cast. Cameos by hard hitters Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts and Mickey Rourke, all formidable action heroes in their own right, with Terry Crews to throw a little UMMPH into the mix. Now toss in WCW champion Steve Austin and UFC Champion Randy Couture, and some very, very hot ladies, Giselle and Charisma, and you have a quick moving, hard hitting action film with all the right elements, including a great car chase and crash scene, some excellent kung fu scenes with Jet and Dolph, and the final battle scene where the film's budget spared no expense in blowing everything to hell and back. Now, for you trivia fans, there is even a bit of humor here and there with the names. Eric Robert's character's last name is Munroe, the same as the last name of Sharon Stone's character [May Munroe] in the Specialist, where he and Stallone also appeared. Oscar worthy? Nope. Family friendly? Nope, too much violence for the little ones. Satisfying, entertaining and fun to watch? Over and over again, my friend. This one is bound to become a cult classic for lovers of the action genre.