It truly hurts me saying it, but the movie sucks. What looked like an homage to the 1980s-1990s action flicks with a dream cast turns out to be a mountain of disappointment in this plot-less, characterless, humorless pseudo homage. Hell!! Even the action scenes are horrible!! A film shouldn't be a prisoner of it's own genre. An action film genre does not excuse a poor script, just as an horror film genre does not excuse flat and uninteresting characters. Defending an action film that has no story by saying "all that matters are the action scenes" in one of the most widespread fallacies. Take a Die Hard, or a Bourne film. The movies are great because the action scenes are great but TIED TOGETHER by a good when not great story. Which is why The Expendables cannot get any grade higher than 1 by my standards. The only semi-developed character is Statham's (and I didn't care, it was just so flat and boring), and the rest is pretty much useless. Which is a shame when you see that a movie such as Sin City manages to introduce you to up to 12 memorable characters in 2 hours, and The Expendables fails to even make you like one in 1 and 1/2 hour. In total, both villains must have a consolidated screen time of 6 minutes, which isn't much, especially when you add how flat and boring they are. You do not understand them, you don't like them, you don't fear them, you don't even dislike them. You simply couldn't care less about them. Rourke's emotional moment that is supposed to be the pivot of the film comes out of nowhere and falls flat. As for Stallone motivations... And to make even things worse, you don't even believe that they are a bunch of friends used to fighting together. Couture's pseudo-funny moment about his ears falls flat too, and so does the buddy effect.// The script is so dull it looks like it didn't even care about it's own credibility. I didn't buy for a second the whole dictatorial mini-state that pops out of nowhere. And last but not least: the action scenes: THEY AREN'T EVEN GOOD!!!! The editing is so erratic you can't even enjoy the fights! All you see are 10 frame long close-ups of body parts moving and probably hitting other body parts, cut every once in a while by a wide angle 15 frame sequence shot. Couture's fight against the villain's lieutenant is not interesting, the main villain's death is bad borderline ridiculous. And they blow up. In conclusion, I'd say that the premise of the film is what killed it: by wanting to put too much, you end up with nothing.… Expand

A film about a group of men taking down bad guys and dictator. Big deal! You don't need to be intelligent to make a film like The Expendables that caters to lesser minds. A group of action heroes with some entertaining action sequences is a sure box office success but how many more films are they going to make like this just for the sake of money. We don't need, or want, to see more of the same crap. A "homage" to 80s and 90s action films. Yeah right, that's what they want you to believe and that's what the filmmakers justify as a good movie. The Expendables is just as modern as the movie adaptation of The A-Team. Plot and funny dialogues, or memorable one-liners, are nowhere to be found. Sylvester Stallone doesn't get to hog the screen just because he's the director when there's a group of A-listers starring in the same film who, compare to Stallone, happens to take the back seat. A film that stars Bruce Willis, who's only in the movie for like 2 minutes. Mickey Rourke may not be participating in the "epic" action sequences but his performance outshines the whole cast. How can he star in a whack job of a movie? We've moved on from the 80s and 90s, films standards are higher now. Haven't you heard of a saying "We can't live in the past!" Stallone, you're not Rambo anymore. A film starring a group of big named actors should hit harder but nowadays, they mostly don't. Don't waste your time or money on this crap.… Expand

I thought it was going to be a good movie when I saw who was all in it but as I watched it, lots of people who are usually the main people in a few only had 30 seconds in the entire movie. The fighting scenes had too many explosions and too unrealistic but thats what you get when you watch a Stallone movie. And besides that fact, there werent enough fight scenes. I was bored pretty much the whole time.… Expand

Yes, it probably is the 'most awesome action cast ever assembled' but unsurprisingly it's far from the most awesome action film. Many years have past since some of these guys were at their peak and they certainly having spent that time in acting classes. Dolph Lundgren wins my vote for the worst performance, just don't tell him I said that.

I haven't seen all that many 80's action films that The Expendables may be a throwback tribute to so perhaps I'm not amongst the audience likely to enjoy this film. A large part of the film is shot in the dark, and it does makes it a little difficult to work out which beefcake action star is talking trash or more likely shooting at an other. The plot is simple, no problems with that. Statham's girlfriend issue brings no value to the film or character and is a see-through attempt to add some 'character development' somewhere, anywhere. When Jean Claude van Damme turns down a role citing lack of substance to a character you know you are in trouble.

There are some nice touches in the film, the short scene with Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis being worth watching the film for. Schwarzenegger commenting that Stallone 'loves playing around in the jungle' certainly made me chuckle. Also, wrestling stars Stone Cold and Randy Couture going head to head at the end was a treat for sports fans.

The Expendables is what it is, an over the top action film, definitely nothing more and probably even a little less.… Expand

"The Expendables" is a rough, harsh, testosterone-packed action flick that provides more than ample entertainment. Although the story is somewhat minimalist and the characters aren't too engaging most of the time, the movie makes up for it with fast, bloody, explosive action scenes - the highlight being the extensive adrenaline rush that makes the film's last big sequence. The best stuff comes from the three primary stars - Stallone, Statham and Li, with Statham's brutal skills with a knife being my favorite. It's a satisfying, steroidal firework of hard-as-nails shoot-outs and fisticuffs, and will easily sate your appetite for violence and heroic mayhem on more than one occasion.… Expand

Short on plot like I expected, but it's surprisingly short on action as well. The Expendables was not the kick-ass collaboration it should have been. Forgettable.

It's a solid action film and it is enjoyable to watch but what hurt this film's value is the over the top violence. I am sure it would appeal to some but when you have guys flying back in the air from a few bullets, It just gets silly. Besides that, The story was alright but pretty generic for an action flick. Acting was alright as well. Not really memorable about it though.

Gruesomely entertaining with hopelessly amusing silliness throughout.

In all honesty, I never went and saw this in the theater two years ago when it first came out, due to its harsh criticism from critics and audiences alike. So I waited for two years and saw that this movie had returned to Redbox while the second film was playing. So I picked it up, and all I can say is "Really"!? Come on people!!! I think everyone was WAY too harsh to this movie!!!Everyone who's hating on this movie was probably expecting a dark, serious movie with top notch acting and a serious plot like "The Godfather" or something like that. Open your God damn eyes people!!! This is NOT that kind of movie and was never meant to be! This movie gives the term "underrated" a whole new meaning!!! It wasn't fantastic, but it sure was great! I couldn't give two **** about the acting in this movie! It didn't have to be amazing, because the whole purpose of this movie was for it to be a mindless, yet fun ride and that's what it was! Sure the storyline got a bit shaky and messy at times, but who cares?!?!?! It was still a fun movie! Recommended to all fans of action and anyone looking for some solid entertainment!!!… Expand

Too many characters try to do too much in what is a murky, underdeveloped story that leaves us unmotivated and unmoved.

The Expendables is an action movie, it never tries to be anything else. The Expendables is a good action movie when compared with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen or Taken, it doesn't have a badly written plot. Rango's plot is worse than the plot of the Expendables.

Not a bad movie with lots of great action, violence and explosions. The critics haven't really been gentle to veterans with their long careers and the minor issue: do each epic actor have an equal amount of acting? Not really, until the sequel.

This is one movie that doesn't attempt to create something new or tries to tell a great story, but simply put, it 's a movie meant to be watched and enjoy the extreme action scenes with some of the old best action actors doing what they know best: crush, kill and destroy. Yet critics give bad reviews because it's "not fully developed" or "hasn't a good story" or "stupid dialogues"...well I don't entirely agree, because I liked the action a lot, but yes it's not the "best" of all and many times I felt that they could have add more stuff.. The story isn't as bad as I thought and it's easy to understand too but it's extremely flat and predictable, making sometimes the story a little too unnecessary, but still enjoyable. On the dialogues, maybe I'll have to agree, because some of the actors aren't always seen and when they are playing their roles, they mostly talk in jokes or simple stuff ( for example, Jet Li rarely talks and for a big part in the movie he's rarely seen; even Bruce Willis has a small scene, then he disappears, although he's not in the squad. Same for Scwarzenegger....disappointing a bit ). I liked some of the jokes though but yes, it could have been better on that regard, but still I'm not disappointed from this movie: it's fun to watch, has nice action scenes and you'll get to see a big team of action stars in action. And I can't say much else to top this statement.… Expand

I wouldn't give a bad rating for this movie and despite its mistakes, I found it very entertaining. The action scenes are superb and most of the characters are interpreted by famous actors, so I would say, if you like action movies, watch it.

As much as Expendables has alot of cameos and appearances from famous and popular action super stars, it falls short when it comes to the main aspects of a movie such as presentation and storyline/script. Expendables was pretty boring and its action was stale, majority of the plot was pretty much predictable, but usually it isnt a bad thing, but in the case of the Expendables, its far too flawed. The trailers which came out before the movie made this movie looked good but the movie itself is a far cry from what the trailers depicted it to be.… Expand

I enjoyed watching the film, the action was great and that AA-12, god damn that thing was powerful, the story was pretty linear and slightly predictable, but the action and little bits of comedy makes up for it, it was awesome to see all the badass action heroes we all know in one team. My only problem with the film is that in some scenes, you have no idea what's going on at all, and supposedly the audience is being told to see it as "The good guys are killing the bad guys" I didn't really like that. But overall, it was a great film and i'm looking forward to The Expendables 2.… Expand

The boys are back in town. A great action movie, done by the boys who know it best. Story wasn't great but then, who expected anything else. This movie, is any and every boys wet dream and finally, it's reality. Great action sequences that surprising don't make the cast look ancient, even if the majority of them are. Some pretty crappy CGI moments aren't enough to ruin the experience. The only thing that would have made it better would have been more Arnie and more Willis. Roll on number 2!!… Expand

The Expendables is one those films that may look completly stupid (and it is) but awesome at the same time. It's a non-stop, balls out action fest that keeps on going till the credits roll. Sure the acting isn't to good but who the hell cares? If your looking to switch off your brain for a couple of hours and want to watch something so dumb it's dangerously good? then look no further than The Expendables.… Expand

Expendables is Every Action Fans dream.Stallone,Lundgren,Statham,Jet Li,MIckey Rourke and more i mean this is a Classic action movie for those sick of seeing Matt Damon as the hero,I mean screw story and plots this is an old school Action Movie,the ones i miss seeing at the theater,Stallone delivers and there is some great fight scenes.I loved this movie cant wait for part 2.Great to see Lundgren back on screen too and with Stallone… Expand

Sylvester Stallone. Jason Statham. Jet Li. Mickey Rourke. Terry Crews. Stone Cold Steve Austin. Bruce Willis. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Dear reader, though you would be wrong, it is not ignorant of you to assume that what I am about to review is the latest Old Spice commercial.

The names mentioned above are, in fact, the entire advertising campaign of "The Expendables." In posters, in trailers, in interviews, that is all you hear mentioned, asked, and promoted. Never before in movie history has there been a bigger opportunity to fabricate the most epic action movie of all time. And never before has there been such a more embarrassing failure to seize such an opportunity.

The producers of "The Expendables" may have been so busy casting our action heroes that they ended up forgetting to hire a credible writer and director. But no worries, because good 'ol Stallone himself has volunteered to fill those empty, very essential roles.

Read more here: http://localmoviereview.com/the-expendables-movie-review/… Expand

I seriously fail to comprehend how can ANYONE give this move a bad review. Rating should be mostly based on two factors: What the movie promises to give us, and what we actually get. And what The Expendables promises? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OF ANY VALUE. And what it delivers is: incredible amount of pointless explosions, incredible amount of pointless shooting, incredible amount of -no-freaking-plot-at-all, muscle-men and sexy women, cheesy one-liners and tons of pure, distilled, liquified awesomeness and badassery. It is absolutely all we need.
If you really, really think "I want to watch a good movie with engaging, deep plot. Let's watch a movie directed by Stallone, starring Schwarzenegger, Li and Willis." you should seriously think about your life, because this movie is a kind of film you should watch when you want to urn your brain off to let it rest, without falling into a coma.… Expand

Ignore the critics , this is one of the finest action movies of the 21st century.The cast is brilliant and the action is brilliant.Looking forward to the sequel.

In this movie u get solid action with almost no relevant storyline and a Hollywood star ensamble on bikes to make the movie really mainstream! But all together it's worth to watch it. It's all about the action a la 80s. Who's looking for more is definetely wrong - but everyone else is going to enjoy this :D

Upon opting to see this film at the cinema I went in with the expectation of it being 'crap but fun', which isn't too hard to achieve. Unfortunately The Expendables manages to be just, well, crap. I felt so let down by this film. Such a promising cast of old action heros, yet such a horribly made film. The action parts are fine with lots of explosions and stuff. But the padding in between is just torturous with a horrid horrid script that's just embarrassing to behold. This film captures none of the fun and frivolity of the past action films it tries to mimic and comes across as being far too self aware. Such a wasted opportunity and quite possibly one of the worst films I have ever paid to see.… Expand

If people expect it to be good because it had a ton of hit action stars when they are stupid. I had low expectations for this film and I was suprised that it turned out as decent as it did. The plot was rather generic and had very little of it. It did have far too much over the top (and highly unrealistic) action for my taste as well. It was like watching a modern day 300 imo. Overall it was ok for an action movie but trash when considered anything else.… Expand

Does what it's mean to do. Entertaining with loads of explosions. Don't expect something clever but a movie to sit down and relax. Could have been worst with a cast with that level. I was surprisingly pleased.

Not really much of a plot, Although it was interesting and well worth the watch. It features a lot of over the top action that was rather pointless if you ask me.

Best action movie I have ever seen. There's action from beginning to end. I was really looking forward to seeing Bruce Willis beat up some a*******. But sadly, that didn't happen. Other than that, great movie.

Quite possibly the lowest moment ever in action movies. What a piece of **** No, it's worse than that. I'd rather rewatch Conan the Destroyer or any of the Robocop TV series. God. How **** embarrassing. So utterly contrived, cliched, and downright terrible. Don't ever watch it for the B grade factor. This is quiet seriously like kicking the 80s in the balls and spitting on its grave. In fact, I think I will now watch the original I Spit On You Grave just so the rape scene will cleanse me of this atrocity.… Expand

"The Expendables" isn't a movie you would visualize, a movie pertaining Macho man with AK's and M16's kicking asses with a mind blowing plot twist. What you will see instead is old Stallone running around with his Macho grandpas, following a extremely fragile plot with 2% character development.

The Expendables promised so much - not movie magic by any means, but at least a decent bit of nostalgia looking back at retro action movies. It doesn't deliver. The action is competent rather than spectacular, the effects are a bit dodgey, the dialogue is awful, the story even worse. Jason Statham is the only one of the cast who bothers to project anything even vaguely resembling emotion. Stallone is the worst offender, not only mumbling atrociously through every scene (even by his standards) but proving himself to be one of the most unimaginative and cliched filmmakers working today (he made the ill-advised move to direct this one). It does have one sensational scene, however. It's an 80s action movie fan's wet-dream - Sly Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnie in the same room. It's a five minute dialogue scene in a church, and it's the most compelling scene in the film. We have moved on from American 80s action movies, to the extent that Hollywood can't even cast anyone who isn't from the most obscure locality as a villain. The Cold War is over, and so are it's stars. It's even more tragic that examples of a younger generation, who actually have talent (Statham and Li) have been roped into this debacle.The greatest crime of all The Expendables commits (as a film full of saggy, jingoistic hooligans) is that it tries to take itself seriously.… Expand

One has to know what this movie is all about : guns, blood, sweat, explosions, cars, planes, fire, martial arts, heat and fast action. There is no drama here, there is nothing intellectual about it. The quicker you let go and just enjoy the bubblegum your eyesight and ears get, you will appreciate the professional making of this film. The story is as shallow as much as possible, with plenty of situations pretext for destruction. The cast is just bada$$ guys who never featured in the same movie before, making this an explosive **** with everything a blood thirsty viewer wants. We got the little Chinese guy, we got the stupid grunt, the explosives expert and a real leader to take`em into the fight. I absolutely loved the Arnold Schwarzenegger - Bruce Willis cameo. I grew up watching their manly flicks and it is genuinely heart touching to see them old like this, reminicing the "old times". We`ve got some nice hand to hand fights here and a good pursuit. We got a big airplane bombing the jam out of the enemies and we`ve got a man protecting his damzel. The film`s final action scene is long but very intensive. Packed with all kinds of explosions and various ways to kill a human being. The thing I liked the most is that it kept real, not being too much over the top, not placing cgi everywhere. Those guys really fight, jump, shoot and explode things. Stallone shooting double pistols with changing magazines is my favorite scene ever seen in a movie of this type. Very solid, heart pounding experience.… Expand

Completely generic, muscle ridden plot-line that never should have made it in the big-screens. It only did because a horde of big-name actions stars namely Stallone...wanted to bring back his old days. Most of the cast was terribly underutilized and the movie felt like Stallone/Statham manliness battle. It simply could have been a much better film if you take account of budget and cast. Actors like Jet Li, Randy Couture, and Terry Crews held little to remember them by. Did I mention the horrible appearance of Arnold? This is simply a complete mess and joke for the serious intellectual watchers.… Expand

This movie is exactly what you expect it to be. An action movie with lots of explosions, car chases and shooting. The problems I had with the movie were the character development and the humor. There are multiple characters that really are not developed. Jet Li falls into the back ground as does Lundgren. Rourke is even hardly a character in the movie. Putting Schwarzenegger or Willis on the bill is honestly false advertisement. Neither one of them are in the movie beyond 10 mins. The other problem is the humor. There are attempts at humor but they are honestly not that funny. So overall this movie does have its problems. However, if you are looking for an Oscar caliber movie then this is not it. If you are looking for a decent action movie then give this a try.… Expand

no much of a story in it. screenplay was tight and gripping in the last 15 minutes. first half had its own dose of some humor sentiment and a bombing scene. second half picks up and ends as a action feast. direction by stallone is good in parts. jason sthatham himself and jet li performed very good. the girl character did not get importance. villain was wasted. casting was average as arnie and bruce willis did cameos for a while. sylvester and jason along with li are show stealers. technically movie is awesome. we have some striking background score , some rich visuals captured. good action scenes with fast camera movement, editing was abrupt at parts and second half was saved. over all expendables is average movie to normal viewers and it will be a good movie if script would have been tuned.… Expand

In all honesty, making this film was the biggest error in judgement in film history, until this film was bought for me as a present. I would have preferred to be the poor guy appointed as Messrs. Stallone, Willis, Rourke, Schwarzenegger and Lundgren's personal masseuse to knead lumpy knots out of their ageing liver-spotted backs on-set than sit the whole way through it again. There are some larger-than-life explosions; always entertaining, as well as some pretty cool knife throwing but the very thin space between over the top and unnecessary is constantly misjudged and fallen over clumsily rather than toe-d in the Die Hard spirit of things.… Expand

While this movie's story is weak, the action is enough to keep you hooked, if your into the movie and are ok with action being center stage and the plot being the last thing thought of, than you'll like this.

A ballistic action flick that harks back to a time when action films were truly exhilarating and gripping experiences. It may not reach such dizzying heights as it's predecessors, but THE EXPENDABLES is a spectacle that you will be foolish to miss.

well i found expendables kinda boring, the action scenes especially the hand to hand fight scenes where mediocre at best. They tried to give the character some depth but they got nowhere. The plot was weak a 4 year old could have made a better one. Maybe one that could have kept my attention more. The special affects made battlefield earth look good haha ok they weren't that bad but they weren't goo either.… Expand

All I can say is who gives a crap about a plot when you have this much testosterone slamming into you from the screen. If you are an 80s action fan (we didn't need no plot to enjoy a movie back then), than you have everything you could ever desire in this flick: explosions, big guns, kicks, punches, bones breaking, heads being vaporized, car chases, big name actors, and just enough of a story to make it possibly the best action movie of all-time!… Expand

An overall good movie but extremely disappointing. I had high hopes for this movie after seeing the long list of actors on the cover of the box. I thought with all these action heroes there is no way this movie could be bad. The movie delivered on the action with several kick ass action sequences, but in the end the movie seemed to star only Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham. Two great actors but I was hoping to see a little bit more of Bruce Willis, Jet Li, and Arnold. If you are looking for a good action pack movie with car chases, explosions and lots of gun fights then this movie is a must see.… Expand

Would you like to see three of Planet Hollywood former owners gather around in one scene? Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone make a brief reunion on thiz ultimate action movie. Stallone brings all the brawny heroes into one action-packed., not just the legendary ones like: Mickey Rourke and Dolph Lundgren, but also across generations with solid performances by: Jason Statham, Steve Austin, Randy Couture and even Martial Arts Superstar, Jet Li. Stallone (which is also The Director) puts all of them into one battle pool. Every one of them has their own characteristic and you can see the sparkle in their interactions. Stallone gives a precise mentor performance. Although Jet Li involves into awful choreographed fight, but he delivers some fresh and effective humor. Dolph Lundgren shows how good he is with his bad boy attitude. But still, the best performance belongs to the baldy Jason Statham with his cool and unmerciful expression. The story is way too simple and it has felt like the plots is only a vessel to their own playground. It is what 80s Action Heroes always do. Is it out of date? Not completely. The battle scenes still fill in today demanding which is gory and brutal. To us which are Action Movie fans, I am pretty sure that we have been longing for thiz kind of classic stuff, where the dialogue is brainless but it looks cool, where only one guy can beat all the bad guys but it still looks awesome, and finally there is always a scene where the Action Hero is jumping out of a mega explosion behind him as an ending. It is simply a classic! But it still rocks our world. Mr. Stallone, you remind us what we just needed! By the way, do you realize what does it take to become a great Action Icon? Beside huge brawny body and some killing moves? Pay attention to their speaking characteristics and tones. Stallone (Italia), Schwarzenegger (Austria), Lundgren (Swedia), Jet Li (China) and Statham (England). To become a solid Action Icon, they also need: a unique accent! Visit My Blog on JONNY'S MOVEE : http://jonnyfendi.blogspot.com… Expand

I can't rate this, it's pointless and i can't say good or bad cause I'll get mauled for it... So there is no chance i am going to say just how bad this movie is!

Lets be fair; is the â

There are countless action stars in the film, but The Expendables looked as if the stars weren't there. All we want to see when going to these movies are things blowing up, and that's what we got, but I felt like it wasn't LOUD enough. This high-budget film, just like The A-Team, has a predictable and same premise, but it has an incredible muscular cast. Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Micky Rourke, Jet Li, and Jason Statham. This is a high rated action cast, but at times you feel like the cast isn't there, its just stuff blowing up. A high-budget, a first class action cast, and a cliche plot, The Expendables is another one of those films.… Expand

i was excited about this film . it has almost every action star from the last 25 years in it . i thought with this many of them sighning on this cant be a bad film . i thought sly must have some thing good in this script. well he didnt . the whole film is a giant mess plot wise . the charicters are so one dimentional its laughable . the only decent thing about this film was the action which is so over the top and so much **** gets blown up on the last 15 min i actaully asked myself " jesus is there any thing left to blow up" this film may have felt abit cooler if it came out 20 years ago ... maybe… Expand

Sylvester Staloneâ

The Expendables has to be one of the most action packed movies in a long, long, time. But with Sylvester Stallone directing, why should anyone be suprised? Trust me on this, go because of the action. This movie could actually become a cult classic in the action genre of hollywood. With the story, which is actually not that exciting, Stallone takes his action and chuckling one-liners to the ***, pushing the film to it's limits and hypnotizing you with edge of your seat action scenes, and a suprisingly notable cast. The film would've sucked completely if the pace was any slower, but as if Stallone would allow that. Just as you think all the action is over, just wait five seconds and it will literally blow up in your face with the unique stunts and camera angles. The major flaws is to carry the story further and to develop it into an unrelenting action packed film with an all star cast. It does, but at the same time doesn't. So, great action most likely ever, but simple story.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This film is a bit of a mess. Although the action is there, most of the time the plot, characterisation and acting is not. Arnold Schwarzenegger's cameo is pointless save for a joke about him 'wanting to be President', Mickey Rourke's part is well-written but the character is underused, and as for Jet Li's character he spends most of the film getting his ass kicked! The plot of overthrowing a Latin American dictator is confusing and serves as more a template on which the action was put on. And Sylvester Stallone's relationship with a girl about 20 years his junior does slightly disturb...… Expand

I hoped this would be pure, unadulterated fun, but was left a little disappointed. The pacing of the film is wildly inconsistent, and while the climax is satisfying, there was just too little that was entertaining beforehand.

I really wanted to see this movie. All the action film heroes of the last twenty/thirty years. Bad script, bad plot, bad acting. I would accept it all. The only thing i desired was Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone in full action. Unfortunately, that's not the case. You'll see Arnie and Bruce for just a few seconds. I think this movie would be entertaining if these guys weren't taking themselves too serious. Plus, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal could've made this movie more enjoying to watch. Too bad they turned down Stallone's offers.… Expand

Wow Sly, u let me down on this one. I'm sorry but the story line just sucked in this film, even if it did have a nice cast of meatheads to fill the roles.

The Expendables reminded me of the films Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) and Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly) make in Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997 film Boogie Nights (Angels Live In My Town, et al.), both because of its preposterous plot and the terrible quality of the acting. Of course, Boogie Nights was a masterpiece, whereas The Expendables could have easily been renamed The Inexplicables. Another point of coincidence between both films is the ridiculous nature of the names of the characters. Obviously, Brock Landers and Chest Rockwell (from Boogie Nights) are meant to be humorous, whilst the plethora of asinine monickers in The Expendables (Lee Christmas, Yin Yang, Toll Road, Gunner Jensen, Hale Caesar, Dan Paine, even the somewhat appropriately named Mickey Rourke as -simply- Tool) are all employed without an ounce of irony. And I think that might be where The Expendables fails miserably: it takes itself all too seriously, even though it is the silliest of affairs. It takes itself all too seriously, even though no-one else will. The screenplay is childishly obvious. Puppet-like Latin American dictator, badder-than-bad baddies, beautifully exotic girl, good-hearted tougher-than-nails group of protagonists, and explosions galore. But someone should have told the producers that if you are going to make a FILM you need to have at the very least ONE ACTOR in it. The cast list looks like an inventory logbook at a meatpacking plant, or the VIP door list at the Gym from Hell. Jason Statham's idea of acting is talking the way Tom Waits sings, all the way through the film. Stallone invariably looks like a wooden mannequin with no flexible joints whatsoever. And the rest of the cast... well, you get the idea. Not a good film.… Expand

"Sylvester Syallone leads in all-star cast in this one of a kind , thrill to the min extravaganza , That keeps the adrenalin i loved and enjoyed every second , The cast is perfect , the plot is predictable and the movie is implausible but really Who cares?" .. A-

There wasn't much of a story to this but their was enough action in this movie to keep me interested. When I saw this advertised I didn't have high hopes but now, I'm glad I saw it. I'm also glad they got such a talented cast for this movie, although it was a bummer that they Schwarzenegger & Willis weren't credited, even though they included Willis' name on the poster.

easily the worst movie I've had the misfortune of sitting through all year. i don't always pay close attention to the directing but it was so incredibly terrible throughout the film that you had to notice. in some scenes you can see the insane amount of makeup that is caked on Sylvester Stallone face. sly looks so ridiculous at this point that it is hard not to laugh at his appearance. he looks as if his face has been frozen while he was in the middle of his best Charlie Chaplin impersonation. I was fully expecting this to be an action packed movie with a weak story and yet I was still disappointed and at times really bored with the movie. I can only pray that the rumors of a sequel are false, however, maybe Sly could do a remake of the Chaplin biopic. Hes already got the facial expressions down.… Expand

This movie was pretty nice, action was awesome (of course) so i give a 10 for it, well story.. hmm.. it could be better so i give 7, what is raising movie's score is jokes, so i give another 10 to it, and finally sound effects 9. And that means i can give a strong 9. I liked it, it was fun, full of action what i like in this genre movies, there was not much talks and if there was it was cool and it just fits to movie perfectly.… Expand

My only complaint with this movie is that the story isn't as good as the action scenes,and Schwarzenegger's cameo yet cool is totaly pointless.Can't wait for the sequel.

I Loved it! one of the best movies of the 2010. The critics couldn't be more wrong on this one. I don't understand the bad reviews. I mostly loved the way it it all came together awesome.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is like in 80' s. Very good actors and all together. Very good action scenes. And good jokes. I like it. It is like to be again in my 15 years.… Expand

this was a good action movie but there wasn't enough story to it and there was no suspense to it either. however the cast performed well for the genre of the movie. i suppose in an afternoon you have nothing to do and you feel like you some action entertainment then the expendables would be good. i dont think its a film great enough to see at the cinema

The Expendables makes no bones about what it is trying to accomplish: a flashback to the overly violent, manly, and explosion-filled action movies of yesteryear. If you try not to keep your expectations of the plot too high, you'll enjoy the over-the-top gunfights, well-choreographed fight scenes, and witty one-liners. Overall, a very fun and engaging movie.

The cast is hands down probably the best ever. The movie is basicly what you except going inot it. A "MAN" movie. It had action, guns, explosions and motorcycles. The story was basic but we didn't buy a movie ticket to Inception so its 100% ok that the story was straight forward.

I enjoyed this movie. Dialogue wasn't very strong but I wasn't expecting it to be. Basically this movie was another Rambo with a strong supporting cast. I knew what I was getting when I bought the ticket and this movie met my expectations. A good amount of badassery left me satisified.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Why oh why would you let Stallone write and direct a movie? This movie was terrible. I kept expecting Chuck Norris and Charles Bronson to make an appearance. After all it had everything else, from a exploding tents to the cliche helicopter the bad-guy will make his escape in. Other than Statham the rest of the entire cast did absolutely nothing. Even Jet Li was a let down. Stallone was incomprehensible, Schwarzenegger's cameo was redundant, Crew and his big gun was total overkill and the rest of the cast barely made a mark in a movie who's plot could only be have developed by George Bush on crack. So what was the point of this movie? Simply put, nothing. It made as much sense as vomit-flavored mouthwash. Don't waste your time on this one.… Expand

The action sequences are incredible, but as you can probably predict -- the plot is vacuous and a drag to sit through. Stallone does a good job of hitting the bullseye when it comes to explosive 80's action, but he misses his shots in every other category.

I have to say that this is the most violent film I've ever seen. It's also pretty humorous and now I'm considering Jet Li's character the best character ever. However, one of the expendables literally had 1 line! This film is still great and it even features Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Stallone's effort to recreate the heyday of 80s/90s action flicks is a tired look-alike that doesn't even meet the low expectation of sitting through a collage of high-adrenaline and explosions. What he seems to forget is that in order to make your heroes look badass you really need a good villainous plot for them to fight against. In this case, the evil bossman (I don't even remember his name, but he was played by Eric Roberts) doesn't have nearly enough motive or screen-time to develop himself as a villain worthy of the collective of action heroes. On top of that, this collective isn't even that great of a team - Jet Li and Mickey Rourke seemed like they just showed up for the paycheck because their characters are completely useless. This, along with the tired storytelling, leaves us with a movie that could only possibly be enjoyed by unwavering action aficionados who need their fix.… Expand

From the very beginning, I knew this movie would be boring and predictable. If you have seen some 1980's action films, then you already know what is going to happen with the movie. There are not twist, turns, or surprises to be had. The best thing about this movie was the stars of yesterday all coming together into the movie that never was. However I found myself bored during the movie just wishing for it to be over. The expendables is not a good movie, it's not even a good action movie. There is a reason 1980's style action films are dead, watch this film and you will know why.… Expand

Action movies like this (think "Tropic Thunder" without the irony) will always have their, mostly male and indiscriminate audience satisfied with endless shoot-outs, explosions, beat-downs and big shiny guns and knives, but there is a way for such movies not to be this tired, unoriginal and humourless - a talented director and/or a good script. With a cast and budget like this, someone like Tarantino might have made a classic. Still, I hope Eric Roberts and Dolph Lundgren jump-start their careers with their villainous performances.… Expand

This movie is a mans movie and a mans movie only but I think thats exactly what Stalone wanted it to be and it worked out great and had a perfect cast.

AN action film with the greatest action stars of the pst 30 years. We are either in for a actions gun pounding explosions everywhere flick or the worst thing that has ever graced mankinds eyes. Either way i walked in with low expectations. But they were easily exceeded by a thrilling action scene in the first 5 minutes. Overall, this is for action lovers, they wont care about the terrible plot devices and characters. Sylvester Stallone is still one of the worst actors in my opinion, and like VIn Diesel, you can never understand what he's saying. They also try to give Jason Statham a backstory, which cannot be done in a movie like this. If you want guns explosions and not much dialogue that is instead replaced with butt-kicking, then you have found you're movie.… Expand

Easily one of the best movies of the year, I can't recall seeing anything like it, 'The Losers' has got nothing on this movie (not sure about 'The A-Team'). It has got loud and nut-grabbing action scenes that put a smile on your face, people that keep up with shooter games will especially enjoy this one as there are a range of well known guns that you will be looking around to spot, like the Browning Deployable, M4A1, Glock 18, and the AA-12 ;)

There was a list of well known actors in the movie, though I am disappointed that Schwarzenegger did not play a bigger role, and the fact that Van Damme, and Chuck Norris were not in there. Though with the characters that were already there, a good level of detail and personality was given to each one compared to the amount of time they had. It's in a similar position as 'Transformers Revenge of the Fallen', were there are multiple characters but not enough time for each one, but in the situation of Expendables, it does it better than most movies out there.

The story is not too deep but the movie is extremely fun, and that is why it deserves a 7, critics have to stop judging movies by how deep it is and stupid little details (not saying that depth is a stupid little detail), they just have to pay attention to how much they enjoy the movie, one way or another, one way being in the form of 'The Expendables' and other forms being (for example), 'Shutter Island' or '2001 A Space Odyssey'. All around I would recommend this movie to any one and a sequel would be great and I would recommend to to Stallone (who did a fare job at directing).… Expand

http://getyourfilmfix.com/2010/08/18/the-expendables/

Seriously,i don't understand all the bad reviews.We watch Movie for entertainment,and this is the kind of entertainment i'm looking for.This movie stands out because of the actors inside.You got Sylvester Stallone,Jason Statham,Jet Li...and more.Who else do you need when all these famous action stars inside ? If you love Rambo/The A-Team kind of movies,do not let this slip past :/ This movie keep me at the edge of my seat from start till the end.… Expand

Action: Yes. // Plot: No, convoluted is an understatement // Fun: a little at times. // Characters: Forgettable and some are hard to figure out if they are a good or bad. // Disappointing Moments: Jet Lii not kicking butt but getting his butt kicked and Mickey Rourke having a decent size part but doesn't participate in any of the actual action. // Best Actor: Terry Crews with a pretty neat gun and the only one that took bad lines and made them passable // Summary: Most people going to see a movie like this know what to expect, however that being said the story/plot is exceptionally bad. You could write a novel size review of all the problems this movie has; but, If you don't mind turning your brain on mute and just going with the flow you might enjoy the experience. // Worst Line: Kidnapped Chick "How are you here?" - Stallone "I Just am"… Expand

80's action has returned on explosive form. Fantastic entertaining film that is being panned by critics taking it more seriously than it should be..................

Remember when we all thought, how cool would it be to get all the 80s action stars together in one movie. That would kick ass! Well, Stallone was the man to bring this idea to the screen and the resultsâ

A movie made entirely for adrenaline-seeking individuals who find giant explosions and unimportant dialogue entertaining. Besides some noticeable script errors and unnecessary (as well as utterly stupid) jokes, The Expendables is an action movie that is best seen in theaters, and an exciting adventure for anyone looking for a thrill.

Thank you stallone for making an action movie like the ones of decades past, where you dont need much CGI or fake muscle suits to tell a well played story of high voltage and massive explosions. All new movies seem to be made by computers and not actors, this was a true testament to the true action fan.

You know, it is possible to make action movies that are intelligent as well (Ronin, the Bourne Ultimatum). Frankly all those so called action flicks from the 80s and 90s blew huge chunks (with admittedly a few exceptions). Anytime a movie asks you to leave your brains at home, avoid it.

What do you get when you have a film that is set in the jungles of South America and has action stars from the 80s and 90s including Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Jet Lee, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, and every other action movie hero you can think of? The Expendables is an action film like no other. The main characters have to go into the jungle to stop a ruthless dictator from enslaving the country. The plot felt kinda weak at times and thin like paper. However the film was just getting started. From the first Explosion to the last bullet The Expendables sucks you into a world of action like no movie before it. The violence was over the top and there was plenty of action everywhere you looked from punches, to kung fu kicks, to explosions, and even body slams that reminded you of the ones used in WCW Smackdown. One problem was when the fighting would happen that involved any of the characters I felt there were too many fights at certain times going on at once. In one scene I counted three fights going on at once in one shot. I wish the fights would have been more spread apart rather than mushed together like peanut butter and jelly. Overall the movie does its job of being one of the best action movies that I have seen since Rambo First Blood. Be warned though theres a lot of violence in this movie so be aware of that. However if your looking for a hard hitting, gun ripping, body slamming, action extravaganza than this film is for you.… Expand

This movie does what it is expected to do. Have a shallow BUT more than passable plot, and have the best modern action movie stars making a movie with the best action scenes in theaters. The movie went by so fast, but it isn't a short movie, it is just a good one. One of the best qualities this movie has is its excellent pacing. It isn't 100% action, you have a chance to breathe. Every action scene is different. One might be a fist fight, while the other is a car chase. Each action scene has its own tempo, its not all gun fire and people getting mutilated. This movie has one of the greatest action movie climaxes of all. It lasts around 30 min. and it is all jaw dropping heart pounding action, once again proving how well paced this movie is leaving the best for last.

I am one of those people who believe its okay for kids at the age of 9 or 10 to starts playing M-Rated games, or watch 18A/R-Rated movies. DO NOT BRING YOUR KID OR SOMEONE ELSE'S KID TO THIS MOVIE. THEY WILL HAVE SHELLSHOCK FROM A WAR THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN TO.… Expand

Exactly what I expect from a good action movie - guns, explosions, violence, gore, cheesy dialogue and a standard action movie storyline. Obviously the critics were expecting something more substantial, but I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Woa dood, the critics got this one all... RIGHT!! It wasn't a bad movie, but I wouldn't really say that it's a good one. I can appreciate a good campy film, Drunken Master is one of my all time favorites, but this one really didn't have any attitude; you know, something that really ties you into the movie. It felt very predictable with the pattern always being death and wise-crack, it has plenty of conflict (duh) but it doesn't have much tension. Further more, arguing that an action movie is perfect because it has satisfying action is sort of seeing the genre in black and white. I saw a Steven Seagal movie the other day which I would call "satisfying", but does that put it on the same level as Die Hard? Not really. Lastly, it lacked creativity. Sure everyone had their own gimmicks (which they all show off within the first couple minutes), but I don't think they're being used to the fullest extent. Bottom line: aside from the all-star cast this movie does very little to set itself appart from other movies, and unless you're like me and HAVE to see it for that one reason, I'd sudgest skipping it. Just about everyone who starred in this movie has done better: Stallone was in Rambo 2, Li was in Fearless, Crews was in an Old Spice commercial, you get the idea. I've heard that a sequel is all ready in the works, and, needless to say, Stallone is no amature. I'm sure he can make up for this missed opportunity in the next one.… Expand

Cathartic and fun. Great seeing Dolph Lundgren again. It's mostly playful, but when it comes time to blow stuff up and break bones, it delivers in the ways you need it to when you decide to see a movie like this.

Filing out of the theater at 2am in a crowd full of adrenaline-fueled action movie junkies, that was all I could think about what I'd just seen, and pretty much all I was hearing from the movie-goers around me. The Expendables is the perfect midnight movie, the kind of flick that's so loaded with action, so ridiculously over-the-top, so smoothly paced and fun that it literally won't let you be tired. This isn't an epic blockbuster or a groundbreaking mind-bender. This is action, straight no chaser. And it is just... awesome. More: http://cinewise.blogspot.com/2010/08/expendables-2010.html… Expand

This is one the Critic's got wrong, If you went into this movie expecting a strong plot or interesting characters then you were doomed from the start, Critics fail to remember this is an "Action Flick" you rate it for what it is. It's like me going into "The Pianist" and expecting action and when not finding it giving the movie a low score

This movie does what it promises and does it well thats why in my eyes It's a 8… Expand

Way cheesy dialogue and tired story line but some seriously funny one liners (Jet Li is awesome). The action scenes are what make the movie fun of course. As long as you understand that this movie is junk food for the brain, you will enjoy it. Oh and wow, Mickey Rourke â

It was **** awesome. Sure, the story is a "been there, done that afair", but who cares? We don't go for story in these types of films. Anyways, most of the appeal of it is generated towards its ensemble cast. They mostly deliver, but the few screen-time given to Arnold, Bruce and Mickey is a shame. There isn't too much action in the beginning, but the end more than makes up for it. I do have to point out that the action can be too hectic at times, making it hard to know what's going on, but it sure is brutal and bloody violent. So go and see The Expendables. It isn't the "Greatest Action-Film of All-Time" or the "Manliest Movie Ever Made", but I promise you that its worth your time and money. A 9.5/10.… Expand

No offense to Jason Stratham and the other guys, especially Jet Li, but the moviegoer wants Schwarzenegger, Willis, and Rourke on that plane with Sylvester Stallone, en route to Vilena, because in order for the killshots and explosions to jar the senses, the climactic violence needs ameliorating, a context that would remind the moviegoer of "Commando", "Die Hard", and "On Deadly Ground"(c'mon Seagal, why'd you have to be such a Ty Cobb in this "Killing Field of Dreams"?), masterpieces of cheese, all. To everybody's disappointment, Schwarzenegger and Willis are nowhere near a bazooka, grenade launcher, or AK-47; they're near God, in a church where they...talk. In theory, a scene that pairs Stallone and Schwarzenegger, together at last, should be a monumental event, like when Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro joined forces in Michael Mann's "Heat", until you realize that both actors are better appreciated for their physicality and catch phrases. ("Yo, Adrian!" and "Hasta la vista, baby," respectively.) As for Willis, wouldn't it be appropriate if he died, hard, in the line of duty, in a film that salutes the action films of the eighties? Sadly, the more famous stars let the lesser lights do the heavy lifting, save for Rourke's loopy, probably improvised riff on an E.B. White-inspired tattoo for Stratham. So in "The Expendables", Stallone is Barney(oh, we get it; Stallone is old, a dinosaur) Ross, who returns to the fictional South American country, run by an evil dictator, the puppet of a rogue CIA agent, out of guilt for leaving Sandra(Gisele Hie), a woman the moviegoer presumes he loves, behind to face the music for being a traitor. But Sandra, a Mexican, turns out to be just a woman, and not a potential love interest. As they go their separate ways, Barney tells her, "You take care," perhaps, out of paternal concern. But that's not it. Something doesn't sit right to these ears when Lee(Stratham) says, "I never thought she was your type," as if it was a nostalgic trip through 1952, and not 1982(the year "First Blood" was released). In Fred Zimmerman's "High Noon", Kane(Gary Cooper) ends up with Amy(Grace Kelly) by default, because being with Helen(Katy Jurado), the Mexican saloon owner, is never an option for the cowboy. Sandra might as well be a guy, like the thirsty Hispanic drug dealer in Joel and Ethan Coen's "No Country For Old Men", when Barney, just like Llewelyn Moss(Josh Brolin), mercenaries both, become mercenaries with consciences, as both men return to dangerous scenes. While Sandra is no Eva Mendes, she's not chopped liver either, so it's very conspicuous that "The Expendables" skirts formula when man and woman don't ride off in the sunset together. This is no country for old men with old social mores.… Expand

What is with all bashing on movies these days, not just this movie, but every other that comes out? Does it make you feel cool to bash something? Well, I'm going to follow this formula, should you see it, wait til it comes out on DVD, or skip it entirely. Sounds pretty simple. Well, what can a say it's a action packed, cliched, enormous body count, explosion, testerone fest. And that's what makes it great. It's a simple action movie not trying to be anything but what it is. Anybody expecting more go see Inception. This is a dumbed down, stunt filled, slug fest. While not the cleverest movie of all time it's a nice little homage to action movies of old. The movie is a little deceiving in it's trailer, since this movies is mostly about Statham and Stallone's characters, with the others only as background, and Willis and Awnold doing a cameo. If you can take this movie at face value it's a quite entertaining movie. Not Stallone's best work (don't expect Rambo or Rocky) but if you go in knowing what to expect you walk away satisfied. It's not one of those let's tap into the hip, cool, new action, CGI fests of current movies (such as The Dark Night, Star Trek, Iron Man movies, or others in that vien). My verdict, for the old school action fan, go see it. For those who aren't wait to rent it on DVD, for people who can't stand gratuitous violence skip it.… Expand

The Expendables was a little okay,not bad,but just alright. Stallone finally returns and he's alright in the movie,but please he's very old for the entire movie and I wish that he definitely retire right now since Rocky Balboa & Rambo. The characters are fine,I like only Statham,Li,Rourke,and Couture. But Lundgren was almost not that great,he's again way too old as Stallone does,since his bad action films. Arnold returns in cameo and so does Bruce Willis,I just wish that Bruce Willis could be join forces with other guys since I love him in Die Hard,but it's just three minutes with these two cameos in the movie. I liike the two villians in the movie,Eric Roberts & Steve Austin and they are the most baddest guys in the movie. I just love the way when Steve Austin was so mean and being as a baddest character and baddest henchmen. Same as Roberts,he also did good on it! The action scenes are pretty solid cool,lots of explosions,too much sounds,corky dilaogue,great edgy scenes,very greusome with blood,and pretty descent film. But it's a fun action film to enjoy,but an A to F scale film that I seen that is too crappy for an action film. It is a crappy film? Of course Yes,it's same as Commando & Rambo,First Blood,Part II. Very entertaining film,but not quite special and that's what it is. Stallone finally did okay!… Expand

This movie was seriously disappointing. In my opinion, there was too much Stallone face-time and not enough of the actors who had good performances such as Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, and Randy Couture (better than most people thought he would be). Also, they built up Schwarzenegger and Willis being big roles, but instead they only had like 2 minute cameos.And in that cameo Schwarzenegger was billed as Stallone's rival which could have let to some sort of plot twist involving Schwarzenegger, but that was too much to expect. Anyone could of been in those 2 minutes, they were completely worthless other than just to barely include Schwarzenegger and Willis so they could add them to their list of stars, that said, the President line was great. Overall the movie had amazing action scenes, but wasted a lot of potential that could of led to the movie to be the greatest macho movie of all time.… Expand

I saw this movie last night and I wasn't disappointed in any way. The plot of the movie is very thin but I actually thought a lot of time was taken to push the story forward. It wasn't just all action like you may think, which I thought was good. On the other hand, when the action does start, it comes fast and furious. I enjoyed the banter between the characters, especially Stallone and Statham. The dialogue was funny without being cheesy. The big scene with Stallone, Willis and Schwarzenegger was a huge addition in my opinion even if it was only about five minutes long. Overall, a very well done action movie and a great throwback to the movies of the 80's, like Stallone intended it to be. If you like any of the actors or any of their previous movies, I think you would like "The Expendables" as well. I eagerly await a sequel with more of everything this one had. "You look nervous"-Stallone as Barney Ross, The Expendables. I loved it!… Expand

Not a movie for everyone for several reasons. One of the most intense action movies out there and also one of the best. Stallone chooses to up the action and gore instead of story in order to create a true action movie masterpeice. Funny dialogue throughout the film and references to current and old popculture abound, which make the movie all the more like the comic-bookish action movie the critics clearly failed to identify it as.… Expand

wow wonderful of using the whole cast. the way each actor big name was used in the film was the best anyone could of done. Stallone is an action genius. Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Steven Segal should of accepted their roles.

Critics are always looking for things that the movie never pretended to offer. An exciting story with M. Night Shamylan plot twists is the only thing that gets them high marks. If you're looking for some awesome action, and want to see all the badasses together as one awesome commando unit, you've got it here! The only thing that might knock it down a few points is the shakey cam does get a little annoying. At certain points in the movie you wish they would zoom out and show a wide angle to establish their current situation. Also something in the final scene was so illogical it really annoyed.… Expand