The Expendables 3
DIRECTOR: Patrick Hughes
CAST: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford and Mel Gibson
CLASSIFICATION: PG13
RUNNING TIME: 126min
RATING: ****
IF YOU have ever watched two instalments of The Expendables, then one thing is for sure, Stallone and gang are not vying for the Oscars. Instead, relying on nostalgia, the group bring back things that made them famous back in the day. Of course they have all aged, but in no way does that affect their agility on set. Stallone, for one, as head of the Expendables team, has to lead by example and they all look up to him.
This time round, the team of expert killers stumble upon an old enemy, Stonebanks (Gibson), who they thought was killed in action a long time ago. However, much to their surprise, not only is Stonebanks alive, but he is participating in a series of criminal activities that put him on the CIA’s most wanted list.
Soon it becomes a great game of cat-and-mouse as the usual crew chase Stonebanks to the ends of the earth. To keep you glued throughout the two-hour duration, the plot adopts a newer team of younger and yet unknown actors who are action junkies. This inclusion does not really add any value because when the chips are down you want to see the original team come out to kick butt.
If you are a Terry Crews fan you will not like this film much because it takes a turn that does not show him off well.
Then again, Wesley Snipes fits in perfectly well. He and Statham have an unlikely bromance that sees them compete on the most bizarre things. Snipes has just come out of prison in real life so it is refreshing to see him jump right into a significant project.
Lundgren returns with his dirty German look that is coupled with lazy movements and a habit of delivering memorable one-liners.
Harrison Ford never changes. He brings with him that confused look of his, which works well in his combat scenes.
Arnie may be frail, and not as heavily built as he was in the 1990s, but that Terminator stare is still present and just as menacing. He handles himself very well and does amazing things with the gun.
A gem to look out for is the ladies’ man, Antonio Banderas, who portrays Galgo, a blood-thirsty killer who tries everything to join in the action.
Although Gibson has not been a likeable character of late, in this film he makes for a very believable villain. In fact, several “packs of n***ers” around the world will enjoy how the foul-mouthed Gibson’s character meets his end.
Overall, The Expendables 3 is a mesh of the following movies : The Fugitive, Rambo, True Lies, Passenger 57, Braveheart, Universal Soldier and many more.
If you enjoyed the two Expendables movies, the Die Hard series, the Lethal Weapon films and anything with Sly Stallone in it, then you will like this one.
Other expendable action heroes
WHENEVER you watch an Expendables film, it is easy guess which past action heroes will form the line-up.
In the latest movie we have Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford who are all stalwarts in their profession.
As they make their way on to the screen, it is only natural to wonder who is missing and whether Stallone and his buddies should consider the names that we will discuss here.
Danny Glover: Well, if Gibson made it into the third film then why not his Lethal Weapon side-kick? He may have aged, but so have most of the guys in this film so he will take whatever they take to stay upright and focused.
Steven Seagal: This is by far one of the longest-running butt-kickers of all time. With his signature arm-snapping technique, Seagal was just as feared
as Chuck Norris. He remains active in Hollywood and all who encounter him, fear him. The only drawback with this actor is that no punch will ever land on him. Watch all his movies – he never gets punched, not once. If he decides to tone it down a bit, for effect, he could make the cut.
Cynthia Rothrock: She has to go down as one of film’s most dangerous actresses. In fact, there isn’t another woman who has topped Rothrock’s legacy after
she stopped making martial arts movies. It will be hard to find her a female nemesis, but then again, she can still beat up the boys.
Billy Blanks: Now busy with taebo DVDs, Blanks remains as fit as he was in the ’90s. If he got that call to take part in The Expendables, he would fit right in.
Michael Jai White: All that muscle and martial arts skill should stay far away from Tyler Perry.
Clint Eastwood: Need we say more? Bring Dirty Harry back.
Lucy Liu: She is badass, any way you want to look at it. The Charlie’s Angels flick restrained her full potential.
Bolo Yeung: He’s probably 200 years old now, but he could still beat everyone on set. Not many living people exchanged fists with Bruce Lee.
Jackie Chan: We will need the comic relief. – Munya Vomo