[Warning: This review contains spoilers.]
In all due respect, I have not seen “Expendables” 1, 2, or 3. Regardless, whether or not this is the fourth installment of the series, this movie was completely lack-luster. I strongly believe that films, regardless of where it stands within its series, still have the ability to either be better than the other entries if not at least on the same level. I cannot speak on whether or not it is the same quality as the others, but I can say it was just the most soulless, mind-numbing, and cash-grabbiest movie I have ever seen.
The Good
Before I really dig into the dirt in this movie, I do want to say that this movie has some decent action and choreography in some parts. The most notable being when Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) is fighting Suarto (Iko Uwais). The camerawork, movement, and final attack were satisfying to a degree because it was built up longer than other things in this movie (approximately 15 minutes).
This whole movie, in some sections, is so bad that it can be entertaining. For example, if you were to watch this with friends, you can just laugh and joke all the way through it, and it would be a wonderful time. There was also one scene where Lee Christmas decides he will sacrifice himself, and he’s sitting behind a door dealing with the decision he just made. Otherwise, there is not much I can talk about in regard to good things.
The Bad
This movie has multiple flaws, but I think the thing that destroys it the most is that I genuinely do not care about the characters throughout anything that they do. One of them gets shot and I audibly went, “Sure, I guess.” Even in the beginning, Barney (Sylvester Stallone) dies sacrificing himself and is a catalyst to motivate Lee Christmas to bring down the big bad guys. Again, I didn’t watch the other movies but no matter how many times I would watch 1, 2, or 3, there is no way I would care for the character to die for the reason of being a plot device. Here’s something else too:
He faked his death.
Not only do I not care that he died at the start, I absolutely despised that he was actually alive. He revealed himself at the very end of the fight when it seemed like “all hope was lost,” and with the dramatic timing of a wet blanket, he completely wiped out the surprise villain with a quick spray from a helicopter gatling gun. Also, the “surprise” villain was actually Marsh (Andy García), their intel guy/guy in charge (I guess, that’s just from what I could tell). This movie just overall did not have any weight and felt as though it was written and produced by artificial intelligence.
A minor nitpick is that the CGI looks like a PlayStation 3 game, and the green screen is noticeably obvious. Also, within the movie, there are only two major action locations, and 4 to 5 talking locations. So not only was this movie boring and weightless, but it feels like everything that is important happens in only 2 or 3 places, and makes it feel bland.
This movie was genuinely just uninspired, and I wish it wasn’t. It was so bland that I forgot what the main point of the movie even was. It’s a product of movies of its kind being tapped so much from the well, that it is hard to be original anymore within the genre. It looks slapped together, feels slapped together, and only has entertainment value from its slapped togetherness.
Final Rating – 3.4/10
Regardless, you should still go out and see movies whether they are good or bad. It can build your own taste as well as being able to distinguish the truly good movies to the just okay ones. Support local business, and go out to the theaters!
