Search - The Expendables 2 [Blu-ray] on Blu-ray

David B. (EyesMalloy)
Reviewed on 7/19/2014...

After seeing the first Expendables a few years ago and being strangely impressed by the lineup of action heroes "together for the first and only time," I decided to kill a couple of hours by flipping this on when it hit Netflix. I expected it to be a rehash of the original with a few more action legends thrown into the mix, but I actually overestimated it.

With even less plot than the first, The Expendables 2 is essentially just a half dozen guys brutally killing hundreds of people with heavy artillery as they make their way through parts of Asia and Eastern Europe. Despite being a fan of horror films, I was shocked by the amount of bloodshed and incensed that the MPAA had no problem letting it slide even though they viciously censor horror flicks with half as much. The sheer number of nameless foreign soldiers who have their faces eviscerated and torsos blown apart actually made me sick. Yes, they're mercenaries on a mission, but seriously, it barely passed for entertainment. I know I'm supposed to revel in my manliness and think every slaughter and explosion is badass, but it just didn't happen.

This movie will most appeal to two groups: First are superconservatives who love the idea of Americans killing anyone who isn't American for the sake of freedom or justice or, well, sadistic nationalistic pride. Second are the longtime fans of B-action flicks, many of whom may consider The Expendables series the king of the genre for nostalgically uniting all of its biggest stars. Everyone else will be disappointed, particularly those who require plot for their enjoyment.

B-action movies have a long, inglorious history of romanticizing war by trivializing death and The Expendables 2 exploits this to the hilt. It is not a true war movie like Apocalypse Now or Saving Private Ryan, nor is it a smart, well-written action venture like Die Hard or True Lies. It's a cheesy, repetitive vehicle for a bunch of aging action stars to kill people and laugh about it. Want proof? There's actually an expecially lame moment in which Willis and Schwarzenegger swap their most famous lines (think Die Hard and Terminator). Trust me, if that doesn't make you cringe, nothing will.

1 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.