Over so soon??.... I want my money's worth

Rating: 7/10 (14 August 2014)

Continuing my plan to watch every Sly movie in in order, I come to 2012's Expendables 2.
Plot In A Paragraph: When a seemingly easy mission goes wrong, and one of their men is murdered, Barney Ross and the rest of the Expendables set out for revenge.
Those movie has two things going for it over the first movie. Jean Claude Van Damme is in top form as the bad guy, Villain. And we finally see Sly, Arnie and Bruce Willis in action side by side.
That said, for this Reviewer, it's much weaker than the first movie. Much more emphasis is placed on comedy and again (obviously with the exception of the one who does die) you never feel any of the Expendables are in any danger. Even when they are buried alive there is no real tension, as Sly sits smoking a stogie while playing with his lighter. There was more drama in Toy Story 3 (which I watched last night) when Woody, Buzz and the gang were holding hands in the incinerator heading towards their fate.
Scott Adkins's character (whose name I can't recall, despite just watching it) is basically the same guy Gary Daniels played in the first movie!! I can't remember his characters name either.
Once again, I liked everything about the soundtrack from the songs used to the score. I do not mind Sly rockin the tache!! (How can I, when I love Burt Reynolds) I liked Liam Hemsworth as Billy The Kid, I thought he was decent, though his story about the dog got a laugh in my screening. I remember the original storyline had Tool being killed off as the motivation for the team's subsequent actions. This was changed when Mickey Rourke left to pursue another project. Then I remember Taylor Lautner (Twilight) was pursued, which angered a lot of fans, before Hemsworth was cast.
I'm surprised this didn't lead to a come back of sorts for Van Damme, as he was very good in it. I liked the Chuck Norris bits, and Nan Yu was fine as Maggie too.
The heart to heart scene with Sly's and Maggie is not a patch on the scene with Rourke in the first movie, it's not even as good as the "Expendable" scene between Sly's Rambo and Julia Nickson's Co on the boat in "First Blood part 2". But it's an attempt at character development, so you have to appreciate it for what it is.
I think the whole PG-13 controversy, only to be changed at the last minute, hurt the movie. As it doesn't know what it wants to be, and the CGI blood added at the last minute looks poor. I know Norris seemed to be blamed on line, but since Avi Lerner had 2 cuts of the first movie made (one a PG-13) I'm guessing he was behind that one too!! Don't have "Yipeee Kia Yay" in if you are not gonna drop the f bomb!!
My last gripe is the final fight between Sly and Van Damme, far too short, and Van Damme is dispatched far too easily by Sly!! I think Van Damme himself summed the fight up "Over so soon??.... I want my money's worth!!" It's how I felt!! Short changed. I'd have liked maybe Sly and Van Damme's old nemesis from Universal Soldier, Dolph Lundgren teaming up against Van Damme, like Statham and Li did against Gary Daniels in the first one.Speaking of Lundgren, his insane Gunner from he first movie was dumbed down for comedy effect.
Finishing with a domestic gross of $85million, Expendables 2 ended the year the 36th highest grossing movie of the year. Which whilst down on the first movie's numbers, was still a decent success.
Not as good as the first (which is disappointing considering this has a better cast) and not the best work of any of the main stars, but an OK way to spend 90 mins.
7/10. I nearly voted it 6/10, but it does have its moments.