Fantastic action packed adventure for people who love the classics.

Rating: 9/10 (28 August 2012)

This action packed roller-coaster re-unites the main cast of the first film and brings in some extra testosterone to pump up the muscle with great success.
It opens with a huge blood splattering rescue mission, introducing the good guys doing what they do best, killing people.
As they plough through an army with a heavy duty bomb proof vehicle, rocket launchers and machine guns, there's no doubt that Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Randy Couture, Terry Crews and Liam Hemsworth alone are going deliver a fun packed thrill ride. Heads explode, limbs fly and water tanks fall, you are instantly drawn into the action.
There's the first of two key appearances by the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger in the first opening sequence. The few quick one liners he and the others deliver in the scene, pretty much set the tone for a lot of what's to come.
After the adrenaline filled rampage of mayhem, we are shown the now iconic Expendables logo.
With the departure of Yin Yang (Li) just after the first scene, the team is left with the rest of the remaining members.
The Expendables are enjoying time between missions, hanging out in an old town rock n roll motorbike bar. The newest and youngest member of the group, Bill The Kid (Hemsworth), talks to Barney (Stallone) about his new life with the team and how although he has respect and appreciation for them, beneath that it's not for him. During a surprisingly deep conversation, well executed by the actors, a mutual and somewhat emotional bond is made between the characters.
Barney suddenly gets approached by the powerful Mr Church (Bruce Willis), who comes in demanding that it's time to pay him back an overdue favour. In order to settle the score between them, Barney accepts the objective, also burdened with the promise that he takes one of Churches recruits in with him (Nan Yu) and makes sure nothing happens to her.
As the team are en route to the location of the mission, we get some more character development for Bill The Kid as he tells a story of a dramatic event he went through in the army.
While he centers as the emotional backdrop of the film, it doesn't fail to forget that it's a light hearted and comic driven film, with Lundgren giving one of the most hilarious performances of his career. Surprisingly, he knows not only how to show off his action skills, he can deliver comedy like no other.
The Expendables hike through misty woods to their point of location, with Bill The Kid demonstrating his agility by running up a very steep hill. Again, the one liners are thrown in, especially by Stallone and Statham.
During a predictable but tense bomb diffusion scene, whereby Stallone and Crews show off their monstrously impressive strength, praising open two security locked doors so that Maggie (Nu) can get in and work her computer skills, we get a sense that the film is going to deliver a big moment very soon.
Lighting up the screen with his first Hollywood appearance in over a decade, Jean Claude Van Damme appears raw and ruthless. He gives an exceptionally dark performance of his dangerous and fearless character, Villain.
Van Damme delivers his lines with sheer perfection. He is instantly likable as the villain of the film, even though his screen time is limited, his scenes are pulsing with electricity.
After holding the Expendables at gun point with members of his army, Villain punishes them deeply by murdering Billy The Kid right in front of them. The execution of his death is both shocking and surprising.
Now the team are hell-bent on revenge they set out to bring down Villain and his army.
Hiding out in an abandoned army training city, we are enlightened with more comedic and witty dialogue from everybody. Another big action scene takes places at this location and introduces the first appearance of the bearded martial arts hero, Chuck Norris. While his scene is short, it is no doubt one of the highlights of the film.
After taking advice from Booker (Norris), Barney and his group head to a village where there are people fighting for survival in what's left of their once growing community, previously destroyed by Villain.
More carnage erupts as some of Villains army attack the village. An impressive fight scene between Lee (Statham) and a group of soldiers in a church breaks out in a church while blood guts and bullet holes scatter throughout everybody else's encounters.
Now it's time for the action ensemble people have dreamt about for years.
After the Expendables are trapped underground, covered by mass amounts of rubble, Schwarzenegger saves the day; breaking them free and joining forces with them to bring Villain to the ground.
They are then joined by Mr Church (Willis), who turns up to help end the reign of terror that Villain had started.
This final act contains some of the most entertaining sequences ever put to screen. It's absolutely packed with nostalgia, fans of the unmatchable action heroes will be left happily satisfied with the way their screen time is used.
Stallone and Van Damme have a showdown that will leave fans of the mussels from Brussels breathless and wanting more as he performs his signature kick, twice! Something we have not seen in a very long time.
To conclude, the film is a fast paced entertaining throwback to the action films of the 80's and early 90's, a time when it was all about guns, muscles, cheesy one liners and lots of explosions. People should know what to expect when going into a film like this. It's fun, exciting and a damn good time. Here's to Expendables 3!