Yo, I'll Be Back

Rating: 7/10 (17 August 2012)

The second installment of the Expendables is not as well directed or written as the previous version. The script is what is lacking in this movie--there are a lot of useless scenes and not as much character as the first movie. The action is fast paced and it is sometimes funny to see 60-year olds beat up on young men. Jean Claude is basically Jean Claude as the villain and he is serviceable, but it would have been a better climax to have JC fight Chuck Norris to see the two martial arts men in action. Unfortunately this is a Sly driven film so that you have the bull rush of Rocky fighting the grace of JC--too bad it is a short scene and not worthy of a big climax.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie. I did not have high hopes for the film since the first one was not a Rocky, Terminator, Die Hard or Lone Wolf McQuade, but it was fun. I expected less than the original unless there was a screenwriter with a better vision, but you get what you usually get with sequels--a decent product that doesn't match up to the first film.
The best part of the film is the quips between the characters. While there are some good lines between Randy, Dolph, Jet and Terry--the best lines are the ones shared by Sly, Arnold, Bruce and Chuck Norris.
A good movie to see your favorite "old" action heroes, but not something new or original that is going to WoW you.