You get what you're promised and I love it.

Rating: 6/10 (7 September 2012)

OH MY GOD!!! THIS WAS LIKE THE GREATEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!
Okay, so that above statement isn't true. Without ever trying too hard, The Expendables 2, a movie that recreates the mindless high octane thrills of the 80's, is even bigger and better than the guilty pleasure original. It features a cast of former and current action stars including, but not limited to Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Terry Crews, Chuck Norris, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, and the catch-phraseinator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Reliably cheesy, thoroughly ridiculous, and almost devoid of any character development, the movie succeeds as a throwback to the brainless banter and over the top stunts of old school action flicks. The script is basically an excuse for a string of these action scenes stitched together, but other than that, the movie just plays it simple in plotting. It moves quickly, it holds a sense of nostalgia, and any movie with Rambo, John McClain, and the Terminator in the same frame is okay by me.
Most of the dialogue is the witty banter between the characters (and that adds to the already great chemistry), with some good ol' one-liners thrown in. It even gives the cast chances to poke fun at themselves. Moments like an exchange between Willis and Schwarzenegger that recalls previous movies of the two are particularly golden. It's the ultimate in self parody, and the action's pretty entertaining, too. Bring on the next installment, and for that female expendable that's supposed to join the cast, may it either be Sigourney Weaver or Linda Hamilton. That would make my day!
*** / *****