Stand for Something

Rating: 8/10 (15 August 2010)

Sylvester Stallone's mercenary Barney Ross asks fellow "Expendable" Tool (grizzled Mickey Rourke) why he is haunted by freedom fighter Sandra (beautiful Giselle Itie), daughter of the South American dictator. With incongruous gravity Rourke says, "Because she stands for something" Tool says "We stand for sh*t.", and they haven't stood for anything for a long time. Barney listens in silence to this wake up call. Director and Writer Stallone's "The Expendables" is completely entertaining, and at times puzzling in its diverging context. Both Rourke and Stallone are compelling in this scene-- the story's emotional arc. Displaced all within the swirling firepower, exquisitely orchestrated beat downs from Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Randy Couture, and bloody body count. In one sense "The Expendables" is accurately represented by rogue CIA operative gone despot Munroe (savory evil Eric Roberts), who calls it "bad Shakespeare".
The tag is not a knock, instead more an ambitious or pretentious affect of the screenplay by Stallone and David Callaham. "The Expendables" lead by Barney (Stallone) are a group of biker mercenaries—former Company operatives, who were the best. Barney meets with mysterious Church (Machiavellian Bruce Willis) and CIA "contractor" Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Church will pay Barney $5 million to kill General Garza (David Zayas), military dictator of a South American island. Of course, the mission is not officially CIA sanctioned. Lee Christmas (cool and solid Jason Statham) inquires with Barney, what the real mission is, and whether the Expendables are being set up. Yin Yang (low key funny and strong Jet Li) only wants to know if he can get more money-- he has family issues.
Barney and Lee, who suffers recent estrangement from girlfriend Lacey (gorgeous Charisma Capenter), both fly off to the island for mission recon. Surprisingly, their contact is Sandra (Itie), who turns out to be General Garza's daughter. Here the action is spectacular and the cinematography of Brazil is vibrant. Jason Statham is awesome precision as he dispatches of Garza's men with kicks and blades. The destruction of the island port during the escape is exaggerated and breathtaking. Stallone delivers the goods throughout "The Expendables".
In the opening scenes during the daring rescue of hostages from Somalian Pirates, we learn the Expendables are deadly. Barney (Stallone) is as fast as light with a gun. Lee (Statham) is silent death with knives. Yin (Li) is the master martial artist. Demolitionist expert Toll Road is mix martial arts champion Randy Couture. Weapons specialist Hale Caesar is solid and funny Terry Crews. Dolph Lundgren plays the tormented expert sniper Gunner—he is an addict and liability to the team. Tool is the equivalent of Bond's "Q" and the emotional anchor of the story. Then again, the amazing Rourke did the same in this summer's "Iron Man 2". In a great scene Rourke poignantly reminds us even in the midst of the high testosterone and broad narrative strokes of the costs of war, and losing one's very soul.
Rourke, Stallone, and Statham make "The Expendables" work. Rourke is a good foil for Stallone's battle weary Barney. Stallone looks totally shredded, displaying Tool's tattoo art. He is solid and acknowledges his age in this story. In a savage fight with Munroe's henchman Paine (merciless Steve Austin), he admittedly gets his ass kicked. Stallone wisely leaves the heavy lifting to the younger Jason Statham. Statham also looks amazing, and has a wry sensibility as Lee. On film he is a stunningly dramatic martial artist. In the most satisfying devastating fight scene he tells Lacey's boyfriend, who beat her, "Your life-- I was thinking about taking it!" Fortunately, he is a merciful man of his word. Jet Li does not have much to do here. Although he has an electrifying fight scene with Lundgren's Gunner, who towers about a foot over Li. Li is explosive. Lundgren is up to the task being a former heavyweight kickboxing champion. All the fighting sequences in "The Expendable" are executed with brutal precision. I was in awe watching Randy Couture slam 250 pound men to the ground so effortlessly.
In the end, "The Expendables" delivers on the action and then some, and Mickey Rourke infuses the right touch of gravitas. "The Expendable" is so entertaining, and I would be up for seeing a sequel.