Quite Dependable, Actually

Rating: 7/10 (18 August 2010)

Despite the beefy, leathery exterior that has defined him as world-class neck-breaker but nowhere close to a serious thespian, Sylvester Stallone may be a bit more astute (in terms of cinematic technique and his own roller-coaster celebrity status) than I have given him credit for. On one hand, "The Expendables" is a killer title for a film that is as badass as its world-class, neck-breaking cast; on the other hand, that very title seems to be winking back at its built-in, action-hungry audience -- as if daring us to take a leap of faith that will make us believe that misbegotten stars of yesteryear, many of whom have floundered in the direct-to-video action ghetto, still have the ability to leave us in awe of their prowess (both dramatically and physically). It's a mighty gamble that Stallone (as director and co-writer) takes to delirious extremes; the result is both a thrilling, bloody action showcase and a much smoother directorial outing (despite the expected deluge of explosions and bullet-riddled bodies) than 2008's barnstorming "Rambo." The plot itself doesn't stray far from the star's favored tropes: South American dictator ("Dexter"'s David Zayas) puppeteered by rogue CIA toady (a deliciously oily Eric Roberts) who holds a small island territory in a grip of fear; the heart-of-gold daughter who defects to help The Good Guys and convinces our jaded hero that some things ARE worth fighting for; the general lustful attention to the facets of fun and dirty mayhem. The script is peppered with in-jokes and knowing winks (some of them quite literal), and manages to balance the lighter moments with the more predictable excesses (there is even a fantastic scene where Mickey Rourke -- as the team's haunted go-to guy -- relays a wrenching monologue about the moment when his "soul turned black"). In a summer that has been sadly void of creativity and anything resembling a fresh idea, Stallone returns the action faithful to 1985 -- and re-affirms cinematic testosterone in the process. "The Expendables" is anything but.