A movie that leaves you ecstatic but worried in a good way despite minor clichés

Rating: 6/10 (21 August 2010)

Very minor spoilers ahead!!! Mr. Stallone went to same University as my mom and was told he could not act. How wrong those people were.It's hard to please everybody. I had to force my index finger to click 2 stars down because of it's naturally confusing nature, necessary clichés, and predictable moments. Take away those and you have a movie that dives deep into concepts rarely talked about or performed: Certain types of stereotypes and philosophy for example. While Mr. Stallone is well known for Rocky movies he takes on a similar but VERY DIFFERENT role in this particular film. Bernie (Stallone) and his group of mercenaries have been given the assignment of assassinating a dictator. In terms of political accuracy given modern terrorism this does not seem accurate to many well-studied history and political students such as myself. However, the moral destructiveness that has engulfed many well-off countries even in a time of economic hardship is slightly hinted at through the moral struggles of these mercenaries. An unoriginal cliché pulls itself to fame through the art of how the story or hero gets there. Bernie Ross (Stallone's character) is so like us as user Sir_Cellophane_Beak from Aukland points out in his review: "The audience falls in love with Bernie Ross because he is scared of the unknown just like us. What makes him a hero is his conviction and spirit, which makes him embark on a nationwide journey for the search of love and faith." It shows in the symbolism and multiple personalities of the four or possibly five main characters and one important side character. Gunner is the loose cannon and a threat. "Tool" is a somewhat stereotypical Marine and is used somewhat sparely in the film. He seems to have a interesting knowledge of medicine and guns which gets linked together in a way that is somewhat hysterical. Yin Yang is also used sparingly though not to the extent "Tool" is. He seems to be the stereotypical Asian (good at fighting and he has an accent to boot). Lee is competing with Bernie and has similar problems to him as well. Another character who does tattoos is like Obi-Wan of the group. His mini lecture(s) make you think-despite having a slang type wording. It's a nonstop action movie with an intense cliché romance that is so powerful and forbidden that it only takes a few short scenes to make you realize that Bernie cares about this girl for more than her "hot body". She makes him wonder where he should be drawing the line when it comes to his moral integrity and it moves the story so well that it's over before it started. The fact that it's literally shorter than you would expect doesn't hurt either. A few over- the-top clichés, some historical/political inaccuracy, and a funny but still unnecessary cameo by Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger can not stop me from telling all IMDb users to see this movie. Film may be a business as Toy Story 3's "tear jerking story" proves but that doesn't make this movie or Stallone's message any weaker; not by a long shot.
P.S. Unlike Shamaylan's awful choreography in the trailers of Last Airbender this movie's is more up to par although still slightly annoying in terms of having the eyes to catch certain punches or kicks. The camera also focuses unnecessarily but rarely on certain details. This is a reference to the review of user Guilherme Diniz who claimed the choreography was just awful, it was often unfunny, and the plot was a mess. He only mentions one plot flaw and it isn't a plot flaw but rather an issue he has with a minor sub-plot. Nobody said it was a comedy.The jokes are enough to make you chuckle rather than whole- heartedly laugh-out-loud and the plot will make ENOUGH sense to those of us who need the simplest of plots. See the movie and decide for yourself. Perhaps it is just a Sex and the City but for Men. In other words, maybe it is just a movie for over 60% of U.S. guys the way women like Sex and the City (since we guys don't understand according to one user's review which I personally agree with. Why do they watch that?).