It's a star packed, action packed, and utterly ridiculous movie... and I love it!

Rating: 7/10 (27 August 2010)

OH MY GOD! THIS WAS LIKE THE GREATEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!
Okay, my first comment isn't accurate, but the one accurate thing I think CAN be said about The Expendables, is that it's a pretty fun guilty pleasure movie. In fact, guilty pleasure really doesn't give the film enough credit.
The film is written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, who also stars in the film as Barney Ross, the head of a team of mercenaries, comprised of other skilled men such as Lee Christmas (Played by Jason Statham), Ying Yang (Jet Li), and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews). They are hired by a mysterious man named Mister Church (Played by Bruce Willis in an awesome cameo) to travel to South America, and overthrow a power hungry dictator. But once there, they try to protect his daughter as well, and later find out that this mission also involves a ruthless crime lord named James Munroe (Played by Eric Roberts).
The story is kind of secondary to the real star that is the action,, a little predictable, but it's still pretty engaging that we're able to have fun with, and enjoy the dialogue. The movie is very funny with the chemistry between its actors, and the interest is always pretty high.
The ensemble cast is simply huge, and fun, featuring just about any major action movie star you could ask for. Stallone, Statham, Li, Crews, Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin, and Randy Couture are a pretty impressive badass lineup, along with Eric Roberts, and Mickey Rourke in great supporting roles. and brilliant cameos by Bruce Willis, and 80's action movie LEGEND Arnold Schwarzenegger (Rocky Balboa, The Terminator, AND John McClane in the same frame together?! EPIC WIN!).
This is to say nothing of the action, which is overblown, over the top, and completely ridiculous... AND I LOVE IT! It's way too much fun, the sound design and mix is impressive, the stunt coordination is top notch, and the visuals are simply killer. Thumbs way up.
My only real complaint is that I wish the film would have given Schwarzenegger a chance to make a brilliant one liner, which he's undoubtedly the king of. Even an "I'll be back." or "Hasta la Vista, baby!" would have made my day.
Still, it's a highly passable summer action flick. Predictable, but never boring.
I give the Expendables **1/2 out of ****