Expendables 2

These movies are a great watch!

I saw the first two Expendable movies at the movie theater and I also purchased them on DVD. Even though I liked both films, I found this Expendable #2 even more exciting than the first one. If you are seeking an intellectual experience this is not the movie for you; however, if you like action packed movies with lots of unarmed and armed combat and wise cracking heroes you should check out this DVD. The movie has a whole list of old top action stars such as Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundgren, Norris, Crews, Couture, Hemsworth, Van Damme, Willis and Schwarzenegger. This band of mercenaries get together again for another action packed adventure. Lots of fist fighting, knife fighting and a whole lot of gun play in this action DVD. If you are into action movies with a whole bunch of old guys who are still very tough guys, you should check out this DVD. This is a fun movie to watch and I loved it. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Use of the Monadnock Straight (MEB) Baton).

Stallone gives up directing duties to Simon West for this second installment of The Expendables. The first Expendables was a classic in it's own right of paring the big action stars of the 1980s and 1990s together. Stallone did a good job with trying to direct and star for that movie. As he has done with other films in his long career as a star/director. This time around Simon West give us a sequel that lives up will with the first one and at times is more fun than the original. But overall both these film are about equal to each other. I was a big fan of most of these stars in the prime of there careers and it's good to see them all in one film together. For the sequel Jean-Claude Van Damme is the main bad guy and Chuck Norris joins the cast in a cameo. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Dolph Lundgren get more screen time than they did in the first. And Jet Li's part is pretty much reduced down to a cameo appearance.(I guess Li didn't want a big part in this one. But it's still good to see him in the film.) Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham are the central characters, just like in the first. With Terry Crews, Randy Couture,and Dolph Lundgren along for the ride. I'm glad to see Lundgren get a bigger part this time around. In the first, his character was kicked out of the group for substance problems and reckless behavior. Then he turns against the group for revenge and gets defeated (I'm not going to say how. For the ones that haven't seen the first one.). And ends up missing the action packed fight at the end. In this one Lundgren has recovered from his problems and is a team player. His character also at times is the comic relief. The man has had some good movies in the past. He has had some decent ones that went straight to video that went unnoticed. To bad bigger studios didn't give him more of a chance. All in all, The Expendables 2 is a great movie. it's good to see all the big action stars of yesterday in a movie together. This one is worth checking out if your a fan of these stars or over the top action.

Tell you what, I think this movie went way over board with the over zealous special effects: first, the plane crashing into the tunnel, not realistic at all, a plan going that fast, could have easily disintegrated after hitting the ground. Second, the splattering of the blood when someone was shot was way too graphic, does blood really splatter that much when a person is hit by a bullet or several bullets for that matter? I think there was a lot of artistic license taken with this movie. Thirdly, Chuck Norris, OMG, really? I was not impressed with him in the seventies doing the Bruce Lee movie and have not been impressed with him since, come-on man, what's with the lone wolf thing where he shots and kills all the enemies and a tank with a missile all by himself of all things, REALLLY?! I don't think so. . . and then he joins the expendables at the airport, what is this thing with him, "oh, I am a Lone Wolf"? Please! You know I would enjoy this movie if it were made more like the "John Wick" movies where the special effects are off the chart more realistic, of course the chances of being able to kill many people and to be able to come out almost unscathed is not realistic; but my whole point is that the Expendables could have spent money on making the movie look more real, instead of making every scene a blood bath. Otherwise, criticism aside, I did like the pace of the movie, a lot less dialogue then the previous movie and maybe more action too. I'll tell you this much, it kept my interest and I didn't get bored. Would I refer this movie to anyone, not likely. It's just all blood, gore and a really weak plot. I have to admit, for once, Van Dam dies in a movie and I think he makes a better bad guy then a good one. Arnold Schwarzenegger, please, no more, I can't stand watching him in this movie, other movies like Terminator are fine, but not this one. Bruce Willis, I am on the fence with my opinion about him, he is good actor in comedy and action movies. He is considered an "A" list actor, what is he doing a bit part for? He has been a lead in many of his movies, but I felt he was out of place in this one.

Look, the appeal of this film could not be any more obvious. But if you're somehow, for whatever psychotic reason, on the fence about seeing it, just read this paragraph and answer the question that follows: Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis walk into a room with lots of things that can explode. They shoot everything in the room while cracking amusing one-liners at each other, quite a few in-jokes, and totally absurd noise and action. Jean-Claude Van Damme has a one-on-one showdown with Stallone at one point. I just described exactly what the point of this movie is in three sentences. There is nothing else that needs to be said. So, ask yourself, does this scenario appeal to you, or are you of such astoundingly poor judgment that you expected something different, much in the same way someone looking at a clear day would expect a sky colored something other than blue? If yes, great. Ignore everyone else and go see it, you'll be entertained. If not, you're so narcissistic you never would have liked this film to begin with at any point, and your ego is eating itself if you give this film a poor review on grounds it never promised in the first place. The only real problem in this film is that it's lacking in the Jet Li department. Which is really unfortunate, as he was great in the first one. Not sure what happened there, but he's not around for most of the film, which sort of sucks. So if you're here to see Li and to not see him would make you cry regardless of anything else, you should not watch this film. That's as deep as it goes. If you saw it by choice, then you expected correctly what the film was going to deliver all along. If you expected differently, short of being deceived by someone else who lied about what the COVER was about, then it's very likely that you're suffering from a severe psychosis and could benefit from treatment. You're also probably a harsh critic of the Transformers films and referred to them as "dumb action flicks" as an insult. This is an added indication that you should never review anything, ever again, because you've failed to develop the basic cognitive ability to know that people can enjoy exactly those films, and your opinion on movies may as well be a review on how provolone cheese is better than Swiss cheese. It's just as valid, really.

i love Sylvester Stallone

Missed Mickey Rourke But chuckled at Norris! Fans of the first movie will be pleased filled with testosterone, muscles & a virtual who's who of Hollywood Bad A$$es "The Expendables 2" picks up where the first left off . A bit darker than the 1st movie it still manages to keep the successful formula of humor , action & little surprise cameo's. Jean Claude Van Damme excels at being a bad guy which is a real plus when your larger than life hero's are well...larger than life! You have to find some pretty imposing characters to make the adventure a challenge when you have a cast like this!!! I can see this franchise climbing to James Bond status because its all about the action & fun. I don't see a Oscar in anyone's future in this franchise, but I do see a successful formula that can keep on going this is one of those times when the sequel is as good if not better than the original & I am looking forward to number 3!

This is an even bigger celebration of everything we love about these guys and their movies! Although I really liked the first one too much to give a damn about its flaws, the second is an obvious improvement in a lot of ways. The best for me is Simon West's directing style. Now here's a guy that knows not just how to make the action hit you hard and fast, but also give the whole thing the right tone so that it didn't seem to take itself too seriously for us to just have fun with it (even though the stupid cover doesn't give that impression). And it sure is loads of fun, way more than the first in fact, not to mention funnier. The Chuck Norris bits were piss-your-pants hilarious! And it should be a sad fact that even Jet Li has very little screen time, but there's just so much asskicking going by so many bad asses, it's hard to think who's missing. My only minor little complaint - and maybe I'm being too greedy here - is that the final stand-off between Stallone and Van Damme feels like it should've lasted longer. Then again, I don't know what would have been long enough for us to be satisfied to watch these two guys beat the crap out of each other. Whatever happens, and a lot does, the movie still leaves you feeling like you just got back from the reunion of a lifetime. Buy it, watch it, love it!