Review of The Expendables 2

It's everything we wanted from the first movie and more! 'The Expendables 2' is a 2012 American ensemble action film directed by Simon West and written by Richard Wenk and Sylvester Stallone. The film starts Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lungren, Chuck Norris, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Liam Hemsworth, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film follows on from the events of 'The Expendables' where Mr. Church (Willis) threatens to have them thrown in jail, or killed, if they don't repay him for the mess they made on their last job. After the job goes down badly, the group of hired guns seek revenge against Jean Vilain (Van Damme) for murdering on of their own, and threatens the world with a deadly weapon.

I'm going to open with a simple statement. I loved the first movie, the cast was great and the action was top notch, it was just the lack of story and the large sections of down time that held the film back. Well Stallone and co are back with 'The Expendables 2' and it is instantly better than the first movie. I'm going to start with the story, it doesn't have much of a story but what little story their is is a damn site better than the one in 'The Expendables'. Everything is bigger and the stakes are higher. There's less downtime in this one, which admittedly is boring in parts, the whole reason we see these movies are to see people get shot to pieces, but we are given more of a chance to grow attached to certain characters. Now the cast, again it's bigger and better. With additions like Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Scott Adkins, it is instantly more awesome. Norris dies his usual lone ranger thing and Van Damme is a cracking villain. He's brutal and funny, and he could easily give Rocky Balboa a run for his money in a fight. We also get to see what we wanted from the first one, Schwarzenegger and Willis kicking ass. I think that annoyed a lot of people in the first one, the fact that those two big names were little more than a cameo. Well in the sequel they more than make up for it. My only complaint about the cast is that certain actors get overshadowed and have little screen time, but on the flip side, we see more development of particular smaller characters from the first one e.g. Gunner (Lungren). The whole cast did a great job, even Liam Hemsworth who I normally don't like as an actor, but he has won me over now. This film is also more proof that Sylvester Stallone should never run in his film, it doesn't look right at all, it was the same in 'The Expendables'.

I could go on for ages about how good the action is, but that would get boring, lets just say that it is better than the first one, and that five seconds into the film we see a tank, and that sets the general feel of the movie. There are a lot more cooler moments than the first one. What's important to realise is that this movie never tries to be something that it isn't. Everyone knows that it is a throwback to the magical time that was the 80s. People will complain that the dialogue is cheesy, and that there are plot holes, and that some of the kills are probably impossible, but none of that matters. They knew what they were doing when they made this movie. Plus anyone who knows there action films will love the dialogue. There are so many references to the other films that the actors are famous for, its just bliss. The film basically makes fun of itself and everyone involved. It's just a good time. Like I said before, the dialogue may be cheesy, but it makes the fun more enjoyable, the one liners are some of the best I've ever seen, and possibly the funniest paring in the film is Schwarzenegger and Willis. When those two converse it's just brilliance, pure brilliance. On top of all that, the film is funny, generally funny.

To sum up, it's a funny kick ass action flick with lots and shooting and explosions with a great casts which consists of a bunch of legends and a teenage heart throb (for the female audience) that spend most of the film coming out with priceless one liners that make fun/reference the previous roles played by the other actors. I don't think they'll be able to top this one, I 'The Expendables' franchise has reached its peek. I'm not saying that I don't want another one, I'm just saying that it'll be a big challenge. I'd say that it's a must see and that the only things marking it down are the way they downplayed some of the characters and the slow parts where they tried to develop  a deep part of the story. They did the same with the first one, they need to get it so that the down time scenes are interesting enough that we don't get bored until someone pulls out a gun again. What I would also like to see in the next film, is an enemy that really puts the strain on the gang. What I mean is that in both movies they have hundreds of goons to shoot, and when it comes down to it, maybe one or two highly trained guys that will give one or two of them a run for their money for about five minutes. They need to face a ruthless, well trained force that is just as likely to gun them down. I am going to give 'The Expendables 2' an 8.5/10.

It is what it is, a great action film for everyone who grew up in the 80s and everyone else who wishes they had.