The Expendables 3 (2014)

Director: Patrick Hughes

Writer: Sylvester Stallone, Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikit (Screenplay) Dave Callaham (Characters)

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Kelsey Grammer, Antonio Banderas, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey, Kellan Lutz, Jet Li, Glen Powell

 

Plot: Barney augments his team with new blood for a personal battle: to take down Conrad Stonebanks, the Expendables co-founder and notorious arms trader who is hell bent on wiping out Barney and every single one of his associates.

 

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

 

Verdict: Mindless Enjoyment

 

Story: The Expendables 3 stars by Barney (Stallone) and his crew trying an ambitious assault on a train to rescue Doc (Snipes) cue the over the top opening action sequence. Barney, Doc along with Christmas (Statham), Gunner (Lundgren) and Toll Road (Couture) meet up Caesar (Crews) and go off onto the next mission. This mission will bring them face to face with an old enemy who was long thought dead Stonebanks (Gibson). Beaten down Trench (Schwarzenegger) and new addition Drummer (Ford) get and give the next status update before gearing up to take on Stonebanks again.

Barney decides not to risk his long-time friends on the next mission and along with old associate Bonaparte (Grammer) helps him build a new younger team which includes Thorn (Powell), Mars (Ortiz), Luna (Rousey) and Smilee (Lutz). With his team together and an old favour called in on Trench, Barney sets out to stop Stonebanks. The plans seems to go down well but Stonebanks has a plan and this leads to Barney’s new team getting captured leaving Barney to go back alone but Galgo (Banderas) joins him before Barney’s old team show up to join him in saving the day and rescuing his old team.

The Expendables 3 is never going to be a film to challenge you on a story level, it does all we want when we go to see an action film with any of these stars in. I do feel this one tries to make the story slightly more personally and also tries to pass the baton onto a younger cast without dismissing the originals. Let’s be honest we don’t care what the story is really about we just want to see these guys and girl this time kick ass and survive impossible odds. (7/10)

 

Actor Review

 

Sylvester Stallone: Barney the leader of the unit known as the Expendables he faces tough choices when an old enemy he thought was dead returns and wants revenge on him and his team. Sylvester does a good job in the role that is all enjoyable from him. (7/10)

 

Jason Statham, Wesley Snipes, Randy Couture, Terry Crews and Dolph Lundgren: Lee Christmas, Doc, Toll Road, Caesar and Gunner. I have decided to look at each team. First the originals with the addition of Wesley Snipes all the characters are fun poke fun at their age compared to the new team. (7/10)

Harrison Ford and Arnold Schwarzenegger: Drummer and Trench while both are with CIA both work with Barney to get Stonebanks. Both the actors get to pole fun at themselves and in Ford character stick the fingers up to Willis via Stallone’s script. (6/10)

 

Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey, Kellan Lutz: Thorn, Mars, Luna and Smilee when Barney needs a younger team he picks this group of misfits who can bring the fight into the next era. All four do well with their limited screen time and look like they could fit in with any of the rest of the cast. (7/10)

 

Mel Gibson: Stonebanks an old friend turned enemy against the Expendables he is now a war criminal that has to be bought down. Mel does a good job while trying to do the same and Van Damme last time out. (7/10)

 

Antonio Banderas: Galgo the man desperate to prove himself who gets shot down at first but finally gets his chance. Antonio does a great job and is easily the scene stealer this time around. (8/10)

 

Director Review: Patrick Hughes – Patrick gives us everything we have come to expect from these stars, plenty of guns a blazing. (7/10)

 

Action: The Expendables 3 is full of action be it fire fights, hand to hand combat or just blowing stuff up. (9/10)

Thriller: The Expendables 3 does struggle to bring the tension to the party but you can forgive it because of the action. (4/10)

Chemistry: The Expendables 3 has great chemistry between the cast showing a real unite between them all. (9/10)

Settings: The Expendables 3 uses it settings to make a good combat scene showing how far into conflict these characters will go. (9/10)

Suggestion: The Expendables 3 is one for the action junkies to enjoy, don’t expect anything serious just sit and enjoy it. (Action Fans Watch)

 

Best Part: Banderas steals the film.

Worst Part: Still not enough Jet Li.

Action Scene Of The Film: Final Showdown

Funniest Scene: Banderas introduction.

Favourite Quote: Lee Christmas ‘You were stupid enough to get yourself into this mess! And we’re the only ones crazy enough to get you out of it!’

 

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: Has talks

Post Credits Scene: No

Similar Too: Any action films that these guys have done

 

Oscar Chances: No

Box Office: $206 Million

Runtime: 2 Hours 6 Minutes

Tagline: New team. New attitude. New mission.

 

Overall: Does Exactly What it Says on the Tin

Rating