The Expendables

How many macho guys does the world need to save us from the bad guys?  Enter the world of “The Expendables,” and we have an elite group of seven mercenaries, each with his own expertise in combat. Of course, each mission they undertake becomes an exercise in machismo. Unlike a small group of girlfriends, who would go out on a shopping spree to entertain themselves, our heroes are exactly polar opposite; they play with guns, ride their long-handled Harleys, and undertake deadly missions. It is their idea of taking a pleasurable break from their normal lives. If this sounds interesting to you, then welcome to the big-boys club of “The Expendables.”

“The Expendables” includes an action-driven cast in the form of Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Mickey Rourke, and Terry Crews. The presence of the star-studded action cast catapulted the film at the box office and resulted in a worldwide gross revenue of $261 million on a budget of $80 million, thereby making it a hit.

Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is the leader of these ex-SAS mercenaries. Soon, he is approached by a mysterious man named Church (Bruce Willis) to conduct a seek-and-destroy mission to take down a military dictator, General Garza (David Zayas), on a remote island in South America. Ross quickly assembles his team, comprising of Lee (Jason Statham), Yang (Jet Li), Toll (Randy Couture), and Hale (Terry Crews). Ross and Lee strategize their mission by making a quick trip to the island, where they meet their contact, Sandra (Gisele Itié). Along the way, we learn that Garza is under the control of Monroe (Eric Roberts), as many of Garza’s operations are funded by Monroe. Meanwhile, Ross and Lee having their share of run-ins with Garza’s military forces, quickly escape the island. Sandra is left alone, and Monroe suspects that Sandra hired these mercenaries to kill both the General and him. Ross realizes something pivotal in the process, and he returns to rescue Sandra.

There is no doubt “The Expendables” is a grand exercise in displaying masculinity. The movie has all the ingredients of a guy flick; you have loud explosions, a display of masculine bodies, shotgun-wielding macho men, hand-to-hand combat, and an exhibition of male dominance in almost every scene. In addition, the seven characters show signs of bonding with each other that can be best described as homosocial in nature; the guys always seem connected and happy together, and their immediate social circle does not go beyond their group.

Having said this, does “The Expendables” succeed in presenting eye-candy action sequences?  Yes, as an action movie, “The Expendables” is a solid knockout, but its falls really short in the storytelling department, primarily due to poorly developed characters. Surely, the testosterone-driven action scenes entertain to a certain extent and keep us focused, but the characters are paper thin. Further, the story does add a new dimension to the action genre either with its story or its characters; instead, it’s a simple, run-of-the-mill yarn that does not excite much. Still, the credit goes to the production team for designing and staging mind-blowing action sequences. 

As the leader of the pack, one would have expected the script to provide more details on the character of Barney Ross. Instead, Stallone’s character lacks depth, and we are left to think, Who is this mysterious person? However, we do get a few insights into Ross’s past missions through several exchanges with other members of his team; yet we never know how he truly feels about life and death, especially when tasked with life-threatening missions. Other characters are merely passable.

Nonetheless, there is one scene in which Tool recalls a mission in Bosnia. He always regretted how he could not save a girl’s life back then, when he had killed so many people. Over the years, the girl’s death has become a burden on his soul. Even though Mickey Rourke’s character does not participate in the film’s main action events, he manages to leave a remarkable impression on viewers with his misty-eyed, subtle performance. Ross connects with Tool’s guilt, and he launches his own mission to rescue Sandra. Coincidentally, it is the girl in both cases who acts as a source of realization: that is, that some souls are worth fighting for. It’s a very important conversation between Tool and Ross, and it sets the stage for the events to follow.

Since my expectations for the movie were pretty low to begin with, I admit I liked “The Expendables.” It’s an enjoyable romp that moves along at a frenzied pace with enough comedy moments to give it variety. Even when the story falters, “The Expendables” entertains with splendid action.

Video:

“The Expendables” soars with a sparkling-looking 1080p transfer, encoded in an MPEG-4/AVC codec and presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1. The high-definition transfer is crisp and clear, with deep, bright colors. The close-ups reveal remarkable detail; however, on a few occasions, close-ups appeared a bit too soft. The skin tones are realistic and never appear unnatural. The grain, although minimally present, is evident in the night action scenes, and brings some grittiness to the experience. The blacks are excellent and hold up well during the rapid, action nighttime sequences. In the end, “The Expendables” looks spectacular in 1080p.

Audio:

“The Expendables” features a robust 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. After witnessing the opening sequence, I can say this is a demo track that does not disappoint throughout the film’s duration. The loud, thundering explosions presented through the lossless track utilize all the channels with subtle, yet effective bass. The gunshots are extremely realistic, and you can hear all the sounds as the bullets leave the gun. In the hand-to-hand combat sequences, the swirling sound movements pack in a heavy punch. The dialogue is clear and sharp throughout.

Extras:

Lionsgate has released this movie as a three-disc edition that includes a Blu-ray disc, a standard definition DVD copy, and a digital copy. The Blu-ray disc contains exclusives that are not found on the DVD version.

Disc One:

Starting off, we get an audio commentary track with Sylvester Stallone. He talks about the sets, the use of pyrotechnics in action sequences, and the story. He discusses the current issues, specifically the Somali pirates, who in recent times have held a number of hostages and then demanded unreasonable ransoms. Additionally, this commentary can be viewed in the “In-Movie” BonusView mode, a Blu-ray exclusive that shows the crew on set, filming various sequences.

Up next is a featurette, “Comic Con 2010 Panel” (45 minutes, 1080p, Blu-ray exclusive), that presents the entire cast for a panel discussion at the Comic Con 2010. Initially, the actors from the film talk about their working relationship with Stallone. But after Stallone’s entry, the focus quickly shifts to the story line, the characters, and production techniques used in the film.

Following this, is an extensive behind-the-scenes featurette, “Inferno: Making-of documentary” (90 minutes, 1080p, Blu-ray exclusive). Stallone provides his thoughts on the movie, the concept of good vs. evil, and the primary drivers for this movie. He takes us to actual locations and various sets. He also discusses the editing, planning, and scheduling of the movie. Along the way, he recalls moments of filming of “First Blood.” Other cast members chime in as well with their thoughts on the characters and their experiences in working with Stallone.

The next documentary, “From the Ashes: Post Production” (1080p, Blu-ray exclusive), includes interviews from the members of the post-production team. The interviewees discuss the significance of post-production techniques. Furthermore, they provide their thoughts on various editing techniques used in the film, and the difference between the editor’s cut vs. the director’s cut.

Also, a deleted scene is included from the opening ship sequence. Plus we get a gag reel along with a marketing archive that includes trailers and TV spots.

Disc Two:

The DVD version excludes all the Blu-ray exclusive bonus features, but includes a production featurette exclusive to the second disc, “Before the battle.” Apart from this, the extras include a commentary track, a deleted scene, a gag reel, and a marketing archive including trailers and TV spots.

Disc Three:

The third disc includes a digital copy of the movie that can be downloaded from the Apple iTunes store.

Parting Thoughts:

“The Expendables” does not add anything new to the action genre; in fact, it is a straightforward rehash of the same formula seen in the past. Nonetheless, the movie succeeds in executing several fantastic action sequences that are surely going to keep viewers entertained. More so, we find the best ensemble of action stars seen in recent memory.

Interestingly enough, even with its well-worn formula, the movie never slows down in its intensity and adrenaline rush. If you are looking for a sensible action movie, then “The Expendables” will probably fall short. However, if you are willing to keep the logical thinking process out of the equation, then you are surely going to engage with the mindless and thrilling action in “The Expendables.” The Blu-ray edition features a beautiful-looking transfer, a thunderous-sounding audio track, and an array of informative extras, thereby making this package highly recommendable.