The Expendables - The Extended Version

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 appear 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 it 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 a heavy punch. The dialogue is clear and sharp throughout.

Extras:

Lionsgate has released this movie as a two-disc edition that includes a Blu-ray disc and a digital copy.

Disc One:

As expected, this Blu-ray contains a number of new extras. First, we get a brief introduction by director Sylvester Stallone before the start of the movie. Next, we get Spike’s TV “Action: The Expendables,” which takes us behind the scenes, showing brief interview segments with the cast.

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 the 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 “First Blood.” Other cast members chime in as well with their thoughts on the characters and their experiences working with Stallone.

Up next, “Sylvester Stallone: A Director in Action” is an interview featurette in which Stallone discusses his film career, recalling moments from his early films “Paradise Alley,” “Rock,” and “Staying Alive.” Finally, we get a fantastic music video, “Sinner’s Prayer,” by Sully Erna, the lead singer of the hard-rock band “Godsmack.”

Disc Two:

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. Moreover, 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 extended film’s cut runs longer by ten minutes. It is hard to pinpoint the extended sequences, but I felt the opening act had a number of extended scenes. Overall, this edition feels smoother when compared to the theatrical cut. If you have purchased the previous release, then the extended cut doesn’t offer much, so a rental might be a good option. For others, I’d recommend this extended as it retains the extended “making-of” documentary. But, then, this release drops Stallone’s commentary.