Movie review: The Expendables ***

Our on-staff movie buff Leanne McGrath shares her latest candid movie review. Email feedback to her at [email protected].

The Expendables  ***

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Rated: R
Showing: Liberty Theatre week of Friday, August 27 - daily at 9pm.
Runtime: 103 minutes
Action/adventure

Action movie legends Arnie, Sly and Bruce appear together on screen for the first time ever, supported by a string of stars who shot to fame in shoot-em-ups.

This is the main reason for seeing the movie — testosterone-fuelled heroics with lots of guns and explosions take precedence over plot.

Stallone is Barney Ross, head of a band of mercenaries named the Expendables.

The rest of the team includes knife ace Lee Christmas (Jason Statham, The Transporter), martial arts expert Ying Yang (Jet Li, Unleashed), sniper Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren, Rocky IV), heavy weapons supremo Hale Caesar (Terry Crews, Gamer) and demolition man Toll Road (UFC champ Randy Couture).

They are hired by the CIA to get rid of ruthless South American dictator General Garza (David Zayas, Dexter), who has caused devastation for more than 20 years.

But when Ross becomes close to their contact on the island — the fictional state of Vilena, which bears similarities to Cuba — Garza’s daughter Sandra (Giselle Itié), the mission becomes about more than just money.

He must choose whether to walk away and save his own life or embark on a suicidal rescue mission.

This movie promises much but Schwarzenegger and Willis only appear briefly.

With them taking top billing alongside Stallone, it could have been great.

Their one scene together features Willis as a CIA boss offering the well-paid but suicidal mission to Stallone’s Ross and Schwarzenegger’s shady Mr. Trench.

With their tongues firmly in their cheeks, their bickering is at odds with their tough guy images. The film fails to follow this high and the rest of the cast are popular but not worthy of the ‘action legend’ title.

The only exception is Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) but his character, Tool, is largely insignificant.

The dialogue is mostly unintelligible or drowned out by explosions but the martial arts displays are impressive, as is the bombing of a presidential palace.

Car chases, shoot-outs and explosions also hold your interest although it would have been nice to see Rocky legend Stallone throw a punch. It’s brains over brawn but a good popcorn movie.