The Expendables 3

Review By: John Delia

Taking a chance on scoring another box office hit, Sylvester Stallone and his notable actors release The Expendables 3.  The high energy, explosive action film takes no prisoners with this “no holds barred” battle thriller. Excitement from start to finish, the movie keeps you glued to your seat in this white-knuckler that uses more bullets than I’ve seen in a film since, well The Expendables 1 & 2.  If you are an action junkie and want to get enough “bang for your buck,” then this film will serve you up a heaping helping.

The film opens with Barney Ross (Stallone), Christmas (Jason Statham), Toll Road (Randy Couture), Hale Caesar (Terry Cruz) and Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren) attacking a prison train.  Heavily fortified, Barney’s mercenaries cut through the fighting and release former Expendable ‘Doc’ Doctor Death (Wesley Snipes).  The team is then sent to Somalia where they have to steal a bomb that the CIA wants to take out of the hands of a group of militants. To Barney’s surprise, the arms dealer is ex-Expendable Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson).  During the fighting; however, Caesar gets badly wounded and The Expendables return to their base worse for wear.

Not wanting his team to suffer more damage, he announces at a bar that he’s retiring The Expendables. On the way out of the bar, he’s met by CIA field operations head Max Drummer (Harrison Ford). Drummer informs Barney that he must complete his contracted mission that now involves bringing Stonebanks back alive to stand trial.  Fledgling director Patrick Hughes does a good job of working with scriptwriter Sylvester Stallone and keeping the high profile actor focused.  He pushes his actors to give electrifying performances a better result than Expendables 1 & 2.  Working with a fine crew that puts an impeccable effort into workable sets, costumes, props and special effects, he achieves an exhilarating movie that blasts from the screen.

The movie has some up and coming new faces and several new icons that give The Expendable franchise new life.  It’s good to see Wesley Snipes back on the big screen, showing his ability to take down aggressors as Doc. He’s vicious with his black belt karate moves, fighting off militants and rescuing other Expendables in danger.  A lot of fun on the screen, his performance conjured up memories of films like Blade and U.S. Marshals. 

Antonio Banderas comes aboard as Galgo, a non-stop “Chatty Cathy” that adds a lot of comedy to the normally determined team.  When it comes to serious fighting; however, he has some moves that The Expendables find extremely helpful.  It’s Banderas like you’ve never seen him before and he puts on a show that saves the day. The best new icon to come on board, Mel Gibson, gives new meaning to the word antagonist.  He plays Stonebanks who’s been missing from The Expendables ever since he double crossed Barney. He’s back now and brutal, selling arms to militant groups for big bucks.  Putting on very good show, Mel’s a surprise winner in the film.

Three new faces, Kellan Lutz (Twilight) as John Smilee, Ronda Rousey (an MMA fighter) as Luna and Victor Ortiz (the boxer who faced Floyd Mayweather, Jr.) as Mars get invited by Barney to join him in taking down Stonebanks.  Fitting nicely into the aging team, Lutz’s character is an expert rock climber and computer whiz. Ortiz makes Mars a very cunning weapons man with a “toy” that blasts around corners. Going up against the militants with her excellent martial arts ability, Rousey adds the female touch to the squad.  She’s hot tempered and fierce in battle and has moves like Snipes. (Check out her background on IMDb for a closer look at her credentials).

Stallone recreates his Barney as an older tough soldier that has used up his hatred and now just wants to make CIA money with quick jobs.  He’s more attuned to the needs of his fellow Expendables and with Caesar in intensive care at the hospital, he wants to retire his team of mercenaries.  He feels this last encounter will be his final fight and he wants to use men who are not his friends and partners in the event of a death.  It’s actually Stallone at his best in this installment and at the age of seventy, he acts like a man in his 40’s.  It must be the Italian in him, that’s all I can say.

The Expendables 3 has been rated PG-13 for violence including intense sustained gun battles, fight scenes and for language. Stallone films, since his Rocky & Rambo series, have been a guilty pleasure for me even though he’s had a few bummers over the years.

FINAL ANALYSIS: A super sequel for an adrenaline rush seekers. (B)