The Expendables 2

The first Expendables was everything men who were children in the eighties and nineties could have dreamed of, and The Expendables 2 is so much better in every aspect it should be illegal. Featuring a cast with a combined age of around 980 years, these guys have been around the block. However, they have never traveled together. Stallone may be my favorite person right now for having an idea and making it happen. He got some of the biggest egos in Hollywood to all play equal on screen portions to help create what is turning into the best action franchise of all time. The first one was surreal when Willis, Arnie, and Sly all shared the screen for that one short scene. Now to see them fighting side by side is the reality I am glad to be a part of. Willis and Arnie are by no means main characters, but they are very prominent in the second half of the film. This film has a better plot which is based on revenge. Revenge flicks are always fun, because we know everyone will die. When an "Expendable" is terminated, this is all Barney (Sly) needs to amp up his team, call in some big dogs, and destroy everything. Willis returns as "Church". The CIA liaison who is shouting orders at Barney and his team, while Arnie is still an independent contractor in the same game. Some Barney gets some help from them as well as The Lone Wolf (Norris) to help him find and hopefully destroy Vilain (JCVD). The fact that the Villain is named Vilain should tell you the caliber of film we are dealing with here. The revenge plot is a way better angle than the previous offering involving a tyranny on an island no one goes to. This is personal and well played out. The two things that make this film more enjoyable than it should be are - A: The Jokes; and B: the body count. Lets start with the jokes. Every pun you can think of made it into this film. Between Sly, Willis, and Arnie, dozens of references to each others films were thrown out like they had a Gatling gun full of jokes. Then Norris comes in and delivers some gems of his own. I will be anxious for DVD release to really try and catch all of them. I'd say it was in the 30 range. The only thing A-Bomb and I feel they missed out on was a Planet Hollywood reference, and the film had a scene where it would have been perfect, but no complaints from us. Now the body count. Tomorrow you can read about the film The Raid which had quite a death toll. Take that number and multiply it by 300 and you may get close to Ex2. I am only guessing, but 3000 would probably close to accurate. The bodies just kept piling up and we kept laughing at the total disregard for the current cost of ammunition. As you can tell, I love this film and I actually want to see it again...sooon. Also with Nic Cage already signed on for Ex3, and reading that Sly wants Eastwood, Snipes, Ford, and Seagal, the next two years are going to drag along waiting for the next installment of what I can only hope doesn't conclude with a trilogy but continues pace for at least 7 total films.

NBM rates The Expendables 2 - Phenomenal