The Expendables

[Since 78]

Anybody see it this weekend? What did you think?

There were some cool parts. I'd give it a 6 on the Action Movie scale.

Arnold sucked BTW.

[RobbieG]

Rip had a thread on this movie: http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... hp?t=48249

[Since 78]

Rip had a thread on this movie: http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... hp?t=48249

Thanks, I missed the expendables part.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Served up a generous man-sized portion of death and destruction, but the script was weak (even by action movie standards). Loved Rambo 4, and Sly can usually do no wrong in my book, but this was somewhat of a let-down. Hopefully, they'll build on it for a sequel. Someone said it felt like something you'd stumble across on Showtime or Cinemax at 2 am. That's pretty accurate. What I do love, however, is how in this age of tween reebots (Batman, Bond, Spiderman etc.), Stallone has led a one-man-mission to ressurect his career after Hollywood wrote him off. Starting with Rocky Balboa, he has proven that there is still a market for R-rated manly movies, and not just love stories involving emo vampire fags that sparkle. As long as Sly keeps delivering films like this, I am more than happy to part with my ten bucks. Grading on a curve, (because I'm a fan), I give it a C+.

[verslibre]

For what it is, I thought it rocked.


[MINOR SPOILERS]


Mickey Rourke's screen presence can be categorized as "dominating." And he doesn't have THAT much screen time, either.

Stallone & Statham have the best action sequences: when they first arrive at, and then leave, the island. That was dope!

[The_Noble_Cause]

Mickey Rourke's screen presence can be categorized as "dominating." And he doesn't have THAT much screen time, either.

His tearful, rambling monologue on "losing his soul" has earned laughter from some viewers/critics. I thought it was a well-done scene. Dude can act.

[verslibre]

Mickey Rourke's screen presence can be categorized as "dominating." And he doesn't have THAT much screen time, either.

His tearful, rambling monologue on "losing his soul" has earned laughter from some viewers/critics. I thought it was a well-done scene. Dude can act.

Whatever. I thought his point, or rather his character's, was well-made. Rourke just has a no-bullshit vibe to his lines.

[RedWingFan]

and not just love stories involving emo vampire fags that sparkle.

I'm stealing this quote the next time my wife tries to get me to watch Twilight! Thanks!

[T-Bone]

I would have liked to see Rourke join them for one last hurrah to find the "soul" he thought he lost. Dolph's character was written off by me, but was surprised later.


I definately see a sequel to this...

[Rip Rokken]

Mickey Rourke's screen presence can be categorized as "dominating." And he doesn't have THAT much screen time, either.

His tearful, rambling monologue on "losing his soul" has earned laughter from some viewers/critics. I thought it was a well-done scene. Dude can act.

It was a very well done scene. The critics don't get it. And for this film, I understand not everyone liking it as much as I did, but I think it's one of these films like PUNISHER: WAR ZONE that has a particular vibe that the majority just won't get. I think it was designed to be exactly what it is, and I thought it was brilliant in that.

[The_Noble_Cause]

It was a very well done scene. The critics don't get it. And for this film, I understand not everyone liking it as much as I did, but I think it's one of these films like PUNISHER: WAR ZONE that has a particular vibe that the majority just won't get. I think it was designed to be exactly what it is, and I thought it was brilliant in that.

At least some critics are showing "The Expendables" some love. Other than myself, you're the first person I know of who appreciates "Punisher:WZ." Along with "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man", I think its one of the best (and goriest) comic book movies of the past decade.

On further thought, I wouldn't really compare "Punisher:War Zone" to "The Expendables". While both films deliver SAW like scenes of carnage, "Punisher:WZ" was a fun movie, with a great popcorn comic book script. Not so with "The Expendables". Much of the group banter came off like bad improv. One of the luxuries of doing a Rambo film is the main character is a hulking silent brute. Here, Stallone tried his hand at real character development and real dialogue and for me, the results were less than successful. It does deliver the goods if violence and pyrotechnics is all you're looking for. Also, for a film promoted as the ultimate testosteronefest, there was an inexcusable lack of titties.

[Rip Rokken]

It was a very well done scene. The critics don't get it. And for this film, I understand not everyone liking it as much as I did, but I think it's one of these films like PUNISHER: WAR ZONE that has a particular vibe that the majority just won't get. I think it was designed to be exactly what it is, and I thought it was brilliant in that.

At least some critics are showing "The Expendables" some love. Other than myself, you're the first person I know of who appreciates "Punisher:WZ." Along with "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man", I think its one of the best (and goriest) comic book movies of the past decade.

On further thought, I wouldn't really compare "Punisher:War Zone" to "The Expendables". While both films deliver SAW like scenes of carnage, "Punisher:WZ" was a fun movie, with a great popcorn comic book script. Not so with "The Expendables". Much of the group banter came off like bad improv. One of the luxuries of doing a Rambo film is the main character is a hulking silent brute. Here, Stallone tried his hand at real character development and real dialogue and for me, the results were less than successful. It does deliver the goods if violence and pyrotechnics is all you're looking for. Also, for a film promoted as the ultimate testosteronefest, there was an inexcusable lack of titties.

Ahh, you liked PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, too? Cool! No, the films aren't that similar and my comparison is only based on my personal thought that there is a very narrow vibe that's hard to latch onto unless you happen to be looking at it a certain way. I never saw a single nice thing written about P:WZ all the way back to the first script review, and went in fully expecting it to suck, but I couldn't have been more pleased. What Lexi Alexander accomplished was what the Thomas Jane film failed to do -- faithfully render the spirit of the Garth Ennis run of the comics. Punisher could have been done many ways, including a "Dark Knight" ultra grounded in reality approach. I haven't actively kept up with comics for years, but I did read Ennis' "Welcome Back Frank" series, and found it to be dark comedy very reminiscent of 2000 AD's Judge Dredd. A very dark and satirical social commentary basically. I think Lexi delivered that in spades, and it didn't hurt that Ray Stevenson really looked the part. So in that film, the acting, dialog, and plot was horribly criticized, but I found it to be perfect for the film because I saw what she was trying to do. They were supposed to be garish and cartoony. Think of Warren Beatty's DICK TRACY -- it was basically the comic on screen, and the dialog was every bit as (purposefully) wooden.

So with THE EXPENDABLES, I'm trying to think of the best way I can describe the "vibe" I'm talking about. First, I get the feeling it was written for hardcore fans of these actors. I think the average moviegoer won't quite get it, and many action fans just looking for an adrenaline ride may not either. I think the formula that did it for me was first, I am a huge fan of Stallone, Lundgren, Willis, Schwartzenegger, Li, Austin, Rourke, Roberts, and Steve Austin, and really love what I've seen of the other actors' work (especially Statham). I think the movie was really designed to emphasize the physicality and how can I say it... "man's manliness" of these particular guys, so even the simple dialog (especially the jocular interaction and chemistry between these characters), and the total bad-assitude of the action sequences just did it for me. It was at times almost like a non-stop pissing contest and it just really hit home for me.

Back to the dialog, I felt like it was very purposefully utilitarian to show these were "black and white" guys without hesitation or gray areas -- the last exchange between Lundgren and Stallone after the fight with Li in the warehouse is a good example. RAMBO was the same -- very utilitarian dialog from that character, and he always used the least amount of words needed to convey his thought.

Anyway, I may be overanalyzing it but I can be pretty hard to please with films these days and it was just what I needed I guess.

[Frontiers65]

It was a very well done scene. The critics don't get it. And for this film, I understand not everyone liking it as much as I did, but I think it's one of these films like PUNISHER: WAR ZONE that has a particular vibe that the majority just won't get. I think it was designed to be exactly what it is, and I thought it was brilliant in that.

At least some critics are showing "The Expendables" some love. Other than myself, you're the first person I know of who appreciates "Punisher:WZ." Along with "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man", I think its one of the best (and goriest) comic book movies of the past decade.

On further thought, I wouldn't really compare "Punisher:War Zone" to "The Expendables". While both films deliver SAW like scenes of carnage, "Punisher:WZ" was a fun movie, with a great popcorn comic book script. Not so with "The Expendables". Much of the group banter came off like bad improv. One of the luxuries of doing a Rambo film is the main character is a hulking silent brute. Here, Stallone tried his hand at real character development and real dialogue and for me, the results were less than successful. It does deliver the goods if violence and pyrotechnics is all you're looking for. Also, for a film promoted as the ultimate testosteronefest, there was an inexcusable lack of titties.

Ahh, you liked PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, too? Cool! No, the films aren't that similar and my comparison is only based on my personal thought that there is a very narrow vibe that's hard to latch onto unless you happen to be looking at it a certain way. I never saw a single nice thing written about P:WZ all the way back to the first script review, and went in fully expecting it to suck, but I couldn't have been more pleased. What Lexi Alexander accomplished was what the Thomas Jane film failed to do -- faithfully render the spirit of the Garth Ennis run of the comics. Punisher could have been done many ways, including a "Dark Knight" ultra grounded in reality approach. I haven't actively kept up with comics for years, but I did read Ennis' "Welcome Back Frank" series, and found it to be dark comedy very reminiscent of 2000 AD's Judge Dredd. A very dark and satirical social commentary basically. I think Lexi delivered that in spades, and it didn't hurt that Ray Stevenson really looked the part. So in that film, the acting, dialog, and plot was horribly criticized, but I found it to be perfect for the film because I saw what she was trying to do. They were supposed to be garish and cartoony. Think of Warren Beatty's DICK TRACY -- it was basically the comic on screen, and the dialog was every bit as (purposefully) wooden.

So with THE EXPENDABLES, I'm trying to think of the best way I can describe the "vibe" I'm talking about. First, I get the feeling it was written for hardcore fans of these actors. I think the average moviegoer won't quite get it, and many action fans just looking for an adrenaline ride may not either. I think the formula that did it for me was first, I am a huge fan of Stallone, Lundgren, Willis, Schwartzenegger, Li, Austin, Rourke, Roberts, and Steve Austin, and really love what I've seen of the other actors' work (especially Statham). I think the movie was really designed to emphasize the physicality and how can I say it... "man's manliness" of these particular guys, so even the simple dialog (especially the jocular interaction and chemistry between these characters), and the total bad-assitude of the action sequences just did it for me. It was at times almost like a non-stop pissing contest and it just really hit home for me.

Back to the dialog, I felt like it was very purposefully utilitarian to show these were "black and white" guys without hesitation or gray areas -- the last exchange between Lundgren and Stallone after the fight with Li in the warehouse is a good example. RAMBO was the same -- very utilitarian dialog from that character, and he always used the least amount of words needed to convey his thought.

Anyway, I may be overanalyzing it but I can be pretty hard to please with films these days and it was just what I needed I guess.

I liked Punisher War Zone also. Reminded me of the comic.

[Since 78]

For what it is, I thought it rocked.


[MINOR SPOILERS]


Mickey Rourke's screen presence can be categorized as "dominating." And he doesn't have THAT much screen time, either.

Stallone & Statham have the best action sequences: when they first arrive at, and then leave, the island. That was dope!

That was assume! Worth the price of admission right there.

[Rip Rokken]

For what it is, I thought it rocked.

[MINOR SPOILERS]

Stallone & Statham have the best action sequences: when they first arrive at, and then leave, the island. That was dope!

That was assume! Worth the price of admission right there.

Damn right! Because they were home free, but decided to turn back long enough to teach them an early lesson on the way out. I cracked up!!! I think they took out 1/5 of the army in that "recon" mission alone. That's just the way it should be.