Plenty of Humor, Fights, and Gunplay in a Primitive 1980s Action Setting.
Rumors of a fourth installment of “The Expendables” surfaced in Western media almost immediately after the premiere of the third film, despite its lackluster box office performance. Since the franchise was initially conceived as an homage to old action movies, the main draw was the cast. Which other action heroes would the producers bring in to delight audiences! The fourth film could have featured Jean-Claude Van Damme (as the twin brother of his character Vilain from “The Expendables 2”), Antonio Banderas, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, the star cast eventually dwindled to the indispensable Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture. They were joined by Tony Jaa from “Ong Bak,” 50 Cent, who starred with Stallone in “Escape Plan,” and Megan Fox, along with Levi Tran from “Female Fight Club.” The mercenary team needs some tough girls, after all! Directing duties were entrusted to experienced action director Scott Waugh, who generally didn’t disappoint. The screen is constantly filled with explosions, fights, and gunshots – all in the classic style.
Sylvester Stallone as Barney in a still from “The Expendables 4”
Most film critics were quite harsh on the fourth film, detailing the script’s stupidity and the less-than-stellar acting in minute detail. But the previous installments, except for the first, which featured Mickey Rourke’s excellent dramatic monologue about the fate of a mercenary, weren’t exactly known for their psychological depth or original plot twists. The villains’ goals this time are global, with a distinct Cold War vibe: nothing less than provoking a nuclear conflict between Russia and the United States. The film’s plot follows the familiar pattern of another mission, except for the sudden disappearance of Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and the dismissal of Christmas (Jason Statham) from the Expendables team for failing a mission in Libya.
However, lacking original ideas in terms of plot development, the three screenwriters (including action master Kurt Wimmer) did an excellent job with the comedic elements, so much so that at times their film almost becomes a parody of the entire tough-guy action genre. Just look at the jobs Christmas considers while searching for work: mechanic, transporter, bodyguard. Those familiar with Statham’s filmography will appreciate the humor.
The dialogues between Christmas and Barney Ross are also peppered with references to the actors themselves. Barney Ross, who lost a ring in a bar, brings his friend Christmas to help him deal with the local drunks who deprived him of his treasure. This episode references the film “Homefront” starring Statham (and written by Sylvester Stallone!), where the drug-dealing villains spent a lot of time in a backwoods bar. Barney Ross now only flies the plane, and when Christmas asks him to help in a hand-to-hand fight, he replies that his back hurts (a nod to the actor’s 77 years).
Dolph Lundgren as Gunner in a still from “The Expendables 4”
The mocking references to age also touched Dolph Lundgren. In the fourth film, he has retrained as a sniper but is forced to wear glasses, which still don’t prevent him from missing. His character, Gunner Jensen, also reads a book about a sober lifestyle and constantly struggles with the temptation to drink. Needless to say, in a sober state, Gunner has become more of a burden to the Expendables team (he is even reminded of his betrayal in the first film). Only when he finally drinks alcohol does he begin to crush enemies like a deadly machine. The comic tone of Gunner’s character will be appreciated primarily by those familiar with Dolph Lundgren’s roles. He has played characters experiencing some kind of personal tragedy and turning to the bottle perhaps more often than other action heroes.
Megan Fox as Gina in a still from “The Expendables 4”
Andy Garcia, who embodies the image of the arrogant CIA agent Marsh, who becomes the boss of the Expendables, is a successful addition to the series. This character can be seen as a parodic reference to the characters of Bruce Willis and Harrison Ford (both actors played seasoned CIA agents in previous installments), as well as to former government agent James Monroe, the main villain of the original.
If in the first three films Barney Ross carried the plot burden with honor, and the other “expendables” were his backup singers, then in Scott Waugh’s film, Christmas unexpectedly takes center stage. At the same time, the film does not turn into a typical Statham action movie. The actor quite well replaces Barney Ross in most of the action and almost single-handedly crushes an entire army of well-armed fighters on a ship in the Sea of Japan, evoking memories of the lone soldier John Rambo or Colonel Matrix from “Commando.”
Sylvester Stallone as Barney in a still from “The Expendables 4”
In terms of action, the film takes a long time to get going, but then it moves quickly. If the initial episode in Libya may seem surprisingly dull, the final third is worthy of entering the annals of old-school action movies. Avoiding all logic, the director excellently filmed a small war with an inevitable nuclear explosion on a separate vessel in the Sea of Japan. Any connoisseur of old action films will crack the detective riddle of the main villain’s identity, who invisibly commands hordes of bandits, long before the finale. Just look at the list of actors involved in the film.
However, let us repeat, the main advantage of the new “Expendables” is not a cleverly thought-out plot or well-written characters, but a multitude of Easter eggs, both to previous installments and to the action films of the actors involved in the film. And, of course, the prolonged battle on the ship, which occupies almost the entire second half of the film, deserves applause. It was for her sake, in fact, that the new part was filmed.
The release of the fifth episode will obviously depend on the viewer’s desire to see their favorite old-timers in action again. And if Sylvester Stallone’s back gets completely sore by the fifth part, then he can be successfully replaced by the younger Jason Statham. It even occurs to us that “The Expendables 4” was filmed as a rehearsal for Stallone’s possible retirement from the franchise.