The Expendables 3: More of the Same, But With a Twist
Rescuing an old team member (Wesley Snipes) from prison, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) embarks on yet another mission. During the operation, he encounters a figure he never expected to see – former Expendable Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), now wreaking havoc in the developing world. Stonebanks not only evades capture but also puts one of Barney’s men in the hospital, turning Ross’s quest into a personal vendetta.
During the climactic showdown, Mel Gibson’s character, observing the firefight through security cameras, exclaims in frustration, “There are only ten of them! Can’t you even wound them, let alone kill them?” It’s a valid, albeit rhetorical, question. The Expendables’ numbers have grown with each film, but not simply to provide more targets for the heroes. However, in the third installment, this crowd finally finds some purpose. Instead of just running around as a group and shooting at anything that moves, the characters are given more distinct roles.
Wesley Snipes cracks crude jokes, throws knives with deadly accuracy, and engages in a playful rivalry with Jason Statham. Antonio Banderas is charming but never stops talking, even hitting on women in the middle of a gunfight. Harrison Ford is perpetually grumpy but steps up when needed. Kellan Lutz has a problem with authority. Ronda Rousey is the only woman on the team, excelling in mixed martial arts with impressive takedowns and throws, even if her acting is the weakest of the bunch.
The list goes on, though it’s important to note that these aren’t deeply developed characters. Some traits are merely mentioned but never fully explored. (Kellan Lutz is rebellious simply because he’s rude to his superiors a couple of times.) But let’s remember, this isn’t “The Magnificent Seven,” “The Dirty Dozen,” or even “The A-Team.” This is “The Expendables,” which from the very first film embraced its status as a B-movie. This project didn’t emerge from the blockbuster action films of the eighties, as some might suggest, but from the straight-to-video action flicks of the nineties. It’s essentially a “video cassette B-movie” pumped up with star power and millions of dollars for explosions and CGI. However, the habit of filming without a proper script, relying on soldierly jokes, and shooting action scenes with shaky cameras and unclear editing (as if there’s no budget for decent choreography) remains. All of this was present in the first two “Expendables” films, and it’s still here in the third.
Is Expendables 3 Worth Watching?
The good news is that “The Expendables 3” comes closest to achieving a certain level of quality for this type of film. It’s chaotic, simplistic, and shallow, but undeniably entertaining! It’s also more diverse. Banderas delivers amusing monologues, Ronda Rousey grapples opponents like a spider, Wesley Snipes (or his stunt double) showcases impressive parkour skills, and Harrison Ford arrives in a helicopter to help Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jet Li blow up a couple of tanks. Perhaps the camera shakes less, or maybe the editor was instructed to use longer shots, but the action is actually somewhat visible. It would be a shame if the film flopped at the box office, not just because a sequel would be unlikely, but also for the sake of universal justice. If the first two films, despite their flaws, grossed an average of $300 million, then the third deserves to succeed.