Expend4bles (2023) Review!!

Synopsis – Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on, the Expendables are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table.

My Take – Released in 2010, The Expendables was an decent enough entertainer that worked mainly due to its nostalgia-dripping homage to the action extravaganzas of the 1980s and 1990s which glorified mind-numbing parade of drawn-out macho monologues, over-the-top car chases, fiery explosions, bone-crushing fistfights, and contained enough blood and gore.

Paired with almost every over-the-hill action star including the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, Terry Crews and Randy Couture, the series only doubled down on the fun element in the 2012 sequel with the addition of Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wesley Snipes, and Scott Adkins, winning over almost every boys’ club.

However, though The Expendables 3 (2014) also brought Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas and Harrison Ford into the fold, along with a younger cast, its PG-13 rating and irredeemably poor storytelling elements insured that the film ended up becoming the lowest-grossing film of the trilogy.

Now nine years later, another installment has finally limped its way onto the big screen and, needless to say in the hands of director Scott Waugh (Hidden Strike, Need for Speed), this one too misses the mark, by a long shot. While the over-the-top bloody violence has made a return, it seems to have come at the expense of weird CGI and unnecessarily zoomed in combat sequences. Most surprisingly, franchise star Sylvester Stallone is seen relegated to a smaller role, while Jason Statham takes over the reins as the lead.

In fact, other than series stalwarts Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture, none of other actors return to their roles, paving way for a much lesser star-cast. Yes, the cheese factor is still present and Statham, Tony Jaa, and Iko Uwais help make this at least a passable contemporary action film for an undemanding audiences, yet it is unable to mask how a crushing disappointment this fourth installment is, lacking anything close to the nostalgia, charisma, and charm that made the franchise appealing in the first place.

The story once again follows The Expendables team, which includes Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture), alongside newcomers Easy Day (Curtis Jackson) and Galan (Jacob Scipio), who are tasked by Marsh (Andy Garcia), a CIA operative, to head to Libya and stop Suarto Rahmat (Iko Uwais), a mercenary, from stealing nuclear warheads from a chemical plant for the mysterious faceless nemesis code-named Ocelot, whom Ross failed to apprehend 25 years prior.

However, the mission goes awry as Rahmat manages to escape while Barney Ross ends up losing his life, leaving his team in shock and grief. Booted for not following direct orders, Christmas heads to Thailand to find the one person who can help him make things right: Decha (Tony Jaa), a former elite mercenary who has given up all that to lead the humble life of a fisherman. Meanwhile, the rest of the team, now led by Gina (Megan Fox), a CIA operator and Christmas’s former girlfriend, heads to stop Ocelot from igniting World War III.

From the get-go, it’s clear that the bar is set low. But even at its worst, there was always something going on the series to keep your attention. The story is hastily put together by Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium), Tad Daggerhart (Black Lotus), and Max Adams (Precious Cargo), and the characters here basically go through the motions.

Throughout, the execution is weak, the effects are shoddy, or the editing misses the mark, wildly swinging between messy to the point of confusion or sloppy to the degree that it looks barely convincing. All too frequently, the kicks and punches land as poorly as the jokes. Sure, there are some decent action sequences, but most are forgettable or incomprehensibly shot with lots of blink-or-you’ll-miss quick cuts and jittery cam.

The popularity of the Expendables films has as much to do with banter and action as the names on the posters, and what’s on display here is actually an underwhelming solo Jason Statham vehicle. The brief scenes featuring the new team are largely relegated to plot exposition or comic relief. Sure, Statham is provided decent assist from Jaa and (especially) and Iko Uwais (known primarily for The Raid), with the climactic fight scene being the film’s highlight.

The performances are a mixed bag, with Sylvester Stallone taking a backseat with a significantly smaller role to make way for his co-star, Jason Statham. The former’s barely-there appearance is sorely felt since he’s the major force to begin with. Yet, Statham occasionally manages to rise above the dismal abyss that is this film with a somewhat commendable portrayal of Christmas, fueled by a thirst for vengeance over Ross’ demise.

As for the supporting cast, Megan Fox manages to stand out somewhat, while Dolph Lungren, Curtis’ 50 Cent’ Jackson, Levy Tran, Randy Couture, and Jacon Scipio barely make a ripple. Iko Uwais and Tony Jaa do their best with whatever they are handed. And let’s not forget the legendary Andy Garcia, whose performance in particular is downright pitiful. On the whole, ‘Expend4bles’ is a disappointing and charmless sequel that lacks everything that made the franchise appealing.