Rent The Expendables 3 (2014)

Sadly, after the genius of Expendables 2, this is a total misfire, mainly due to the rating - The Expendables 3 review by TB

Back in 2010, Sly & his producing partners came up with the Expendables series: a homage/throwback to the action films of the 80's & 90's, full of outrageous stunts, clichés & one liners, all done totally tongue-in-cheek. The first film was good in terms of laying the groundwork, although it also had a very heavy & cumbersome tone, sorely missing a lightness of touch. Then number 2 came along, took everything that the first film had created, added some new things and was one of the best/most enjoyable nights at the cinema I've ever had. So, after the greatness of that film, expectations were sky-high.

But then something happened, which totally changed the whole dynamic & I feel in many ways set the movie up to fail: it was announced with great fanfare & enthusiasm that the film was to be made to be a PG-13 rating (12A in the UK,) in effect hamstringing & completely toning down/reducing the violence in the film to become effectively a kid's movie. Basically, and this has been admitted quite frankly later on by Stallone, this decision was completely commercially driven in order to make the film be able to be seen by as many people as possible to make as much money as possible. And it wasn't only me thinking this: there was a significant backlash from fans, which was responded to by Stallone, assuring them that it wouldn't affect the movie. But, after watching this debacle, I knew that the film was not only being set up to fail, but that it would also simply not work. You cannot have a film like the Expendables, make the first two proper action films with violence (although it has to be said not gratuitously violent,) then release one which has literally had the soul ripped out of it.

So now the firefights & hand-to-hand combat have no edge to them, no real sense of suspense or danger. Almost every moment where, in a normal action film, you'd see a bullet hit someone/the effects of the violence, this has now been cut/the editing cuts away to another angle. But what makes it even more frustrating is that, again in a step up from number 2, there is more money to play with; bigger, bolder stunts; great locations ect ect. But with the limits of the rating, all this effort is mainly for nothing. So in effect, it's like watching teletubbies bouncing around in a padded room.

There are also some very annoying story changes. The theme of age is repeatedly brought up, in respect to getting in newer younger blood (although this didn't work particularly well in film 2...) so some new cast members have joined. None of them are particularly good or interesting, they are mainly just annoying. Even Antonio Banderas can't salvage this, despite his best efforts.

However, this film has an absolute ace up its sleeve in the form of Mel Gibson. In many ways this film, along with Hacksaw Ridge, was Gibson coming back into the public eye after his personal disgraces. And whatever you may think of that behaviour, this film would have totally failed without him. Summoning the gravitas & presence which made him a star, here he chews up the scenery for all it's worth, creating a megalomaniac who dominates the screen whenever he is on it.

But despite the efforts of all the cast & crew, this film's problems are just too great. And whilst the Blu-ray does add in some cut footage which bumps the rating up to a 15, it is a token gesture & does nothing to affect the story/solve the numerous issues with the structure.

The irony is that there is to be a 4th & final film and the main selling point which is repeatedly referenced in the trailer is that it has an R rating. Unfortunately, I think it's a case of too little too late. The damage has already been done.