Hello everyone!
I'm literally just out of the living room after watching this week's movie. I took advantage of the fact that I basically had the house to myself, besides my grandmother that is, and put it on the big screen TV to enjoy some cinema-magic right in my own house. Normally, I watch movies on my computer or at the cinema proper, but from time to time, luck is on my side haha!
So tonight, I watched a movie I'd had on my list for a while but never honestly got to it before; The Expendables 3. I liked the first two installments in the franchise and I was honestly quite excited to see what they'd do with this one considering it was getting an 'upgrade' so to speak, pairing the old actors with newer ones, like Kellan Lutz and Ronda Rousey.
And, just so we're fair (total disclosure and all that) I've been on a Jason Statham streak for a while now. I can't help myself; the man is probably one of my favourite actors.
So, the movie opens with the crew going after an armed train, because they're rescuing a prisoner. Turns out, he's played by Wesley Snipes, and he was once an Expendable, too. Afterwards, they're headed on for another job, which turns sour when the big bad of the movie (aka Mel Gibson) shows up and pretty much does what big bads do: drops a bomb on the team. This prompts Barney (Stallone) to tell his old team they're finished because he doesn't want to see them killed, and he goes off to find some new, young blood to get his arch nemesis (side-note, this guy was supposed to be dead, but apparently, Barney only THOUGHT he'd killed him; go figure). So, after getting the four rookies, they're off to grab Gibson, and of course it goes off without a hitch. It has to for it to all go haywire as they're attacked and the kids are taken hostage. Barney escapes, and flies back tot he States to get some extra gear before heading back in. He also picks up Antonio Banderas (and when this guy's first introduced, I should have KNOWN it was him because of the Spanish music; duh, Zorro), but just as they're turning the plane out onto the runway, their way is barred by the original Expendables, and Christmas (Statham) delivers one of the movie's best lines yet: "You were the one stupid enough to get into this mess, and we're the only ones crazy enough to get you out of it!"
Gotta love the man.
Then we're off to save the kids, to an old, abandoned hotel (casino?) which has been rigged with C-4 explosives. The team manage to jam the signal, but then of course it's a fight to the death with an army coming to get ten men. Luckily, they have backup in the shape of Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jet Li. Throughout this big fight, we see each character placed into an environment they're most comfortable in, aka former bouncer girl gets to kick ass in what used to be the casino proper, Dolph Lundgren drives a tank, and Jason Statham anihilates a gorilla three times his physical size. Of course there's also the mandatory fight between Stallone and Gibson, and we all know who wins, right?
Right.
I have to say, number two in this series is probably still my favourite, because of the humour, although this one was honestly very entertaining as well. And, I mean no disrespect, but Stallone actually looks less plastic in this one! You can understand him talk! (On another side-note, Ford not understanding Statham's British was hilarious) And Wesley Snipes brings in the element previously missing: a nutty guy with coloured skin. Mel Gibson? Well, after Jean-Claude Van Damme, they obviously didn't have any other choice but a psycho bad guy.
Some other really good lines were also 'Morons need friends' (Statham), 'Good morning!' (Schwarzenegger), 'You look like a proud, demented father.' (Statham).
Okay, yes, a whole lot of Staham quotes. Sorry!
There was a little ditty by Ford as well: 'I haven't had this much fun in years.' Yeah, I would say since Han Solo, but I mean, he's back in this movie except the Millennium Falcon is a helicopter and Luke and Chewbacca are replaced by Li and Schwarzenegger.
Overall, this was a solid piece, entertaining, with all the old favourites coming back coupled with the newbies, although the one thing I didn't like were the kids getting all up in the old guys' faces after the oldies came by to rescue them. What's up with the disrespect? Compared to the originals, they're practically in diapers ... maybe it was just me. I didn't quite get the little snippets of Mel Gibson in art museums (apparently, he makes his deals there?), they took away from the general momentum of the movie, but the core was there: old vs. new, and how the veterans have to adapt to the new age. It was a well-written story and, honestly? Seeing all the older generation actors besides the new ones? It really hit home that, basically, the oldies are slowly stepping aside and letting the younglings take over. They deserve all the applause, however.
Especially leaving Stallone hanging under the chopper.
Barney: 'Pull me up!'
Road: 'You gonna fire us again, Barney?'
Barney: 'Come on!'
Christmas: 'Can't hear you pal!'
Barney: 'I'm gonna kill you! Alright, I'm sorry! Pull me up, you idiots!'
All: 'Don't pull him up!'
xx
*all images except the poster were screencapped by me
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