Critics Rating: 2 Stars

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, Jason Statham, Wesley Snipes, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundren, Randy Couture

Direction: Patrick Hughes

Produced: Avi Lerner, Kevin King-Templeton, Danny Lerner, Les Weldon, John Thompson

Genre: Action, Adventure

Duration: 2 hours 6 minutes

The Ex-men are back on the big screen with a larger team, bulging skull tattoos (is it wise to advertise your allegiance?), guns, explosions, planes and awkward punchlines. All of this could have worked with a script in place. Or even reinventing a stale imitation of run-of-the-mill action. Instead, it feels like the reheating of old soup, the broth spoiled by too many cooks.

War veteran and the father hen of The Expendables franchise, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) returns to his hulking, trigger-happy ways with his brood of renegade mercenaries, rescuing and recruiting former member ‘Doctor Death’ (Wesley Snipes) along the way. But when a mission in Mogadishu goes south and an old foe, Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), presumed dead, is masterminding the operation, things get personal for Barney. For this purpose, he needs to enlist young blood. And as it is with all films in this genre, there is only one way in which a group of hired men (and a woman) can settle their differences. Keep those guns loaded.

The Expendables 3 goes down the beaten path of the prequels, with smug, silly banter and not enough character development to go around. The key cast, top-lined by sagging action heroes of yore (one accurately being called ‘grandpa’ by a younger recruit), has nothing more than extended cameos save for Stallone headlining the show.

There is a lot of self-referencing that has been a part of the recurring ‘humour’ in the series. Snipes’ character has gone to prison for “tax evasion”. Stallone’s idea of shoot-’em-up is sarcastically dissed by Luna (Ronda Rousey), who says, “Great plan. Very 1985.” Skilled fighter Galgo’s (Antonio Banderas) statement – “Age is just a state of mind” – seems snuck in to justify the inclusion of the senior citizen brigade.

 

The quips are as subtle as their arsenal. A painting of Cain has been ushered in, in passing, during a key sequence as a symbolism of brotherly bonds going sour, a small attempt to add depth to the plot.

There is some formulaic globe-hopping that happens for no real reason. Too much footage is allotted to certain actors. The inclusion of Jet Li is simply pointless in a film that does not give him his moment in the sun.

Of course, this is a movie steeped in testosterone and the efforts of an overactive pyromaniac. Like with the other films in the franchise (and action films in general), this one ends with an elaborate, impressive gunfight in crumbling buildings and over rubble. And amidst the pandemonium, Galgo bellows: “This is the happiest moment of my life.” A few reels down, you have a key character attempting to outrun an explosion. So yes, this is that film.

The Expendables 3 is as sloppily handled as its forerunners, but what works in its favour is the striking bang-boom-slash opening and a well-executed climax. Mel Gibson is the best villain yet, showcasing more talent and oozing more villainy than his role deserved.

Opinion may be divided on whether this is the best film in the franchise. It is, according to this reviewer, but in a stand-alone context that does not mean much in a dismal series that have long outlived their welcome.

While The Expendables, as the name suggests, are disposable goods, there is no telling how many more films must be made before the final brakes are applied. “The Deletables”, Stonebanks calls them mockingly, which is probably the one honest moment in the film.

The film makes for a good big screen watch. But those who are not raring to go for tried-and-tired fare would do best to watch it online.