“Expend4bles,” the fourth installment in the iconic action franchise, arrived nine years after its predecessor, and the anticipation among fans was palpable. The return of the team of grizzled action heroes, led by Barney (Sylvester Stallone) and Christmas (Jason Statham), promised another adrenaline-pumping adventure. However, as the credits rolled, it became clear that “Expend4bles” was a crushing disappointment, lacking the nostalgia, charisma, and charm that had made the franchise appealing in the first place. In this article, we will explore why this movie failed to live up to expectations and what went wrong in its execution.
The Return of the Team
Nine years is a long time to wait for the return of beloved characters, and fans expected the same level of camaraderie, humor, and action that made the previous films so enjoyable. However, “Expend4bles” fell short on multiple fronts. The team, with a few exceptions, reunited for another covert operation, picking up a few new recruits along the way. But what the filmmakers forgot to add was any sense of light-hearted fun, nostalgia, or ingenuity. Instead, it was a maddening mix of squandered opportunities and baffling creative choices.
Character Profiles
Barney (Sylvester Stallone)
Barney, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, has been biding his time in New Orleans, bouncing between bars and his bike shop. His second-in-command, Christmas (Jason Statham), is nearby, preferring to settle his bestie’s barroom brawls rather than his own domestic squabbles with his hot-tempered girlfriend and fellow Expendable, Gina (Megan Fox). Over the years, through all their banter and bluster, these two men have put themselves in harm’s way to secretly save the world from disaster, forming a tight bond in the process. Now, a new foe threatens to tear them apart.
The New Foe
Ruthless mercenary Rahmat (Iko Uwais) is on a killing spree as he attempts to assemble the parts for a nuclear bomb. He’s working under the orders of Ocelot, an unidentified assailant who murdered eight of Barney’s original squad members and sent a snitch fleeing into a witness protection program. CIA “suit” Marsh (Andy Garcia) needs the team’s help apprehending these criminals. While Barney reassembles available chums Gunner (Dolph Lundgren) and Toll Road (Randy Couture), Marsh adds Easy Day (Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson) and Galan (Jacob Scipio, doing a purposely grating Antonio Banderas impression), the son of former Expendable Galgo.
Action Sequences
In smaller-budget movies made in their homelands, Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais have exhibited the sort of physical dexterity best captured in long, unbroken takes. But director Waugh takes a typical Hollywood approach, cutting frequently and spinning the camera so that it appears more calisthenic than the performers it’s filming. This is genuinely disappointing because action stars like Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais, renowned for their work in “Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior” and “The Raid” films, had the potential to bring jaw-dropping action to the screen. Instead, these two incredibly dynamic martial arts specialists are reduced to short, unexciting fight scenes so clumsily filmed and choppily edited that they might as well be featuring Carrot Top and Yakov Smirnoff.
Humor in the Film
“Expend4bles” attempts to inject humor into the mix. The heroes mutter tough-guy quips as they dodge bullets and break bones. These gags usually aren’t very funny, and are often lost to battle noise or mush-mouthed delivery. But then the film’s humor comes more from violence that verges on slapstick and setups that are amusingly absurd, such as a motorcycle race that zooms from a ship’s bowels to the top deck of the vessel the villains are piloting toward a planned international incident.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “Expend4bles” failed to capture the essence of what made the franchise beloved by action movie fans. It lacked nostalgia, charisma, and charm and was marred by uninspiring action sequences and poorly executed attempts at humor. While fans may have hoped for a triumphant return of their favorite action heroes, what they got was a missed opportunity and a crushing disappointment. “Expend4bles” serves as a cautionary tale of how even the most promising franchises can lose their way when they forget what made them great in the first place.
