The Expendables crew are back together for one last ride.
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I remember when The Expendables film series began in 2010, and I have to say it didn’t seem that good to me. The trailers looked like some ridiculous excuse to get a bunch of action stars together and see what happens. It had so many stars in it, I wondered how it was going to be any good. I waited many years to finally watch that movie, but once I did I was surprised not only by how much I liked it, but by how wrong I was about it. It had an original idea and plot, and all the characters worked real well together. I made sure to watch The Expendables 2 when it came out in 2o12, and I really liked it. It was not only a better film, but it had more action stars in it and had some very funny and clever bits in it. By then the series had me hooked, I liked these films a lot so it is only natural for me to be excited when i heard they were making The Expendables 3.
I was a bit apprehensive when i saw men like Kelsey Grammer and Harrison Ford in it. It didn’t seem like they had any butt-kicking power left in them. Grammer is not really the action star type, he prefers to play others roles so I thought he was a bad choice for this movie, but his character works well in it. Ford has done some action movies before, but let’s face it, he isn’t as young as he once was. When i saw he was cast in this film, I wasn’t sure if it was a good choice, but his character also fits in real well and gets some scenes that fit him perfectly.
This time the team comes back together because an old friend comes into the picture, a powerful arms dealer who I will just go out and say it, he is nuts. He wants revenge on Barney Ross for a past incident, and will stop at nothing to bring this team down. Whether it is blowing them up, threatening Expendables members or just throwing everything he has at them, he will stop at nothing to make them pay. Can the Expendables stop this mad man before it is too late? And how can they do this? And why does he hate them all so much?
Sylvester Stallone does a great job as Barney Ross. His character is a bit older now, but he is still a man who wants to finish what he starts. He will try to protect his team, but he also trusts all of them. He has a big heart and determination that makes it easy to root for him. Antonio Banderas is hilarious in this movie. He plays a strange man, who never stops talking, named Galgo. He is odd, animated and doesn’t seem like a character that would fit into this movie, but he not only fits in but brings a light and humor that helps make this a better film. Wesley Snipes was also great in this film as Doctor Death. He is a bit demented at first, but once he gets developed it is apparent he is a great man who will never quit on this team. Mel Gibson is amazing as the villain of this movie. He plays demented really well, and I found myself many times surprised by just how sick this man can be. It is one of his best roles I have seen him play in years, one that no one should miss seeing. A character who is really easy to hate.
Sadly this film didn’t do that well in theaters this weekend. It got the #4 spot and made only $16.2 million in the US alone. It is strange because audiences gave this film a great review, but critics weren’t as impressed. I hope it does better in the coming weeks. If you are a fan of any of these action stars, you should check this movie out. If you liked the last two Expendables films, you should definitely see this one. It is a film every man should check out with their friends, it is guaranteed to get your adrenaline going.