Expendables 3

 

Expendables 3 is an action adventure film that follows Barney Ross reprised by Sylvester Stallone as he assembles a new team of Expendables to take down Conrad Stonebanks played by Mel Gibson, a former Expendable who has become a ruthless arms dealer. The new team includes younger, more tech-savvy members like Luna played by Ronda Rousey and Thorn played by Glen Powell.

Similar to prior scripts it was loaded with a lot of self-deprecating jokes but not much substance. One of the film's biggest problems was its predictable plot. It's clear from the start how the film was going to end, and there were no real surprises along the way. Additionally, the film's use of Spanish-style music whenever Galgo, played by Antonio Banderas, was on screen was kind of offensive.

The film's action sequences were well-choreographed and exciting, but they were also gratuitous and over-the-top.

The film's makeup was terrible. The blood placement was inconsistent, and the wounds looked fake. However I did appreciate that the terrible mustache that Stallone rocked in The Expendables 2 was gone.

The casting once again proved to be a safe haven for actors who had fallen from grace with Mel Gibson and Wesley Snipes added to the ensemble. I didn't really feel like their casting was needed but I did appreciate how some of their prior indiscretions were also written into the script. As for the rest of the casting, Banderas was fun to watch as Galgo. He played a Croatian war veteran and former member of the Spanish Armed Forces. He was an expert sharpshooter who brought some levity to the overly serious, heavily testosterone infused cast. You could tell this was Ronda Rousey’s first movie. As Luna she was stiff and lacked any sort of range with her permanent pouty face. It was nice however just to see a leading woman who could take care of herself. Seeing Glen Powell as Thorn in one of his early performances was also interesting. You could see how much he’s grown from this performance to his more well-known performances in Top Gun: Maverick and Devotion. And Kellen Lutz as Smilee was also a surprise. This role wasn't a memorable nor did he bring as much charisma as he did in his breakout role from Twilight. 

In the end, The Expendables 3 was a mindless action movie that's only worth watching if you're a fan of the franchise. However, don't expect anything groundbreaking.