The story itself was rather predictable and lacked the twists and turns that would have made it truly engaging. The motivations of the characters were often unclear, and the plot relied heavily on clichés and stereotypes.
I was expecting more from the action scenes, with a talent like Jet Li on the roster, but he unfortunately couldn’t carry this flop on his own. It was a bit comical seeing Stallone trying to play a guy he’s no longer. The character he created was supposed to have a lot more athleticism than he actually had. At times it was painful watching him run. In general these scenes often felt repetitive and lacked the creativity and choreography that fans of the genre have come to expect.
The thought to bring together an ensemble cast of older action stars from the 80s, 90s and 2000s for a thrilling ride of explosions, gunfights, and one-liners was an interesting and inclusive idea. There were some moments of fun and nostalgia for fans of action cinema with Stallone and Dolph Lundgren, being able to bring a sense of gravitas to their roles. However, the film's over-reliance on testosterone and underdeveloped characters ultimately detracted from its potential. One of the film's most glaring flaws was its lack of strong female characters. The damsel-in-distress trope was overplayed, and the few female roles that did exist were largely one-dimensional. While the addition of actors like Jet Li and Terry Crews added some diversity to the cast, their roles were more caricatures than actual fully formed people. Down to the offensive name for Li’s character.
Ultimately, The Expendables is a film that is more style than substance. While the film's over-the-top action sequences are sure to please fans of the genre, it falls short in terms of character development, story, and female representation.
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