The Expendables III (2014)

[Silver Nemesis]

I enjoyed the first two films and I'm looking forward to this one. Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Ronda Rousey and Robert Davi all make good additions to the line-up.

Anyone else planning on seeing this?

[The Joker]

I'll watch it.

What the hey, I've seen the other two.

[riddler]

what's not to like? If you like action, thats what they give. Sucks no bruce willis but Gibson, Ford, and Snipes should fill that void.

[Silver Nemesis]

Apparently Sly tried to get Jack Nicholson on board.

"I was going to go [call] up Jack Nicholson and we just got there a little too late, because actually he had said he might be interested in it."

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/04/16/stallone-wants-nicholson-and-eastwood-for-the-expendables

Maybe for The Expendables 4? It would be amazing to see Jack play a psychotic villain one more time.

[The Joker]

Apparently Sly tried to get Jack Nicholson on board.

"I was going to go [call] up Jack Nicholson and we just got there a little too late, because actually he had said he might be interested in it."

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/04/16/stallone-wants-nicholson-and-eastwood-for-the-expendables

Maybe for The Expendables 4? It would be amazing to see Jack play a psychotic villain one more time.

Indeed. That would be outstanding. Whenever Jack's playing a villain, especially in a film like Expendables, you already know it's going to be alot of fun to watch!

[Silver Nemesis]

I saw this today. It's been panned by critics and isn't doing too well at the box office, but I enjoyed it. None of the The Expendables movies are great films, they're just big, fun, dumb action movies. And this one is more of the same. I find the trilogy fairly consistent, in so far as no one film stands out as better or worse than the others. I think they're all more or less equal. And if you enjoyed the first two, you'll probably enjoy this one as well.

An odd thing about Expendables 3 is that it was cut down to get a PG-13/12a certificate. It's my understanding that the first two films were both shot PG-13, then had stuff added in postproduction to get them to an R standard. Expendables 3 was allegedly the first entry in the series to actually be filmed R, but was then edited down to a PG-13 rating. Judging from the box office takings, the edits haven't helped endear it to a wider audience.

Arguably the biggest selling point of these movies are the ensemble casts, and this is the best one yet. Gibson's a great villain, and Ford, Snipes and Banderas all make welcome additions to the line-up of good guys. But I felt the new, young Expendables were a bit weak. They really don't make much of an impression and end up getting overshadowed by the veterans. But thankfully they get less screen time than the old guard. One old face that's absent is Bruce Willis, though I didn't really miss him much here. I found Ford's character more entertaining anyway, so it was a fair trade. I was also pleased to see Robert Davi make an appearance in a small supporting role. We don't see enough of him in films these days.

So yeah, not much else to say really. It's a fun guilty pleasure, like the first two. A tongue-in-cheek nostalgia trip for those of us who grew up on the classic action movies of the eighties and nineties.

[johnnygobbs]

This is a good write-up Silver Nemesis.  It tells me everything I need to know about the film. 

Do you think the film would have been a hit had it remained 'R' rather than 'PG-13'?

Sadly, it looks as if this is it for the franchise.  Considering the film's paltry takings I can't see them making another one unless the current instalment turns out to be a huge hit on Blu-Ray (and who knows, maybe if the edited footage is restored it might end up more popular post-cinema).  Then again, I understand a lot of people have already illegally downloaded the film which might also be a large factor as to why it has underperformed at the box-office.

[Silver Nemesis]

Do you think the film would have been a hit had it remained 'R' rather than 'PG-13'?

I don't know if it would have been a hit, but I think it would have performed better than it has done. They basically alienated their core fanbase by giving the impression they were aiming at a teen demographic. A lot of fans felt let down by that and saw the PG-13 rating as a betrayal of trust. I wasn't too bothered about it myself, but I can see why some people were. Maybe an R-rating wouldn't have made a huge difference in the long run, but I think the PG-13 rating did dampen the hype. We'll have to wait and see how the uncut version sells on DVD.

Sadly, it looks as if this is it for the franchise.

Alas, I fear that's the case. Expendables 4 sounded like it might have been fun too. Pierce Brosnan, Jackie Chan and Hulk Hogan were all lined up to appear in it. And according to Sly, Jack Nicholson had expressed an interest in the franchise too.

But on the upside, at least they won't be making that Expendabelles spinoff now.

Then again, I understand a lot of people have already illegally downloaded the film which might also be a large factor as to why it has underperformed at the box-office.

It's sad about the film getting leaked online. However analysts have estimated that if every person who downloaded it had paid to see it once, then that would only have amounted to an additional 4 million dollars in revenue anyway. In light of how it's struggling at the box office, it could have used that extra 4 million. But even then, it would have fallen far short of the amount made by its predecessors.

There's a certain innocence and lack of cynicism to these films that I find very appealing. I know that sounds like an odd thing to say in light of the violent content. But the violence is so cartoonish and over-the-top, it's far less offensive than what you see in a lot of contemporary PG-13 movies. You can tell the cast are enjoying themselves making these films, and that in turn makes them fun to watch. There's no pretence at depth, no political agenda or mean-spiritedness. They're just good old fashioned heroes vs. villains stories with clear cut black and white morality. They remind me a bit of the A-Team in that regard. Except R-rated (until now...).

I don't suppose anyone else is planning to see it?

[johnnygobbs]

Alas, I fear that's the case. Expendables 4 sounded like it might have been fun too. Pierce Brosnan, Jackie Chan and Hulk Hogan were all lined up to appear in it. And according to Sly, Jack Nicholson had expressed an interest in the franchise too.

That's a big shame.  If only for the possibility of an 'Expendables 4' featuring that cast I do wish the latest instalment had been a hit.  Seeing all these big-name action-movie stars of the 80s and 90s together in one film has always been the most appealing aspect of this franchise.

But on the upside, at least they won't be making that Expendabelles spinoff now.

Well, in the interests of gender-balance I don't see why that was such a bad idea, although the title 'Expendabelles' would have to change...how patronising.

There's a certain innocence and lack of cynicism to these films that I find very appealing. I know that sounds like an odd thing to say in light of the violent content. But the violence is so cartoonish and over-the-top, it's far less offensive than what you see in a lot of contemporary PG-13 movies. You can tell the cast are enjoying themselves making these films, and that in turn makes them fun to watch. There's no pretence at depth, no political agenda or mean-spiritedness. They're just good old fashioned heroes vs. villains stories with clear cut black and white morality. They remind me a bit of the A-Team in that regard. Except R-rated (until now...).

I don't suppose anyone else is planning to see it?

I still haven't seen the second one.    So sadly 'no'.  Plus, as much as I like the premise of teaming these former action-movie stars together I didn't feel that passionately about the first one (which I like but hardly feel was a 'must-see').

Plus, I tend to split my cinema-going between CBMs (particularly the MCU films all of which I have seen in the cinema with the exception of 'Iron Man 2', 'Thor' and 'Captain America', and which I'll continue being a loyal devotee of, unless they screw up, which I sincerely hope won't be the case), and art-house type movies.

That said, it's interesting that you bring up 'The A-Team' because I thought the first 'Expendables' film, whilst no classic, was nonetheless a better 'A-Team' movie that the official Liam Neeson/Bradley Cooper adaptation of 2010 (and it's telling that 'The Expendables' managed to eke out at least two sequels whereas the official 'The A-Team' movie got none).  My only slight caveat with respect to 'The Expendables' is that none of the team seem to be literally 'expendable'.  I think it always raises the stakes when characters are killed off, which I hope the later MCU films will start doing (without any prospect of them being revived, Bucky or Agent Phil Coulson style).

[Silver Nemesis]

Well, in the interests of gender-balance I don't see why that was such a bad idea, although the title 'Expendabelles' would have to change...how patronising.

I don't object to the idea of a female Expendables movie in principle. The problem I have with The Expendabelles (besides the silly title) is that the line-up of actresses they assembled doesn't meet the criteria used to assemble the male actors. The whole idea behind The Expendables was that these guys were all veterans of action movies made between the late seventies and the late nineties. The rookie Expendables in the latest film didn't qualify in that regard, which is one of the reasons I didn't like them. The only actress attached to The Expendabelles who qualifies as a veteran eighties action hero is Sigourney Weaver, and she's just announced she won't be involved in the project. Most of the other actresses they've got are people below the age of 40, none of whom ever appeared in any truly classic action films of the Expendables vintage. They're looking at young actress like Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez and Katee Sackhoff, when they should be looking at people like:

•   Sigourney Weaver
•   Cynthia Rothrock
•   Michelle Yeoh
•   Rachel Ticotin
•   Linda Hamilton
•   Geena Davis
•   Brigitte Nielsen
•   Cory Everson
•   María Conchita Alonso
•   Grace Jones
•   Adrienne Barbeau
•   Sandahl Bergman
•   Jenette Goldstein
•   Pam Grier
•   Tia Carrere
•   Cynthia Khan
•   Rene Russo
•   Nancy Allen
•   Tanya Roberts
•   Talisa Soto

A movie which looks like it's getting the formula right is Mercenaries (2014), produced by the magnificent rip-off maestros at The Asylum (the unparalleled auteurs behind Sharknado (2013)). They've actually got Rothrock and Nielsen on board.

Then again, I wonder if there's much of an audience for an all-female Expendables film to begin with. Part of the idea behind the Expendables movies was to provide a manly alternative to all the chick flicks out there. If you can have a gynocentric film like Sex and the City, with a mostly female cast, geared towards a predominantly female audience, then why not offer something similar for a male demographic? Will that male audience be enthusiastic about an all-female action movie when they've already got Yu Nan and Ronda Rousey providing eye candy in the main series? And would the female demographic that flocks to see Sex and the City also flock to see a violent action movie just because the main protagonists are women?

That said, it's interesting that you bring up 'The A-Team' because I thought the first 'Expendables' film, whilst no classic, was nonetheless a better 'A-Team' movie that the official Liam Neeson/Bradley Cooper adaptation of 2010 (and it's telling that 'The Expendables' managed to eke out at least two sequels whereas the official 'The A-Team' movie got none).

I thought the same thing when I saw the A-Team movie.

My only slight caveat with respect to 'The Expendables' is that none of the team seem to be literally 'expendable'.  I think it always raises the stakes when characters are killed off,

You should watch Expendables 2... I say no more.

which I hope the later MCU films will start doing (without any prospect of them being revived, Bucky or Agent Phil Coulson style).

I've heard rumours that Steve Rogers may buy the farm soon, with either Bucky or Falcon replacing him as the new Cap. The original Avengers line-up has been carrying the franchise for six years now. I think we'll see a changing of the guard during Phases 3 and 4. Some of the actors will probably stick around (Hemsworth seems happy to), but others will want to move on (Evans has indicated he'd like to quit acting once his Marvel contract runs out). And with so many new characters rumoured to appear in Phase 3 – Daredevil, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Jessica Jones, Black Panther, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, the Defenders, the Inhumans, etc – they'll need as much room as they can get. But hopefully all of the original line-up will stick around for at least one more Phase.