A step in the right direction

Nine years have elapsed since The Expendables 3 derailed the series with a miscalculated PG-13 misfire, and things do not quite feel the same with this delayed fourth instalment. Originally planned to be a Jason Statham-centric spinoff (with the subtitle A Christmas Story), The Expendables 4 (or Expend4bles, if you will) feels like a lower-budget, B-grade continuation of the franchise rather than a glorious return to form for the ailing brand. It restores the coveted R rating and delivers the bloodletting that the target audience craves, but it lacks the dramatic heft and gravitas of the first two pictures and offers the most underwhelming cast list of the series. With a script credited to Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium), Tad Daggerhart (Black Lotus) and Max Adams (The Terminal List), Expend4bles has its flaws but it nevertheless manages to remain perfectly serviceable as a Jason Statham action vehicle. Indeed, the action sequences seldom disappoint, and director Scott Waugh (Hidden Strike, Need for Speed) keeps the picture chugging along at an agreeable pace. Gleefully violent, Expend4bles is an easy-going watch for genre fans, and it's a definite improvement over the heartbreaking third instalment.

Recruited by a C.I.A. operative named Marsh (Andy Garcia), the titular Expendables – led once again by the grizzled Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) – travel to Libya to prevent a mercenary, Suarto Rahmat (Iko Uwais), from stealing nuclear warheads and starting World War III. Joined by Lee Christmas (Statham), Toll Road (Randy Couture), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren) and newcomers Easy Day (50 Cent) and Galan (Jacob Scipio), Barney leads the squad into battle, but the operation is an abject failure and Rahmat escapes with the deadly devices. Marsh boots Christmas from the team and opts to lead the Expendables himself, recruiting fresh blood in the form of Christmas's girlfriend, Gina (Megan Fox), and C.I.A. operator Lash (Levy Tran). The nuclear weapons are loaded onto a ship headed for Russia, and the Expendables are ready to try stopping Rahmat again while also unmasking the mysterious Ocelot, the mastermind behind the conspiracy. Meanwhile, Christmas is not willing to let go, tracking and following his former team to join the fight.

The aesthetic of the Expendables series is ever-changing, and Expend4bles is no different. With yet another director and another cinematographer putting their stamp on the franchise, this sequel lacks a distinctive visual identity, appearing generic as hell from an aesthetic standpoint. Worse, for reasons that are entirely unknown to this reviewer, series composer Brian Tyler was replaced with (the presumably cheaper) Guillaume Roussel. Tyler's flavoursome compositions represent a big part of the franchise's identity, with recognisable themes and motifs that appear throughout the previous movies (even though The Expendables 3's score was mostly recycled from Tyler's existing works). Roussel's score is, frankly, awful - it's forgettable and generic, sounding more like a temp score than the final mix. Furthermore, shonky digital effects are not uncommon for the Expendables movies, and Expend4bles continues this unfortunate tradition. The film's second half occurs on a ship disguised as an aircraft carrier, and most wide shots of the vessel look distinctly phoney and digital, closer to a videogame than a big-budget theatrical experience. Although the attempt to add some scope to the series is admirable (the climaxes of the previous pictures mostly took place in cheap, dingy, dark locations), the execution is half-hearted at best. It is difficult to ascertain precisely where the reported $100 million budget went (one supposes that Stallone still commanded a large payday despite chastising Bruce Willis for his pay demands).

Unlike its predecessors, it's clear that Expend4bles was R-rated from the start. Even though the first two movies were R-rated, they were specifically filmed to allow for PG-13 edits of each, while the PG-13 Expendables 3 was a gargantuan mistake (a fact that Stallone even acknowledges). Expend4bles, on the other hand, is littered with profanity and excessive bloodshed – it is exactly the type of thing that fans have wanted since the beginning. The movie is at its best during the grounded action sequences, from an exciting vehicular chase to the team taking endless names in violent ways during the extended climax aboard the ship. For the most part, the carnage is captured smoothly and is easy to comprehend, which is particularly beneficial during the close combat fights. Amusingly, the only distracting moments of shaky-cam occur outside of the action sequences – there are some expositional scenes with egregious shaky-cam so severe that it appears the camera operator was in the early stages of a seizure. Another positive is the inclusion of several fun songs on the soundtrack, including the return of Thin Lizzy's classic rock track "The Boys Are Back In Town" for the closing credits to mirror the first movie.

The Expendables flicks have always been characterised by their impressive casts, but Expend4bles fails to add any genuinely exciting names to the roster. For the most part, only unknown or outright unimpressive names join the team, which is contrary to the franchise's core hook. Mustering up any enthusiasm for 50 Cent or Megan Fox is impossible, while Tran makes even less of an impression. Even though Garcia acquits himself adequately as Marsh, the casting feels like a missed opportunity considering that Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis played comparable roles in previous instalments. However, action fans will appreciate the addition of cult names Tony Jaa (The Protector, Ong-Bak) and Iko Uwais (The Raid), both of whom receive their moments to shine during the action sequences. Jaa getting in on the action is an especially giddy moment, and Statham's fight with Uwais does not disappoint.

Stallone vocally quit The Expendables 4 several years ago before ultimately returning here, but in a diminished capacity. Indeed, even though Barney was the true protagonist of the first three films, his role here amounts to a glorified cameo while Christmas takes over. This is a genuine shame since the central pairing of Stallone and Statham is one of the franchise's bright spots, and Expend4bles truly fires on all cylinders in its first half-hour when the action focuses on Barney and Christmas. Their banter sparkles during these early scenes, providing some of the most amusing dialogue of the entire franchise. In fairness, however, the screenplay sufficiently justifies Barney's absence and it is pivotal to the story – it does not feel like Barney's role was hastily reduced in a last-minute rewrite.

Once considered the "baby" of the team, Statham is now 56 years old here as he emerges as the new protagonist of the series. Like most classic action heroes before him, Statham is more of a presence than a proper thespian, but he is a perfectly capable performer and a charismatic lead. Only four of the six core Expendables team members make their return here, as both Jet Li and Terry Crews are missing in action. (To be fair, Li had one foot out of the door for years, as his role was much smaller in the second and third instalments.) On that note, all of the new actors from The Expendables 3 are similarly absent despite the likes of Antonio Banderas and Wesley Snipes having joined the squad. The best of the new team members is the charming Scipio as Galan, the son of Banderas's character. However, it is apparent that Galan is simply a Banderas surrogate, as he retains Banderas's mannerisms and personality.


Judging by its overwhelming critical and commercial failure, Expend4bles is almost certainly the swansong for the Expendables franchise unless the producers decide to start churning out cheap straight-to-video spinoffs with the occasional Dolph Lundgren or Randy Couture cameo. Luckily, the movie does not try to plan for the future by setting up another sequel with an end credits tease, allowing for a clean and adequately satisfying franchise capper. In 2023, there is still an appetite for simplistic, old-school action films reminiscent of the jingoistic genre classics that populated the multiplexes back in the 1980s, especially since 21st Century cinema has become so concerned with politics and agenda. However, it takes a little more effort than this to accomplish a home run, especially since flicks like John Wick: Chapter 4 deliver action with genuine style, visual panache and gravitas. Expend4bles is imperfect counterprogramming, and your mileage may vary depending on your expectations.

6.4/10