100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 49: The Expendables 3

Director: Patrick Hughes

Genre: Action/ Adventure

Runtime: 126 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Kelsey Grammer, Antonio Banderas, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey, Kellan Lutz, Jet Li 

Description: Barney (Sylvester Stallone) augments his team with new blood for a personal battle: to take down Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), the Expendables co-founder and notorious arms trader who is hell bent on wiping out Barney and every single one of his associates.

Review: It’s again time for an adventure with some of our favorite action stars: “The Expendables 3”. As the driving engine behind the film series, Sylvester Stallone managed to find some new actors. Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford are added to the cast. Alongside the ‘oldies’, we also get some new young stars. Kellan Lutz is probably the only one that will ring a bell. Bruce Willis isn’t part of it anymore.

The movie starts with a lot of action. Barney and his team have to save an ex-Expendable, named Doctor Death. During their next mission, Barney finds out that Stonebanks, an Expendable gone bad, is still alive. All he wants is to go up against him one more time, especially after severely injuring Caesar. Barney doesn’t want his other friends to get hurt, so he decides to set up a new team. But it’s not that easy to exchange experience.

Just like how The Rolling Stones still keep coming back and fill concert halls, “The Expendables 3” will attract audience. The storyline is never the strong point, although there is a more emotional side to it this time.

Introducing Wesley Snipes and Antonio Banderas to the franchise is a smart move. Their loud characters often manage to make you laugh. The search for the new generation, led by Kelsey Grammer, is more fun than the new group itself. All of them are easily replaceable. Mel Gibson is very convincing as the villain.

The action is again of a high level. If you liked the previous movies in this series, “The Expedables 3” gives you again what you expect. The formula hasn’t stopped working yet and another sequel isn’t unthinkable.

Rating: 3/ 5