But then came the day the Expendables 2 arrived to big screen. With Chuck Norris and Jean Claude Van Damme added to ensemble. I mean seriously? Could they actually make it right this time around? And boy they did! Everything the first one did wrong the sequel made up for it. The Expendables 2 goes straight into action with a really cool action sequence which knows no boundaries and basically just destroys everything, also the bad expectations. Just plain ass-kicking all the way through with a smirk.
All the icons (except for Mickey Rourke) are back and Schwarzenegger and Willis are given a lot more screen time. Also the main bad guy is a lot interesting and better. Played by Jean Claude Van Damme, a baddie with an accent and balls of steels who gives roundhouse kicks to Rocky. The visiting action legend Chuck Norris adds welcomed ironic and self-aware humor to the film, a cherry for the cake you could say.
"What's the plan?
Track 'em, find 'em, kill 'em."
Like its stars the film is everything what you could expect from this type of action film. Screenplay is straight-forward and simple but effective and interesting while giving enough reasons to blow shit up and shoot everything that moves. Exactly what everyone was hoping from it. And it does not jam like the first Expendables did. The movie goes through its run time like a steam train and you still have enough time to breathe and enjoy the big boys fairytale. Directing & effect wise the film does a decent job. Nothing new or special about direction and the amount of useless CGI is limited. The locations and sets are great and well-picked.
In the end it is quite hard to deeply analyze a movie like this since there isn't anything too deep about it. It's a fun movie. Movie made by action stars for action fans. Straight, simple and lots of entertainment made by people who really did enjoy what they were doing. Go and see it, and be open-minded and you won't be disappointed.
"Rest in pieces"
