Film review: The Expendables 3

He may not have acted in anything worthwhile since Rocky nearly 40 years ago, but Sylvester Stallone somehow always manages to find funding for new projects. And credit where credit is due, many of his films (he has written or had a hand in writing more than two dozen screenplays over the years) have gone on to make quite a bit of money.

The Expendables 3 is the third installment of the eponymous franchise that has been a bit of a farce, with every episode adding more famous (but mostly washed-up) faces to the mix as part of Stallone’s action posse. Although Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Chuck Norris – the latter the only saving grace in the horrendous second instalment – have all fallen by the wayside over time, this latest film features Wesley Snipes, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford. Antonio Banderas is another one.

The screenplay is somewhat better than the previous film (which was virtually flying blind from scene to scene), but the characters, despite dialogue that suggests a recognition they are growing old, still seem too gung-ho to care their hips might break if they fell one more time.

But at least this time around, the production team is making a bit of an effort to polish the rough edges of the previous whirlwind of bullets, smoke and fire that served as a facade to the wholly vacuous storyline.

To read the full review, visit The Prague Post. The Expendables 3 goes on wide release in Bulgaria on August 15.

(Photo by Phil Bray – © 2014 – Lionsgate)

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