Critic Watch Blog #2

The Expendables 2. This film is a prequel of the same title which did well beyond expectations. This film marked the return of the action actors of the 80's, 90's, and present times is like a family reunion gone wrong. There are numerous actors who share the lead roles but it is clearly that the main actor and protagonist is Sylvester Stallone. He is the director, the lead, and the leader of his rough and tumble teammates who pride themselves as mercenaries. His partners in this film is packed with star power though, some still shining, others enjoying this last paycheck of their lengthy careers. Jason Statham,  Terry Crews, Liam Hemsworth, Jet Li, Randy Couture and Dolph Lundgren. Fighting for the bad are British kickboxer Scott Adkins and Jean-Claude Van Damme. There were even the king pins of the action movie generation of the 80's in this film such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Chuck Norris. It's plot was not too deep and was indeed quite predictable. The true goal of Stallone in this film was to bring back movies how action used to be. Fighting without the CGI effects and a genre the older generation could relate to. That is one aspect of this film that they did well, I thoroughly enjoyed the film from beginning to end all of the action. It's plot could have been a little more deeper with a little bit of a political theme such as the Bourne series. Amy Nicholson gave this film an 80 out of 100. I do not agree with her scores even though the film was entertaining. I would give it a 70 if it was up to me. If I was directing, I would have thrown out the jokes and been a little more sinister in some scenes. I guess with my opinion I can say, this film is a way for closure for many of those actors. Retirement should do them quite well expend there riches that way.