Review of The Expendables 3 (2014) by Gerb D — 26 Jan 2015

I have been -and remain- completely on board with The Expendables project from the very start.

The first installment probably overdid it in terms of cramming too much story (using the term loosely) and not enough action in (given the type of film it was to be).

The sequel got the balance bang on. Just enough story (again, loose use of the term), but a riotous triumph in the action department.

The third installment... falls somewhere inbetween. It is just over two hours long, but it's hard not to feel that if it were just something like 90 minutes long, it would have been much better.

There are some good moments, cheesy jokes, a showstealing turn from Mel Gibson and it is mindless fun.

I don't believe that the much maligned 12A certificate played a huge part in the quality of the film. I enjoy the uberviolence as much as anyone, but it *probably* isn't necessary to make the movie better.

These movies are a labour of love for anyone who watches them, yearning for a time when action movies were big, dumb and loud. Obviously, the genre has (often brilliantly) evolved, but these films are -in my book- a welcome throwback. Especially (like in the case of part 2) when they get it right.