The Expendables 2 (2012)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2012
	Director: Simon West (Con Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider)
	Actors: Sylvester Stallone (Rocky 1-4, Rambo 1-4), Jason Statham (The Transporter 1-3), Jet Li (Hero), Dolph Lundgren (Rocky 4, Universal Soldier 1 3-4), Bruce Willis (Die Hard 1-5), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator 1-3), Chuck Norris (Missing in Action 1-3), Jean-Claude Van Damme (Bloodsport, Universal Soldier)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Action
	Conditions of visioning: 24.05.2013, Blu-ray, Home cinema
Synopsis: Barney Ross' (Stallone) team is back to accomplish a risky mission that nobody else could, using their expert skills in demolition and ass-kicking. Vilain (Van Damme) will be their opponent.
Review: Reading back my review of The Expendables, I realise that the mistakes I spotted have been corrected in this second episode (less lengthy fist fights, more plane attacks, better gun fights more bloody and exaggerated like in John Rambo) but new ones were made. My main criticism is that there are too many action stars in this movie to give enough room to any of them to express himself. The opening scene is great, filled with over-the-top action, explosions and enemies being blown to pieces in great splatters of blood. This reminded me a lot of how graphical violence was shown in John Rambo. Totally exaggerated but lots of fun. Then the story is not bad (follows some events of the first movie) and the motivation of the characters is well justified. What spoils it a bit are the many jokes that are not often funny (like trying to shoot the 80's action movie Commando nowadays). And when Willis and Schwarzenegger join the fun, then it is ridiculous (Arnold: "I'll be back", Bruce: "You've been back enough", Arnold: "Yippee-Kay Yeh"). As the other said, they are really too old for this. When I see this I am not really excited anymore to see Arnold playing in the next King Conan. Van Damme plays a good villain although I suspect a stunt double performed his trademark rotating kick, while Chuck Norris' apparitions are pretty useless.
Rating: 6 /10