With “Expend4bles” (Lionsgate), director Scott Waugh extends a franchise that dates back to 2010 and that has always been fueled by mindless machismo. The latest blood-soaked entry in the series maintains that lunkheaded outlook.
Sylvester Stallone returns as Barney Ross, the longtime leader of the paramilitary outfit of the title. This time out, at the behest of a CIA official named Marsh (Andy Garcia), the gang aims to thwart the schemes of evil arms dealer Rahmat (Iko Uwais). Rahmat has managed to assemble his very own nuclear bomb and plans to use it to spark World War III.
After a botched raid chronicled in the opening sequence, Ross’ number two, Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), finds his membership in the organization questioned. As a result, his colleagues — including Christmas’ on-again-off-again live-in girlfriend Gina (Megan Fox) — leave him behind when they set out to tangle with Rahmat’s minions.
Still, as his comrades shoot, stab, slash and vaporize their faceless adversaries, Christmas manages to make his presence felt. As for Ross himself, plot developments keep him mostly out of the picture.
Screenwriters Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart and Max Adams try to leaven the proceedings with humorous putdowns. They also throw Decha (Tony Jaa), a former Thai special forces operative-turned-pacifist, into the mix to reflect — albeit briefly — on the corrosive spiritual effects of too much manslaughter. Predictably, his musings do little to stay the slaying.
In fact, while this chapter of the quick-paced but pretentiously posturing saga mostly registers as he-man drivel, its wrap-up descends into outright immorality. For purposes of his own, and to fill what might otherwise be a gap in the storyline, the screenplay has Ross subject an ornery but hardly murderous opponent to an undeserved death.
The clear intent is for the audience to find this not only fitting but clever and amusing. Amid all the fatality already depicted, the moment comes and goes. But to say that such behavior on Barney’s part isn’t exactly super-dee-duper would be an understatement.
The film contains excessive gory violence, cohabitation, rear nudity, sexual and anatomical humor, at least one profanity, a few milder oaths, pervasive rough and crude language and obscene gestures. The OSV News classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
