The Expendables 2

It's not less that a good old classic. A group of retirees travel to digitally modified Bulgaria, alternating game maps that reflect the nostalgic-archetypal touch of the genre, and here and there we have deus ex machina, greeted by a volley of insider jokes. The banality of the plot as well as the parody touch of space and characters add post-modern qualities to it, while Simon West also adds clear personal qualities and a solid tempo. Fortunately, Stallone already understood that some seriousness or "realistic" motivation had no place here - nostalgics wanted their messages and more winks. Blunt warrior macho sentiment still abounds, but this time it's filler between great comedic performances and cutting action with much better timing than in the first film. Although it is again "only" an action encyclopedia, this time it is richly illustrated and has even more bloated references to the mythology of the wheezy grandfathers. I had a great time. (2012-08-27)

Objectively, with a runtime of under two hours, you just can't give all the characters the space they undoubtedly deserve. Beyond that, it’s a pure action spectacle that works exactly as I wanted it to because it doesn’t underestimate fan intelligence - this is the only way to get the action going, which is secondary because the primary thing is to ride the wave of catchphrases that beat into the mummified icons of most of the people involved. (2012-09-12)

I have mixed feelings. On one hand, things that I always wanted to see, on the other exaggerated prancing about for female fans and zero story. Arnold’s lines are way off. Norris tells jokes about himself and the whole thing is very forced, and not in a good way. The greatest positive element here is Van Damme who enjoys being evil. Anytime he walks into shot, it’s worth it. In the finale, Sly makes the most of how pissed he was that he didn’t land a role in part one. :-) West’s directing is visually high standard, but in places the action is confusing and very little of it is interesting. Jet Li is gone in an instant, luckily we see more of Dolph. I’m giving this four stars, but purely out of blind fandom. Otherwise, someone deserves a slap for the credits. (2012-09-13)

Incredibly long waiting was finally cut off by a visit to the cinema. Otherwise, it was impossible. The Expendables 2 is a movie that appears in the world of action movies once in a lifetime, right? Well, actually now for the second time, but now with a cast of actors whose meeting is so beautiful for a fan of old good action movies that it cannot be described in words. I haven't looked forward to a movie as much as this one in a long time, and I haven't enjoyed it as much as this one. My youth was influenced by Saturday evenings on Novo, when some action movie appeared there every week. Thanks to Novo, I developed an incredibly close relationship with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, and Chuck Norris (yes, even him! :-D), later with Stallone, Lundgren, Statham, and Jet Li. Their meeting in one movie was a huge experience for me. In addition, each character in the movie was incredibly likable. The lines were absolutely blessed. Chuck Norris and Arnold Schwarzenegger pleased that they could make fun of themselves. Action after a long time really action-packed and great, the story pleasantly simple and perfectly fitting for an action movie. What more could you wish for? What more could a fan of action movies from his youth ask for? Perhaps just fewer idiots who don't understand here on the database that an action movie is primarily about feelings towards individual actors and not about whether it will have a story, an idea, a concept. Honestly, the story in an action movie always interested me the least, or I didn't give a damn about it. I always looked forward to Arnold, Jean-Claude, or Bruce, who were spouting one brutal line after another... and everything else was just a bonus. But apparently, someone like Cervenak will never understand that. It's enough for me to read his comment. Looking for something intelligent in such a movie can only be done by someone who has never understood such a movie and the actors who play in it in his life. Supposedly, an action rinse needs a story? :-D You really made me laugh. For me, it was a huge experience, and I am glad that I could be a part of it. One of my childhood dreams came true, and that simply counts. By the way, Jean-Claude Van Damme finally proved to those puppets not only here but all over the world that he is a great actor. His character on the side of the enemies was absolutely divine, and the final scene is practically legendary already. (2012-09-19)

“My shoe is bigger than this car!” Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Ed Wood of Hollywood actors. Hardly any film this year will bring me more delight and a bigger testosterone rush than The Expendables 2, an inane B-movie with cheap digital effects and great catchphrases and genre references. And the fact that the best actor playing the movie’s best character is Jean-Claude Van Damme will go down in history. (2012-11-04)