6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
The Expendables come face-to-face with a ruthless arms trader who is making it his mission to kill them all.
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel GibsonAction | 100% |
Adventure | 51% |
Thriller | 37% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
With a formula as set in stone as some of the Botoxed faces on display in The Expendables 3, it’s probably a shortcut of sorts that provides an opportunity of sorts, perhaps not even necessitating the fineries of an actual screenplay. That may then beg the question as to why it evidently took three people instead of a mere algorithm to come up with the predictable pile of excess that is this film. Resolutely unambitious but just as undeniably slick and manufactured as might be expected (maybe a better name for this franchise would be The Expectedles), The Expendables 3 expends—er, make that expands its list of yesterday’s heroes to include such stalwarts as Harrison Ford and (heaven forfend) Mel Gibson, at least cast here as the bad buy to trade in on his tarnished image. The film kicks off with what is its stock in trade, a spectacularly staged action set piece that sees Barney (Sylvester Stallone), Christmas (Jason Statham), Jensen (Dolph Lundgren) and Toll Road (Randy Couture) engaging in a take no prisoners assault on a train which is in fact a mission to free a prisoner held on board, a former member of this elite squad named Doctor Death (Wesley Snipes). This opening sequence is everything that Expendables fans have come to relish about the series—it’s big, noisy, flashily accomplished and completely improbable. Someone with a stopwatch probably planned and edited this film, for like clockwork little bursts of violence or grander, longer sequences built on similar action hyperbole tend to erupt every 20 minutes or so, but that still leaves close to two hours of other material that the film needs to slog through, and the increasingly tired banter of aging males bonding just isn’t enough to carry this installment.
The Expendables 3 is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. Digitally shot with Red Epic cameras, the film looks fantastic in high definition, with a deep and burnished palette that exploits some particularly notable amber and sienna hues. Close-ups offer excellent fine detail, and well above average detail even in rather dark environments. A hyperkinetic filming and editing style can sometimes add the appearance of softness to the most manic action sequences, but the image is typically sharp, clear and very precise looking. Exterior location footage offers very substantial depth of field. Some of the CGI elements are slightly soft looking, but are woven organically into the film. There are no issues with inappropriate digital tweaking of the image and similarly no problems with compression artifacts.
The Expendables 3's Dolby Atmos (core Dolby TrueHD 7.1) mix is astoundingly effective, from the first moment when a train passes over a camera and a clear and thunderous panning sound wave accompanies it. Low end is absolutely shattering at several key instances throughout the film, offering an almost physical punch to things like explosions, gunfire and other mayhem. Perhaps surprisingly, dialogue comes through loudly and clearly even in the most boisterous sequences. Surround placement is ubiquitous and extremely well handled, offering an onslaught of effects in the busiest scenes.
The Expendables 3 will almost certainly satisfy any action junkie's need for things that go "boom", but by the third film in a franchise, there's only so many gunfights and demolition derbies that can be sat through before everything just starts to feel old hat. There's the expected amount of banter in this film, which boils down more to blather quite a bit of the time, but director Patrick Hughes knows where his bread is buttered and serves up some slickly packaged action sequences every few minutes. The Expendables 3 is resolutely unambitious, lowbrow action fare, and taken on that level, it succeeds perfectly well. Technical merits here are first rate, and for those jonesin' for wild and crazy guys marauding through yet another overseas locale if for no one else, The Expendables 3 comes Recommended.
Unrated Edition
2014
2014
Unrated Edition
2014
2014
Theatrical
2014
2012
2010
2013
Expendables 4
2023
2019
2019
2016
2017
2018
2015
Extended Edition
2013
2023
2012
2016
2018
2012
2011
2009
2018
1996