[6.00/10] The Expendables 2 (2012)

The Expendables 2 (2012)

Brief review: In 2010 Stallone's "The Expendables" ended up being a bit of a misfire, despite it contained the most popular action stars of the last 30 years. Two years later, director Simon West brings them all back together for a second time, and the end result is much more satisfying. Thanks to West's capability and skills, this time around the execution is slicker, the pacing is neater, and  the direction is way more solid than Stallone's, which isn't a big surprise. That being said, while definitely an improvement over its mediocre predecessor, "The Expendables 2" still struggles to impress with its plot, which feels dated and very uninspired. As expected, this sequel focuses a lot more on the action, than it does on the story, and in this area, the movie delivers everything it promises - great stunts, stirring, over-the-top action scenes, lots of explosions, loud gunfire, and tense chases. The spectacular opening sequence and the 'airport' scene near the end are definitely the biggest highlights of the movie - action-wise and otherwise. Set in Albania, but actually shot in Bulgaria, "Expendables 2" offers some interesting, untypical locations that feel refreshing, despite their gloomy, 'step back in time' feel. The ensemble cast of past and present action legends all do a decent job - Sylvester Stallone is at the center of attention, Jason Statham and Chuck Norris the show as usual, while Jet Li is wildly underused.

Overall summary: Entertaining, satisfyingly action-packed and well put together, if ultimately shallow, "The Expendables 2" is a rare sequel that easily surpasses the original, but will hardly turn into an action classic, despite the all-stars veteran cast of actors it proudly flaunts.