Escape to the Movies: The Expendables

[Nurb]

Oh my gosh an elitist purveyor of bullshit didn't like a mainstream movie, how thoroughly shocking.

You're just as bad for using "Elitist".

 

[Mirrorknight]

Geez. So much hate around here.

Look. You don't have to agree with everything Bob says. His job is to tell you what HE thinks of the movie, not what you should think of the movie. Apparently, this movie turned him into a Tourettes case. Your results may vary.

Really, is your world so shattered that Bob has had a differentiating opinion about a few of the movies he's reviewed then you do, to the point that you believe that he is some sort of false prophet and should be stoned (the bad kind) to death?

If so, allow me to communicate to you in a method that you'll understand:

Baaa.

 

[Stabby Joe]

That's got to be the second most bleeps in a review (New Moon forever... crap), there must of REALLY been a problem with this.

Did anyone really think good old Arnold was going to be anything more than a cameo? If anyone thought he was going to come back guns n' puns a'la Commando, yeah that person probably is the meat head Bob described.

Li and Rourke are the most odd appearances however, given since Li has usually done films with context besides over the top fighting and Rourke had just got respectable again (he may not have won the Oscar but he should of and he even won all the other actor awards anyway).

As for my view on this film? Haven't seen it so I can't say anything further.

As for Scott Pilgrim (that I also haven't seen but it isn't even out yet, but I will), while it's a shame it didn't get massive amounts of advertising and it is based off what in the last review was referred to as "cult" (which I'm apart of for that matter). You can't have expectations given this and the poor movie going trend...

...but still... sad.

 

[aeziir]

I actually watched both Expendables and Scott Pilgrim, once obligated and the other by choice. (I'll leave you to guess which one was which). To be totally honest, I spend 90% of Expendables laughing until I needed a potty break. The acting was horrendous, the plot was beyond predictable and they seemed to mash up everything that they believed an action movie SHOULD have but to a very unfortunate result. My friends and I literally started doing a checklist of what this movie had ripped off from other movies.
Asian guy being called little, check
Excessive explosion with horrible CGI, check
Good guy turning bad, check
Someone coming back from the dead, check
Spunky girl, check
Uber weapon, check
Someone on fire, check
The only things missing from this movie to make the point of mecca douche bagginess was the girl not spitting on someone (like every spunky girl would do) and a sex scene (which I'm assuming watching a sex scene with sly and the girl would have disturbed too many people).
Honest to god, I would give it a 0/10.

As for Scott Pilgrim, it was creative and fun. Everyone in the theater seemed to have two reactions to it throughout the whole movie: "what the hell?" and "HAHAHAHA". Parts of the movie were so strange that people were actually making oo and aa noises, but the comedic tone of the movie made most people laugh out loud. It was thoroughly enjoyable and even people who do not like videogames or comics like it. 10/10

PS The reason I mention both movies is, like movie bob, I am bothered that Scott Pilgrim might not do well because of the juicers of the world are going to spend their voting money on the Expendables for mindless fun, and the geeks will have seen it at a free showing or pirated it. So in the end, the studios will think 'the movie didn't do well and therefore we should not make anything nearly that creative ever again'. Just like the gaming industry: truly great titles can never compete with mindless AAA titles.

 

[elcamino41383]

For once, I actually disagree with you on a movie. A friend and I think you thought too much into it. It's like "Shoot 'em Up." Its full of wholesome violence. The previews show that its chalk full of it, and you go in expecting that. That's exactly what it was. It delivered on that big time (with a lack of blood, sadly, yes.) And about your Piranha 3D "P.S" in the video. That movie was a fist full of suck minus all the tits you get to see. The 3D in it may as well be like all those movies that 3D becomes an afterthought and they add it later. Nothing about that movie made it 3D worthy, it's hardly even watch worthy.

Well seems like Bob doesn't like mindless and fun violence. Oh well. To each his own.

Um yes it is a lot like "Shoot 'em Up" but Bob hates that movie too so that's not gonna help your argument too much.

Oh and to be on topic, I know Bob was insulting people a little bit but honestly the movie is total shit. He should maybe lighten up a little bit on everyone who wants to see it (it is their money and opinion) but his hatred on the movie is justified.

 

[aeziir]

Oh my gosh an elitist purveyor of bullshit didn't like a mainstream movie, how thoroughly shocking.

Anyone else find it amusing that he insults Movie Bob, yet continues to watch his reviews. Someone apparently gets off on being angry

 

[KeefJM]

First off, I enjoyed the movie.

Second, just because I enjoyed the movie means I am a sheep?

Moviebob I am beginning to grow wary of your reviews. Like others have said before me, stop whining like a child and provide insight directed towards the happenings of the film instead of generalizing everything.

 

[RowdyRodimus]

Oh how it pleases me that The Expendables is doing so much better than Scott Pilgrim. I read a couple of the trades and it was worse than reading early 90's Image comics.

By the way, if the Expendables is a dumb movie, how much smarter is a movie that winks and nods to you and then comes right out and says "Hey guys! Remember this from that game you played or that other movie you saw back in the day?" because that's all I see anyone mention from Scott Pilgrim, people talking about the video game refrences.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Definitely wasn't great. It was closer to Rocky remake than Rambo remake, which is probably why it, y'know, felt like a PG-13 movie that was forced to be R.

In other words, this is a Stallone 'message' movie that has some action, not a Stallone action movie that has a message. Given that Stallone has already rather LOUDLY telegraphed the fact that he's back in moviemaking for the message rather than the action, why not just criticize the message?

Like highbrow nerds are supposed to do?

Especially since the message of both The Expendables and Scott Pigrim vs. the World are EXACTLY THE SAME (i.e.: the greatest thing a man can do in life is to kill hordes of other men and sacrifice himself unthinkingly for a woman!)

(Better question: Would you commit this level of manly self-sacrifice for the preening adultering *****-woman Julia Roberts plays in Eat, Pray, Love?)

The message of The Expendables is not that great men risk their lives and kill a bunch of others to save a woman.

It's all in Rourke's speech. He didn't save the woman that killed herself, thereby he feels that he stood up on his chance to redeem all his past evil actions. Stallone, afraid that this will happen to him, decides to prevent himself from letting the woman die and thereby saving himself from becoming unredeemable.

So what is the message? It's that after a certain point, everyone will be beyond redemption, and that you want to do good deeds to at least prove to yourself that there is good in you, that you're not just someone who kills, but also saves, before it's too late.

And I resent the claim that The Expendables is a message film with action. It is a very standard action film, with the heroes going to save a girl, but they put a twist to it by adding more meaning to the saving than just "He has to do it because he loves her" or "Because she is a woman that doesn't deserve the death that's coming to her".

Therefore, it is an action film with a message. Standard action premise with message interwoven into it= Action film with a message.

 

[Vrach]

I could barely finish watching this review. Took a lot of strength.

I can't believe Bob this week. We are obedient sheep because we go see one of the biggest collaboration films this decade instead of watching a film that was barely advertised in many places? We are the worst kind of people on earth because we like the premise that a movie will be an homage to 80s action films?

He dropped the ball on this review. Insulting a film is one thing, insulting someone for liking it is another, but insulting people for thinking the premise sounds like a fun idea?. That's a new low. I won't even go into how much I disagree with you on the quality of the film.

For someone who tries to hinder people from being elitist nerds, you are one of the biggest elitist nerds I've seen in quite a while.

He had an opinion, a strong one at that. And this movie's practically the action version of Twilight and I didn't see many people ripping on his arse for spewing a bile of puke all over that - so let's not start being hypocrites just because he did it to a movie you liked.

Don't know how anyone could think it would be good anyway. I mean you see every major action star shoved into one movie and your first thought is to see it ASAP no questions asked? Really? Sorry, but that is the definition of being a sheep in my book, blindly jumping into the theatre cause of a bunch of famous actors (most, if not all of whom have had many bad movies under their belt).

No offense to anyone who liked the movie btw. If you enjoy that kind of stuff, go for it, it's your money and each to their own. But I've got a feeling a lot of people just got dragged into the theatre by a list of names on the poster, to those, hope you learned something from the experience

 

[Cherry Cola]

Stop.

The.

BLEEPS!

Just use your filthy fucking language in full or don't swear at all, just stop using those annoying bleeps that are louder than the rest of the vid.

I shall take this comment further.

Stop

Bleeping

YOUR COMMENTS!

I've seen a few of them bleeping their swears. Stop that. You're not going to get banned for swearing, so don't try and hide your potty mouth

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Stop.

The.

SHEEPSS!

FIx'd for greater enjoyment.
/lulz

 

[Limality]

Really, is your world so shattered that Bob has had a differentiating opinion about a few of the movies he's reviewed then you do, to the point that you believe that he is some sort of false prophet and should be stoned (the bad kind) to death?

Well, he can have his own opinion on the MOVIE, he can dislike it however much he wants, but calling other people, who actually enjoyed this movie, obedient sheep and practically calling them a bunch of worthless fools...that's going a bit too far, don't you agree? I myself haven't seen the movie yet, but based on my previous experiences with mindless, violent, OTT action movies, I can tell that I'll be enjoying this GREATLY + I'm also planning to watch Scott Pilgrim vs. The World WHEN it comes out in 2011 in Europe... TWOTHOUSANDELEVEN, by then I'll be watching it from some Russion R5 DVD -_-

 

[Nerf Ninja]

that or the movie was just generally bad, which in accodence to the ammount of posts that seem to be sharing a similar opinion with bob on this matter i would take that as a reliable and valid assumption.

OT: I was in no way expecting this movie to be good, it looked meatheadish and boring so yeah thanks bob for confirming my beliefs... time to go watch splice

I don't think The Expendables will be even vaguely good but I'll still watch it and have fun and then be able to go watch some arthouse film and enjoy that too. we're not all meathead sheep like he wants to believe.

You're just as bad for using "Elitist".

Oh no, I'm VERY elitist, what's your point?

Anyone else find it amusing that he insults Movie Bob, yet continues to watch his reviews. Someone apparently gets off on being angry

Ha! I'm not even slightly angry and I watch a lot of various reviewers just to see what people think of things and then I make my own mind up. Don't you?

 

[Spink]

Jesus Christ. If you disagree with someone's opinion don't resort to direct insults and presumptions that end up making you like immature infants. Honestly what's is wrong with you people many of the comments are just vile attacks against Bob. Grow up.

Expendables was fun to watch with friends but it was just a mindless action movie. The plot is just barely there to string along one action scene to the next. I don't regret going to go see it but I agree it's not going to win any awards or is anything particularly special.

 

[Krion_Vark]

I saw it and i loved it. It is not a piece of shit. Moviebob, you are wrong!

You saw it once. Its kind of like Transformers 2 you do not see the plot holes until you actually think about it. Critics are paid to THINK about the movies when they see them not just sit back like the rest of the masses and enjoy whatever is on the screen.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Couldn't have put it beter myself.

 

[Limality]

PS The reason I mention both movies is, like movie bob, I am bothered that Scott Pilgrim might not do well because of the juicers of the world are going to spend their voting money on the Expendables for mindless fun, and the geeks will have seen it at a free showing or pirated it. So in the end, the studios will think 'the movie didn't do well and therefore we should not make anything nearly that creative ever again'. Just like the gaming industry: truly great titles can never compete with mindless AAA titles.

Well damn me! The very first trailer or Ad I've seen for Scott Pilgrim was like one freakin' week ago, then I saw a little article in a local Swiss-Paper about Cera, where they mention the movie, and then I read, that the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World will not be out in Europe 'till 2011...I think the producers are doing something wrong there...honestly...I saw the trailer and I'm sure most people would think of going to the cinemas for this, the problem is though, that nobody has seen a poster or trailer or tv ad for SP in Europe.