Big Picture Big Sound

Bad to the Groan

Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and his team of guns for hire are back for more madness and mayhem in this inevitable sequel to Sly's The Expendables. As was the case with the original, the lazily-titled Expendables 2 hangs its hat (a slightly cocked beret) on its cast, a veritable who's who of action and fighting superstars new and old. This time out Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis get a bit more to do and there's also the notable additions of Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Unfortunately, these additions come at the expense of Jet Li, who you might miss if you decide to blink early on in the film.

Much like the original, The Expendables 2 is a critic-proof affair.  Right up front, you know what you're getting: lots of action, lots of (piss poor CGI) bloodshed, and lots of testosterone. And if you're an action movie junkie, there's nothing anyone can say that'll stop you from checking this one out.  Speaking as an action movie junkie myself, this is what infuriates me most about The Expendables and this marginally-superior sequel. Both films are criminally and unbelievably lazy.

Here's the thing. Most of the guys in these movies are amazing. They've earned their action chops and they absolutely deserve to be in a film like this. These are the men and muscle behind such classics as First Blood, Predator, The Transporter, Bloodsport, Missing in Action, Die Hard - these are flicks you simply have to watch when you stumble upon them while channel surfing. As such, I simply cannot explain why these guys - these titans who defined the genre - seem perfectly willing to participate in these lazy, incoherent, and  uninspired parodies of their past achievements. Three "I'll be back" references? A "Rambo" name drop? Chuck Norris jokes? "Yippie kay yay?" Ugh. Make it stop. Please.

The Picture

Despite my many misgivings about the the film itself, there isn't much to complain about in the presentation department. Lionsgate gives the intentionally gritty Expendables 2 a solid Blu-ray transfer boasting a welcome film grain veneer. Much of the film features a soft look and a muted color palette, but this appears to be an artistic decision more than anything else. Facial close-ups reveal plenty of stubble and character in these hardened, battle-worn faces, and blacks appear sufficiently deep despite some crush in the shadows.

All that said, it should be pointed out that The Expendables 2 features some of the worst CGI work I've seen in a big screen spectacle such as this. Against the aforementioned muted backdrop, the frequent bursts of CGI blood spray look incredibly fake. And larger setpieces, such as one featuring a motorcycle-helicopter collision look, well, let's just say it looked a hell of a lot better when we saw this stunt the first time in Live Free or Die Hard.

The Sound

The Expendables 2 holds the grand distinction of being the first Blu-ray Disc release to feature DTS' new 11.1 Neo:X surround sound encoding. You read that right: 11.1. Like most of you, I haven't yet converted my theater to accommodate this new eleven speaker (!!!)  format, so I had to be content with the lossless 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio experience.  And "content" is putting it mildly; this soundtrack kicks ass.

From the film's opening sequence, a horribly-edited but otherwise highly entertaining assault on the senses, you can tell that this soundtrack means business.  Gunfire and explosions boast tremendous oomph while dialogue remains clear and intelligible throughout.  Panning is quite good throughout the film and there are very few times where all speakers aren't working together to create a pulse-quickening concert of chaos.

The Extras

If there is one shining light on this entire disc, it is "Big Guns, Bigger Heroes: The 1980's and the Rise of the Action Film."  This nearly half hour-long look at action cinema's defining decade is fun, informative, and a must-watch for action fans. Sadly, it's also a glaring reminder of the missed opportunity that is The Expendables franchise thus far. A few additional featurettes, a gag reel, and deleted scenes round out the on-disc extras.  Last but not least, digital download fans can enjoy the iTunes Digital Copy and Ultraviolet editions of the film, both of which are included.

Final Thoughts

It's too late for The Expendables and The Expendables 2; they are beyond help. However, since we're guaranteed to see an Expendables 3, here is my one wish:  just play it straight. Instead of this nudge, nudge, wink, wink crap, give us real dialogue and some characters we actually care about. Don't remind me of the far superior films these guys made in their heyday. Give me something new that reminds me why I loved them in the first place. From a technical standpoint, Lionsgate's Blu-ray treatment of The Expendables 2 is fantastic. One only wishes it was in service of a less frustrating film.

Features and Specifications:

• Actors: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Chuck Norris, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Liam Hemsworth, and Jean-Claude Van Damme
  
• Director: Simon West
• Audio/Languages: English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Optimized for 11.1 Neo:X playback, English 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
  
• Subtitles: English SDH, English, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
  
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating:R
• Studio:Lionsgate
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: November 20, 2012
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• List Price: $39.99
• Extras:
  • Featurettes
  • Audio commentary
  • Gag reel
  • Deleted scenes
  • iTunes Digital Copy
  • Ultraviolet