it blowed up real good

* * * * Last week Gina asked me what I wanted for my birthday.  I told her that I wanted to go see Stalone's latest meat-grinder movie The Expendables.  I thought she was wanting me to go with Jose' but surprised me.  She wanted to go see it with me.  She also liked The A-Team.  Gina promised me before going into the bloody fray that she wouldn't complain if she didn't like it (she did).

Though the movie isn't my favorite Sly movie, it delivered on gun fire and exploding chunks of flesh.  Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger had only brief cameos which were used in the movie trailer (below).   Don't get your hopes up seeing Sylvester, Bruce, and Ahhhnold fighting side by side - this is Stalone's flick.  The only thing I thought seeing Schwarzenegger on the silver screen again was "Geez - being GovEnaah of Caleeeforneyah has made Arnold old."  The brief scene with the trio together was anti-climatic.

What seems to be missing in this movie, are the bad-ass quips that Stalone, Willis, and Schwarzenegger movies are famous for.  If you're going to have a testosterone fueled big budget violent movie...you gotta have lots of witty quips to toss in with the grenades.  

There wasn't much to the plot, but it was an enjoyable ride nevertheless.  It's a guy movie in which the screen is filled with cigar chomping, muscle bound, tattooed, motorcycle riding, knife throwing, bad guy killing good guys.  Though this is clearly a new Stalone vehicle, Sly doesn't hog the camera.  He seemed very generous by sharing the celluloid glory among his aged beef co-stars.

The Expendables is Wild Bunch meets Magnificent Seven meets Dogs of War meets Grumpy Old Men.  I think Stalone is trying to start yet another franchise with The Expendables.  I wish him well - I'll be front row center,  Like Stalone, I get the senior citizen rate.