The Expendables 3

The Expendables 3 - Dir. Patrick Hughes (2014)

Menahem Golan passed away on August 8^th at the age of 85. Most of you might not know his name, but you definitely know his work. Golan directed The Delta Force with Chuck Norris and Over the Top with Sylvester Stallone. Golan was better known as a prolific producer who took over Cannon Films in 1979 with his cousin Yoram Globus. Together, they churned out  movies like Missing in Action, Death Wish II through Death Wish 4, American Ninja, Masters of the Universe, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Sure, they weren't classics, but their output became synonymous with the 80's action era.

Stallone has found a way to keep that genre on life support with The Expendables series. Each film sees Stallone assemble an all-star cast of action heroes for two hours of explosions, mayhem, and bloodshed. These movies are heavy on testosterone, but the scripts are light on plot, characterization, and wit. Still, the franchise has kept afloat as we now get set for The Expendables 3.

Barney Ross (Stallone) and his team of Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), and Toll Road (Randy Couture) are dropped into some anonymous Eastern European country. In a wild opener, the team rescues Doctor Death (Wesley Snipes), a founding member of the Expendables who has been imprisoned for years after a failed assassination attempt. Doc proceeds to hijack a transport train and crash it into the prison, likely killing hundreds of guards and inmates, just to get revenge on the sadistic warden. There's no rest for the wicked as Ross and company are tasked with taking out a notorious arms dealer, who is revealed to be Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), another founding member. Stonebanks was seemingly killed by Ross after turning to the dark side.

The Expendables barely escape with Hale Caesar suffering life threatening injuries. Not wanting to see anymore of his comrades dead, Ross puts together an all-new team with of fresh faces. Meet Smilee (Kellan Lutz), Mars (Victor Ortiz), Thorn (Glen Powell), and Luna (Ronda Rousey).

The Expendables has largely traded on nostalgia. In particular, the sequel featured the novelty of Jean-Claude Van Damme as a Euro-trash villain and the trifecta of Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Stallone sharing the screen and mowing down wave after wave of faceless henchmen. Sadly, Expendables 3 seems to have forgotten about the elements that make the whole endeavor work. Yes, Stallone has added several notable names to the roster, but they aren't expected stars like Steven Seagal or Jackie Chan. Wesley Snipes makes his return to the screen and he's clearly enjoying the opportunity. There's a meta-moment when Snipes jokes that he was serving time for tax evasion. He's got great charisma as does Antonio Banderas as the loquacious Galgo, who is overly eager to join up with the Expendables.

When Willis split over a disagreement in pay, Harrison Ford stepped in as the new CIA handler Max Drummer. Ford is at crotchety level 11, growling and snarling every piece of dialogue. However, he's still Harrison Ford and the best one-liners they can come up with is, "That's gotta hurt." Chalk that up to a screenplay by Stallone and the team of Creighton Rothenberger & Katrin Benedikt, who also penned Olympus Has Fallen. Mel Gibson finds himself in the same boat. He chews the scenery whenever he gets the chance as the villain, who's not as cartoonish as Luther Voz in Machete Kills.

One nice surprise is Kelsey Grammer, an actor not exactly known for action roles. But, it's been the summer of Frasier with Grammer also appearing in X-Men: Days of Future Past and Transformers: Age of Extinction. Grammer plays Bonaparte, a facilitator that assists Ross in recruiting young blood.

Therein lays the primary problem with The Expendables 3. People came to see the big stars, not a bunch of newbies. Expendables: The Next Generation barely has the chance to develop any sort of personality other than one is a tech expert and one is a woman. Speaking of which, UFC's Ronda Rousey is a welcome change for this overwhelming sausage party, but she gives wooden line readings for the few bits of dialogue she's given. Stick with punching dudes in the face. Kellan Lutz plays a down-and-out soldier with an anti-authority issue, which never gets brought up again. The whole idea of bringing them in makes no sense. Barney Ross doesn't want his friends to die, but has no problem getting people he just met killed? And the more time we spend with them, the less we do with actors that are actually interesting.

After the slam-bang prologue, the movie lulls into a slumber as it introduces the new characters and puts them into danger so the old guard can come to their rescue. At over 2 hours long, the third installment is the lengthiest off the trilogy and there was just no need for those additional twenty minutes. The movie doesn’t pick up until the third act when Expendables of all ages join forces to battle Stonebanks and the entire army of a fictional Slavic country. Since this is PG-13, limbs aren't chopped off and human bodies aren't blown to bits. Just because Expendables 3 isn't R-rated, doesn't meant the body count has lessened. Hundreds of soldiers are gunned down, blown up by grenades, or impaled by throwing knives. Almost everyone gets their own moment to shine, from Rousey using MMA moves to snap limbs to Lutz pulling a Steve McQueen by jumping a motorcycle. Ford busts out his piloting skills by flying a chopper into the combat zone with Arnold and Jet Li riding shotgun. By the way, Jet Li pops up for about five minutes and all he does is fire a machine gun, despite being one of the greatest martial arts stars in movie history. And while Arnold doesn't bust out another "I'll be back," he does reprise his famous line from Predator, "Get to da choppa!"

Stallone and Schwarzenegger share a quiet scene in which the two contemplate retiring from the gun-for-hire business. You could also take it as commentary on their acting careers. Neither man has lit up the box office the way they did back in the 80's. They aren't slow down either with Stallone set for Rambo V and Arnold working on Terminator: Genesys and Legend of Conan. They might not be ready to hang up their combat boots, but maybe it's time to put The Expendables out to pasture if this is the best they can do.

Rating: * ½ (*****)

Machete Kills

Machete Kills - Dir. Robert Rodriguez (2013)

Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino paid homage to the exploitation movies of their youth with the 2007 double feature Grindhouse. They had big plans to turn it into a franchise until the film died at the box office. Still, there was enough interest to spinoff Machete, a machete wielding badass who made his first appearance in one of Grindhouse's faux-trailers.

Described as ”FBI, CIA, and DEA all rolled into one mean burrito," Machete starred in a self-titled feature film bolstered by over-the-top action and an eclectic cast that included Robert DeNiro and Lindsay Lohan. Of course, Machete couldn't have worked without its star, Trejo, the craggily faced and tattooed character actor in his biggest role to date. Trejo returns in the sequel, Machete Kills, which remains faithful to its B-movie roots while upping the ante by adding a sci-fi spin. There's a lead villain cut from the same mold as Hugo Drax from Moonraker and plenty of Star Wars references.

A mission to foil an arms deal ends disastrously for Machete and ICE agent Sartana (Jessica Alba). Our hero is about to be hanged by a redneck sheriff (William Sadler) when he's pardoned by President Rathcock (Charlie Sheen, billed under his real name of Carlos Estevez). POTUS sends Machete into Mexico to track down a nuclear weapon that has fallen into the hands of a former cartel leader known as Mendez the Madman (Demián Bichir), so called because of his multiple personalities. However, the real mastermind is revealed to be billionaire industrialist Luther Voz (Mel Gibson), who has concocted a plan to engulf the entire world in nuclear war.

Also returning for the sequel are Michelle Rodriguez as the one-eyed revolutionary She and Tom Savini as hitman Osiris Amanpour. Joining them are Amber Heard as beauty queen/secret agent Miss San Antonio and Sofia Vergara as Desdemona, leader of a gang of deadly prostitutes. While the cast is as star-studded as its predecessor, most of the actors (Vanessa Hudgens, for example) appear in glorified cameos. One character, a master of disguise named The Chameleon, is simply there to justify a string of gonzo, guest appearances by Walt Goggins, Lady Gaga, and Cuba Gooding Jr. Only a few get to make any real impression, such as Sheen who has fun playing into his tabloid persona as a boozehound and horndog. Bichir and Gibson (in his first turn as a bad guy) give the best performances as both actors straddle the line between cartoonish villainy and honest-to-goodness gravitas. Bichir, in particular, brings some surprisingly soulful moments to Machete Kills.

Rodriguez's flair for action isn't fully on display here. Machete Kills manages a couple of decent set pieces, usually involving Machete versus Chilean martial arts star Marko Zaror. Unfortunately, much of the film is repetitive with Rodriguez relying one too many times on his hero killing henchmen by throwing them into helicopter blades. Sofia Vergara, who plays it to the hilt, packs a high caliber brassier as well as the crotch gun from Desperado and From Dusk Till Dawn. Even a catfight between Amber Heard and Michelle Rodriguez comes off dull.

Machete Kills opens with another faux-trailer for a third picture, Machete Kills Again…in Space, that offers more thrills than the actual movie that followed. Maybe it's time to say, "Adios," to this franchise.

Rating: ** (*****)

The Beaver

The Beaver - Dir. Jodie Foster (2011)

"I'm the Beaver, Walter, and I'm here to save your god damn life."

There’s no need to delve into the erratic behavior of Mel Gibson, the former Hollywood power player who has since become headline fodder for the tabloids. Once a bankable star, he is now considered persona non grata in the movie industry. Members of the cast and crew on The Hangover: Part II went apoplectic when it was announced Gibson was in line for a cameo and the offer was withdrawn. Gibson’s ballyhooed return to acting went largely ignored by general audiences. A violent revenge thriller was likely not the best vehicle for a comeback. Will they be more accepting if he were to play a mentally disturbed individual who communicates through the use of a hand puppet?

The Beaver was written by newbie Kyle Killen (who would go on to create the critically acclaimed, but short-lived Fox series Lone Star) and made the famed Black List in 2008. Steve Carell and Jim Carrey were both attached to the lead at various points before Gibson signed on at a time when his reputation wasn’t too tarnished. Then, the ugly calls to his ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, were leaked to the media and Summit Entertainment went from having a potential awards season centerpiece to a forgotten direct-to-video release. Predictably, The Beaver was shunted down the pipeline several times before receiving a very limited release in mid-May.

In a moment of heavy-handed symbolism, the opening scene introduces Gibson as a man at wit's end lying in a Christ-like position with his arms out. He stares blankly into the sky as he floats across a swimming pool. Gibson is Walter Black, the CEO of a once-successful toy company, who is now crippled by a debilitating bout of depression. He is barely able to summon the strength to get out of bed. Walter's wife, Meredith (Jodie Foster), who ironically designs roller coasters for a living, can't deal anymore and boots him out of the house.

While throwing away some belongings, Walter finds a tattered beaver puppet in a dumpster behind a liquor store. He takes it back to his hotel room where he gets drunk and fails to kill himself while watching a rerun of Kung Fu. Awakening the next morning, Walter begins speaking to himself as the Beaver, affecting a Cockney accent and sounding an awful lot like Ray Winstone. Passing the Beaver off as a legitimately prescribed treatment, Walter is given a new lease on life. His youngest son, Henry (Riley Thomas Stewart), loves daddy and his new puppet pal. Their bonding over woodshop projects inspires Walter to market a Mr. Beaver Woodshop Kit that revitalizes his sagging company. Meredith even welcomes her estranged husband back into the house, but not everyone is enthusiastic about the new Walter.

His eldest son, Porter (Anton Yelchin), still wants nothing to do with him. Porter actually catalogs bad habits he shares with his father on post-its as a means to eradicate any chance of becoming Walter. Meanwhile, Porter has been making easy cash by writing other students' papers for them due to his ability to write in someone else's voice. He also romances Norah (Jennifer Lawrence), the school valedictorian and head cheerleader, who has lived a more traumatic life than she lets on.

By no means is The Beaver a modern day take on Harvey. There's no attempt to pass the Beaver off as a separate entity nor do they even hide the fact that Gibson is moving his lips when talking as the Beaver. It's hardly a whimsical comedy either. There are some cute moments in the first half of the film, such as Gibson brushing the Beaver's teeth and taking a shower with it. The story takes a very dark turn during the second half when it becomes clear Walter can no longer communicate without relying on the Beaver.

Invariably, you're ability to watch The Beaver will rely almost solely on your ability to separate Gibson's real life with his on-screen persona. It's hard not to think of the real Mel Gibson since the plot is an odd convergence of fact and fiction. Without a doubt, Gibson gives one of the best performances of his career as a man who is charismatic, disturbed, and sometimes downright pathetic. It's not hard to fathom that he tapped into a wide reservoir of personal experiences to portray the character. There's also a running commentary involving the media's culpability in furthering the damage of Walter's already fragile psyche. Walter makes the talk show rounds doing interviews with Matt Lauer and NPR's Terry Gross, but when the novelty wears off, he is cast from the spotlight like a leper.

There are weak spots in the narrative with vital plot points being glanced over too quickly. Walter gets invited back home after a montage, for example. The focus is spread too thin drifting away from the central character towards the toy company and media appearances. The love story between Porter and Norah feels like it was lifted from any generic indie flick, despite solid performances from Yelchin and Lawrence. Directed with earnestness by Foster, The Beaver gets points for crafting a serious drama around an outlandish premise

Rating: ** (*****)

Edge of Darkness

Edge of Darkness - Dir. Martin Campbell (2010)


”You had better decide whether you’re hangin’ on the cross or bangin’ in the nails.”

Edge of Darkness marks Mel Gibson’s big return to acting since his last starring role in M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs. In between, Gibson directed The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto while making controversial headlines over drunken arrests and anti-Semitic remarks. You’re ability to view the film may depend entirely on your ability to separate Gibson’s off-screen antics with his on-screen persona.

Gibson is Thomas Craven, a veteran of the Boston Police Department. He is having dinner with his daughter, Emma (Bojana Novakovic), when she becomes violently ill with vomiting and nosebleeds. Before they can even rush to the hospital, a masked gunman blows Emma away with a shotgun blast. Originally working under the assumption that he was the target, Craven soon discovers they were after his daughter. Craven learns that Emma may have been exposed to radiation while working for an energy corporation called Northmoor. His investigation uncovers a vast conspiracy involving corrupt senators, left-wing radicals, and illegal nuclear weapons. Along the way, Craven receives some vague assistance from Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), a shadowy fix-it man who chooses to help Craven rather than kill him as initially tasked.

Much like Traffic and State of Play, Edge of Darkness is based on a BBC mini-series directed by Martin Campbell. Campbell returns as director and was adapted by William Monahan, the screenwriter behind The Departed, which itself was a remake of Hong Kong film, Infernal Affairs. Monahan’s fingerprints can be seen throughout the picture with its Boston setting and hardboiled dialogue. Having already helmed Goldeneye and Casino Royale, Campbell has proven to be a capable action director. There aren’t any elaborate Bond-like set pieces here, but Edge is sometimes suddenly and shockingly violent.

In his mid-50’s, Gibson is noticeably haggard, a far cry from the matinee idol looks of his younger days. Despite laying on the Bostonian accent a little thick, the role fits Gibson like a glove. No surprise since Gibson is no stranger to playing cops and his star-making role was in the revenge-themed Mad Max.

Edge of Darkness mixes those same revenge themes with elements of the 70’s-style political thrillers such as The Parallax View. But, Darkness is not nearly as nuanced. The twists and turns in the narrative are predictable and the characters are one-dimensional. No one is more than they appear to be. We know Northmoor CEO Jack Bennett, played by Danny Huston, is the big bad for no other reason than he’s played by Danny Huston.

Muddying things up are a series of dream sequences in which Craven sees visions of his daughter as a child. These, along with a rather preposterous third act, are the film’s biggest shortcomings.

Rating: **