The Expendables 2 Reviews

The movies that many of these guys made in the 1980s and '90s were hardly bulletproof, but this is a cynical exercise in settling for what is expected to be passable.

Full Review | Original Score: C-

At this point it's such a juvenile and boring experience with god awful writing, that it completely eliminates the fun of watching action heroes kick ass on screen.

Full Review

"The Expendables 2″ is just entertaining enough to permit a third film. If only these steroids-packing seniors can coordinate schedules again.

Full Review | Original Score: B

There's a difference in tapping into that same cheesiness that made up the DNA in action films of the 80s and 90s and overdoing it. The Expendables 2 gets way too carried away with that aspect and dives into overkill territory more often than not.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10

Enjoyable, but disappointingly tame compared to its ferocious predecessor. The Expendables 2 is disposable.

| Original Score: 2.5/4

The Expendables 2 is a shot to the arm of pure, silly action-movie fun, and it stars so many heavy hitters it might break your brain to keep up with what's happening onscreen at various points during its slim 103-minute run time.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4

Excessive in almost every other area possible: from outlandish explosions to over-the-top dialogue via horrendously delivered gags, it pushes the limit of what people will readily accept from an action movie that isn't directed by the Zuckers.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5

The Expendables 2 does for the action genre what ​"The Artist" ​did for the silent film genre: Distilled it down to its most basic parts before creating an homage that more than lives up to its past.

Full Review | Original Score: 7.5/10

Those hoping for a deeper, smarter, or more polished piece of action cinema: Sorry, but this franchise has pretty much established it isn't about that.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5

...if seeing a man's head explode like a watermelon is your thing, book a ticket, because The Expendables 2 frequently makes fruit salad.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5

Perhaps we're pawns in an elaborate homage to excess and macho stupidity. It's purposefully - even wilfully - bad. Given that I can't prove that Simon West isn't actually that kind of wheels-within-wheels genius, he earns benefit of my doubt.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5

This is a film made very specifically for action junkies. Unfortunately, for everyone else it's going to be very forgettable.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4

It brings back everything that was good about the first movie and makes it truly great, then adds a whole bunch of extra awesome on top of it.

Full Review

It's cheesy, fun, disposable action pap on a big scale - but, boy, is it lazy.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5

Despite its ridiculously high kill count, there's a vein of humor running throughout the script and almost as many quips zipping around as bullets.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5

The Expendables 2 may talk a big game, yet can't back it no matter how many muscles are on display.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5

The pleasures of watching the action-movie past getting one more shot at silver-screen glory is undeniable, but like its predecessor, The Expendables 2 is a better concept than it is a movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4

Pitches itself as the ultimate indulgence in action but it's only firing blanks

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5

Yes, it's a joke, but it's an hilariously awesome one.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5

I like the idea of bringing this cast together but it needed a stronger, more captivating story.

Full Review | Original Score: B-