Calling it now... next one is EXPENDABLE5

AV Club's review is a D+, but the more interesting thing about the review is how they note there are multiple times throughout the film where perhaps better directing and acting could have seen things go in a much more interesting direction.

And before someone says duh, of course better acting and directing will make the film better, I do not think that is the point the reviewer was making, rather that small adjustments to different scenes throughout the movie could have made for a really entertaining action film. I always find it interesting when a reviewer points out that you can clearly see a better film hiding beneath the surface and not able to break free to be seen by the average viewer of this film.

The AMC theater I went to last night to see this was pretty dead. I couldn't tell for sure, but I guess maybe 30 or 40 people were in the Dolby auditorium with me. I think we've kind of hit a lull with big IP content that will draw movie-goers. The Expendables is way past it's prime. The last movie came out 9 years ago and was considered a major flop.

The Expendables' prime was probably the months and years spent in the lead up to the first movie speculating on which stars could/should/would appear. The movies themselves have never been particularly popular or successful.

I think I would've preferred if they just kept






Another Hollywood movie that doesn't utilize and wastes the talents of Iko Uwais and Tony Jaa. Shooting shaky cam in mediums and close ups with a bunch of cuts...

Well, this was a massive flop. Only made about $8.3M opening weekend.

https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-off...-4-1235553682/

Lionsgate will probably put this on $20 PVOD in about a month.

Too long between sequels and I feel like the franchise never quite lived up to its potential. Plus the aging cast probably don’t have the same appeal they once did. May have made more sense to just put it on streaming.

Sly has 16.5M followers on his Instagram. He hasn’t been able to promote or talk about this movie at all. Last time he talked about it was 2 years ago when he wrapped his scenes. But, yeah I’m sure there are people who never thought this series lived up to its potential and had no interest in the Expendables D squad.

If you glance at this behind the scenes compilation, it’s pretty much all blue screen and sound stages. This was a pretty cheap looking production.

Wow, and some were saying this was going to make 15 million. Not even close.

I liked the first two movies quite a bit. I think people who are fans of the stars in the films may have been satisfied enough. Not sure if there was enough of a wider appeal though to get casual audiences in. Especially now days. Sadly I think the days of guys like Stallone being box office attractions is largely over.

I really like the first film and like the second film enough. Outside of Antonio Banderas having a ball in the 3rd film, along with Harrison Ford, they shot themselves in the foot by making it PG-13 and it went downhill super fast. Nevermind, as others have said, they kept getting all these unknown amateur non-actor fighters in lead roles and no one gave a shit. Also, it's been like 10 years since part 3, I think, so people REALLY don't give a shit anymore.

Lack of promotion hurt it too.
There would've been a lot more awareness if Stallone and Statham were on the talk show circuit.

I think i might go watch it tomorrow as my closest theater does $6 tickets on Tuesday.

The $100 million price tag media websites have been placing on this film all come from a quote Dolph Lundgren gave saying the movie cost "About 100 million, maybe 200 million." I'd be shocked if it cost over $50 million. It looks too cheap...even with those star salaries.

No way this movie cost $100M. If you look at that clip I posted, it's practically all blue screen and maybe a few exterior shots.

I liked it well enough. The entire bit with the social media influencer dude could/should have been cut. No real surprises, everything that happened was pretty much obvious how it would play out, but it was generally entertaining for me. The shaky-cam did get to be distracting.

This franchise should have been so much better.

I just got home after my showing. I thought it sucked and to be honest I was bored. The cheapness of the CGI really ruined it and Megan Fox can't act. There was nothing believable about her being a mercenary and for a brief moment leading the team. A terrible way to end this series as there's no way they'll make another one. It'll be on premium VOD by the end of October. I was the only person in the theater as well.

Did anyone think that Megan Fox gets hired for her acting?

No but there should be a certain level of believability for a role. I'd buy her as Staham's girlfriend but not as one of the Expendables.

Do they ever explain what happened to Charisma Carpenter?

No mention of Charisma Carpenter unless she was in the 3rd movie.

She was in the first two. Her and Lee Christmas were engaged in the second movie.

It's crazy how this little franchise became just that. It's without question only because of the star power as all of these films are horrid............but I still watch them.

She fell off a cliff and died on impact.