The much expected sequel to Sylvester Stallone’s action extravaganza ‘The Expendables 2′ is opening in Los Angeles for the world premiere on August 3, 2012. Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) — with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard — are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries.

But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time — five tons of weapons-grade plutonium, far more than enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that’s nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother.

That is done the Expendables way….

In a 2012 article, the New York Times Magazine declared the American action hero an endangered species. With the second installment of ‘The Expendables’ adventure, co-screenwriter and star Sylvester Stallone gives audiences an opportunity to appreciate this now rare breed like never before- assembling a group of the biggest, bravest and most bad-ass action stars of all time. Stallone’s aim with ‘The Expendables 2′ was to bring thrill-seeking audiences exactly what they’ve been missing:  that all-American, combustible combo of high-velocity adventure and rollicking, relatable heroes who, no matter the costs, are always ready to throw down for what really matters.

To accomplish this, he wanted to expand the already unprecedented team of blockbuster icons whose rapport formed the heart of the first film. It was a chance to bring together every single one of the larger-than-life personalities who built the great American action film as its own massive genre – who forged an indelible cinematic image, in the words of New York Times journalist Adam Sternbergh, of an America that is “strong, tough, independent and perpetually kicking much butt.”  And it was a chance to give these quintessential rough-hewn renegades a mission that would become a breakneck, personal quest for justice.

Some might not lament that the lone-wolf daredevils, hard-boiled justice-seekers and dogged defenders of such classics as ‘Die Hard’, ‘Rambo’ and ‘Predator’ have been replaced by caped superheroes and surreal special effects, but Stallone knows audiences are still very hungry for the genuine article.  “For ‘The Expendables 2′, we’ve pulled together the most phenomenal action-adventure cast that I’ve ever been involved with,” he says.  “We are bringing back that old time rock ‘n roll, and giving audiences what that they haven’t seen for a while:  visceral, true-to-life action.”

From Lionsgate and Millennium Films, ‘The Expendables 2’ is the highly anticipated sequel to the summer 2010 worldwide box-office success ($274 million worldwide). The film is directed by Simon West. Screenplay by Richard Wenk and Sylvester Stallone. Story by Ken Kaufman & David Agosto and Richard Wenk. Based on Characters Created by David Callaham.

Image Courtesy of  Expendables

Share This

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

About the author

Claudia Sondergaard
Specialised in American foreign policy media discourse, I have a real passion for media and writing and feel comfortable in subjects such as human rights, politics, environment, social issues, movies, TV and books. Reporting from Denmark. Follow me @swirlgirlversus

Related Posts

Why the ‘Die Hard’ Franchise Needs to Die

The fifth installment of Bruce Willis’ career-making ‘Die Hard’ franchise, ‘A Good Day to Die Hard’, hit theaters February 14, 2013. Unfortunately, seasoned moviegoers know February is the dumping ground for lazy,...

‘Looper’ is Ambitious, But Falls Short of Perfection

Rian Johnson’s time-travel action thriller ‘Looper’ hit theaters Friday, September 28, 2012 and competed with the family friendly ‘Hotel Transylvania.’ Initial reports show it holding up relatively well with a modest...

‘The Expendables II’ Does Not Exceed Expectations: A Review

The action-powerhouse known as ‘The Expendables II’ hit theaters Friday, August 17, 2012, and reunited everyone’s favorite action stars to once again save the day. The previous film posted relatively successful numbers,...