Warning: Major spoilers for The Expendables 4 below!
The Expendables 4 will likely end up being blamed for ending the franchise, but all it did was confirm it was already dead. The movies of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and other major action stars were huge during the ’80s and early ’90s and were produced during a time before CGI or superhero movies became prevalent. Over time, the R-rated action movies of old gave way to more effects-driven blockbusters, and it was Stallone himself who created The Expendables as a way to bring those types of films back. This formula worked well for the first two adventures, which would both solid hits.
While The Expendables movies were never critical hits – which was to be expected regardless – they never felt like they reached their potential either. Many of the big names they collected (Arnie, Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, etc.) made what amounted to brief cameos, while the action sequences were choppily edited and over-reliant on CGI. Still, there was hope Expendables 4 could right the ship somewhat, but sadly, that isn’t the case. The sequel has received even worse notices than the third film, and its underperformance makes a fifth outing very doubtful.
Expendables 3 Is The Movie That Actually Killed The Franchise
Make no mistake: Expendables 4 is a bad movie. The action is flavorless and repetitive, new additions to the cast like 50 Cent make little impression and Stallone’s screentime is limited. For all its problems, it’s arguably still superior to 2014’s Expendables 3. This was the outing that really derailed the series, as it made an ill-advised attempt to break away from franchise formula and turn The Expendables into a PG-13 blockbuster that appealed to both old and new fans.
Instead, its soft rating and cheesy comedy turned off those who enjoyed the first two, while its cast of veteran stars and retro tone held little appeal for newcomers. As previously shown with the RoboCop franchise, a third film suddenly switching from a hard R tone to a goofier PG-13 direction isn’t a good move, and The Expendables 3 ultimately appealed to nobody. It received the worst reviews of the series (at the time, anyway) and while it didn’t totally bomb, it made much less than the preceding movies.
The reception to The Expendables 3 was so underwhelming that plans for an all-female spinoff dubbed The Expendabelles were quietly shelved. Stallone himself admitted the third outing made a mistake with the rating and the next would return to an R, but there was little excitement for another entry in the immediate aftermath. Even so, the fourth film likely left it too long, arriving almost a decade on from Expendables 3.
Why The Expendables 4’s Reception Is So Poor
Some critics appreciate the first two movies to an extent for reviving a certain mode of action cinema. Still, they are, at best, seen as guilty pleasures. Even by the lukewarm standards of the franchise, the reviews for The Expendables 4 have been really bad, with the sequel currently standing at 13% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans of the series aren’t much happier with it either, with many highlighting the same problems.
For a series built on assembling action icons, the setpieces for the fourth outing lack any real flair or creativity. The new additions to the team like Megan Fox’s Gina or Jacob Scipio’s Galan are entirely one-dimensional, and the movie’s use of cheap-looking CGI and green screen is often plain distracting. The big story twists are obvious too, with the team’s mole being easy to guess due to a sheer lack of suspects, while the “death” of a certain team member fails to convince in the moment it occurs.
Does The Expendables Franchise Have A Future?
Which leaves the obvious question: is the Expendables franchise done? The new film already had the pressure of winning back those burned by the third outing, and it’s fair to say it’s failed in that task. Realistically, The Expendables 5 is probably not going to happen, at least not with the current cast line-up. The fourth film was already being tipped as the final appearance by Stallone’s Barney, and it appears the star himself might not have been happy about his reduced role in it.
The Expendables is a rare case where a total reboot might be the best option. The central concept is inherently great, but the films have struggled to live up to it. Let the series cool off for another decade, and then assemble a new cast of action luminaries – be it Keanu Reeves, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, etc. – alongside some younger blood and make a film that lives up to the blockbusters of the past. If the series is to continue, it really can’t survive another Expendables 4, so the producers behind the saga need to think hard about a new direction.
