The Expendables 2, or: Defining the action film industry

The Expendables 2 (2012)

Directed by Simon West

***SPOILERS***

I’ve never seen The Expendables, but I feel as though it’s unnecessary to do so in dissecting The Expendables 2. Jesus, even writing the last part of that sentence feels ridiculous. You’d think the movie that broke my streak of reviewing limited release films wouldn’t be this masturbatory fantasy for middle-aged  dads itching for another Die Hard or First Blood or Terminator or, hell, even just one more episode of Walker: Texas Ranger. And, I’ll admit, I haven’t even seen a lot of action films. I’ve taken a liking to Paul Verhoeven’s films (RoboCop, Total Recall) and I’ve even come to enjoy the Die Hard trilogy—Die Hard: With a Vengeance was hilarious(ly bad). Now I don’t know if Sylvester Stallone is a great writer (he did pen Cobra), but I’ll go as far to say—especially after witnessing the insanely fun and surprisingly intelligent The Expendables 2—Stallone is a smart writer. You, of course, can relish in the amazingness of The Expendables 2 from a distance, giggling (as I did) at Stallone’s you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me-that’s-so-stupid one-liners, or the fact that on three (yes, three) separate occasions there’s a reference to The Terminator in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s presence, or the fact that (picture me reaching my hands to the heavens, thanking the dear Lord almighty) Chuck Norris makes a fucking Chuck Norris joke about a King Cobra. If The Expendables 2’s target audience didn’t blow their loads with that line, Hell just froze over.

I’m not sure if I actually fall into the film’s targeted audience, for the fact that, you know, I don’t appreciate the objectification of women. Buuuut…anybody who actually feels this way about The Expendables 2 isn’t giving Stallone the artistic credit he deserves—and yes, I mean that wholeheartedly. This isn’t some Armond White bull-shit I’m making up and flinging at you. Hating The Expendables 2 for its treatment of women would be like hating Birth of a Nation for being racist. However much it offends you, the level of appreciation comes with understanding the piece of art. It’s why somebody like Rex Reed is unable to enjoy a movie about cancer, or a movie about kids falling in love, or any other shallow reason he decides a film isn’t worth his precious time. Such narrow-mindedness doesn’t reveal much…other than the fact that, yes, we understand you’re offended. In ways, I’m offended by the characters’ brute treatment of women. But dare I say it: I actually don’t mind that Stallone chose to objectify women in The Expendables 2…

…and that’s because women aren’t “objects” of men’s affection or “objects” to slap around, but because the women of The Expendables 2 represent the tragedy of these men’s careers: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, etc., and so forth, and so on, all the way to whoever is in The Expendables 3 and 4 and 5. And this comparison carries beyond women, into various other characters throughout the film. It’s a strange process to realize what Stallone’s attempts to accomplish with The Expendables 2, as events unfold and you start to scratch your head (or at least I was). I mean, after this badass opening scene where these Herculean savages rip through a camp and completely obliterate the opposition (and drop their first Terminator reference), our heroes climb aboard a helicopter and grittily fly away along to…Dion’s “The Wanderer”? What the fuck? And did they also play “A Beautiful Morning” by Felix Cavaliere and The Rascals? Little Richard? “I Just Want to Celebrate”? Where’s the Def, the Zep, and the AC/DC I was expecting? Why is Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) so fucking gun-ho about everything? Why is Church (Bruce Willis) such a pressing asshole? And why, why oh why, do these women and villains and wide-eyed kids seem to be extensions of each and every character?

The Expendables 2, in my opinion, seems very much to be about the fading career of an action star in Hollywood. If it seems ridiculous that these overage, steroid-infused meatheads are out on missions to save the world, it’s because the film is so self-aware of the fact. Never did I think self-references to various films the actors have starred in would become relevant bits of symbolism, but these aren’t famous action heroes just polishing their résumés—The Expendables 2 is about their résumés, and about action films as a whole. With this in mind, the mere presence of these actors and references to their films is enough to make The Expendables 2 a metafilm (not unlike Woody Allen’s underappreciated and misinterpreted To Rome With Love). I’m not sure if the term “metafilm” applies to actors, but filmmaking seems to go beyond writing and directing, and with Stallone at the helm of The Expendables 2, the label seems applicable.

Take, for instance, the presence of women in The Expendables 2. Lee’s (Statham) wife, Lacy (Charisma Carpenter), stands from a distance as Barney (Stallone) berates Lee for being too soft. For you see, Lacy cheated on Lee, and he took her back. And then we have Maggie (Nan Yu), whom Barney begrudgingly accepts into his crew at Church’s request. For Maggie is, you see, a woman, and just can’t keep up with these veterans. In fact, Barney believes he’ll have to “babysit” Maggie. It would seem that, in both of these cases, women aren’t just “women getting in the way!” but instead a representation of these men’s fading careers. Lee is cheated by a past love, which represents the abandonment an action star feels once he’s become too old for action films. Thrown to the side, these one-time action heroes begrudgingly accept these cheaters back into their lives, accepting mediocre roles (or in Lee’s case, a relationship with baggage) just to remain in work. Then comes Maggie, the new star (literally) in action films, confident in her abilities, and big enough to not need a babysitter. With Lee looking backward and Maggie representing the new wave, Barney understandably feels animosity towards both these women.

To take this analogy further, we can incorporate Billy the Kid into the comparison. Billy the Kid isn’t the rough-and-rumble newcomer hell-bent on making their own way (Maggie), but the loyal, wide-eyed soldier who looks upon Barney with admiration, gracing him with various “Yes, sir!” shouts and following orders with enthusiasm. Barney takes a liking to Billy the Kid not because he’s a man, but because he treads water carefully in the action film industry. Billy the Kid has a woman at home and professes he wants to retire from the business while he still can. Barney isn’t upset, but rather understanding of the boy’s wish, airily stating he too wishes he could start all over again. Witnessing the slow crumble of an aged action star still searching for mediocre work, Billy the Kid is the young action star who was able to digest the first generation of action stars. Barney had no predecessor, and thus became the mentor and tragic helm for budding action heroes. It’s no surprise that this confrontation is immediately followed by Church’s request for Maggie to join the mission. Church represents the action industry forcing a newcomer upon the aged star, asking Barney to shape and incorporate Maggie into his film.

Billy the Kid—despite his desire to leave the business—remains a relevant metaphor during his short stint in the film. He’s essentially the able-bodied boy these men no longer are, depicted best in a scene where Billy the Kid runs up a hill to scout a sniping location. The men look upon Billy the Kid with awe as he escapes up the hill, much to Lee’s dismay. Lee isn’t exactly an aged action hero like Barney or Trench (Schwarzenegger), but he’s also not an attractive newcomer like Billy the Kid. He exists in an unwelcome middle ground where he hasn’t accepted his doomed fate in the action industry like Barney, yet understands he’s no longer on the A-list of actors. This would play directly into his characters’ actions, especially regarding the fact that he has chosen to retreat from Barney’s status and move closer to Billy the Kid’s status by taking Lacy back into his life. Lee hasn’t been cheated enough yet and is itching for more, which would explain the disgruntled look on his face as Billy the Kid runs up the hill. Barney challenges Lee to catch Billy the Kid, which Lee momentarily considers, before backing off and returning to the safe and reliable Lacy, who will give Lee the attention he needs to get by. 

It's then no surprise that a fellow aged action rival, the aptly named Villain (Jean-Claude Van Damme), is the one to take Billy the Kid's life. Cut down before it's too late, Billy the Kid is crushed by the business right before Barney's eyes, all because Billy the Kid was too eager to run up that damn hill by himself (aka took it too far in the action business). Buried in the badass and symbolically relevant image of a pile of jagged rocks, Billy the Kid's exit from the action film industry is fitting in these men's eyes, as they understand the business can rear its ugly head at any moment and toss a fellow actor to the curb for the next big thing. There's a constant sense of understanding among these men regarding not only the ludicrousness of their presence in such a dangerous mission, but their presence in a big-budget action film as well. The past and present constantly merge and have a tugging effect upon them, reminding them of what they once were and what they still cling to.

With all this in mind, I’m sure there are a number of people saying, “Who cares?” which I agree with wholeheartedly. Perhaps even more important than discussing the logistics of The Expendables 2 in an academic manner is realizing the film is just a whole lotta fun. What makes such a realization so liberating (for me, anyway) is the fact that such fun exists alongside a well-thought-out and relevant screenplay by Stallone, who wanted to depict the status of an aged action star, and then round it out with an adventurous, ridiculous, bloody, and amazingly choreographed action scene that basically shouts “Fuck it!” to the facts and prove these former action heroes still got the goods. To me, it makes the title "The Expendables" the most gloriously self-aware title in years. In a way, this film indeed seems targeted at me—an arrogant cinephile who actually knows very little about action films and has yet to truly appreciate them. I came expecting “Highway to Hell”, but then realized Stallone is only a few years older than Dion and may just own some doo-wop records. I came expecting blatant references to First Blood and Die Hard, but never realized the weight those references could carry. I came in expecting a bloody fun time—and that’s exactly what I fucking got.