The Expendables returns for the fourth and final time! The latest installment of the old-school action series brings in newcomers Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia. Expendables 4 sees the team reunite when a deadly weapon is created to wipe out the world. With these men and women being the last line of defense, will they be able to finally get the job done?
A mix of old and new generation of stars, the long-running series looks to close out the final installment with a big bang. Of course, Expendables originals Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone return in the sequel. Expendables is set to be released exclusively in theaters on September 22. Here are the top five moments of the latest trailer:
It’ll Be World War III
The Expendables is a franchise that is simply fueled by its old-school action—nothing less and nothing more. The series has a Fast and the Furious feel with its over-the-top action, though that makes the brand stand out from other genre pieces. The first minute is mainly about introducing the new talent in the film. There’s nice banter between the new set of cast members; however, the last mission objective is what gets your attention.
How do you top another, “It’s the end of the world” trope? By promising the possibility of World War III. We get some character moments that detail what kind of bad guys we’re dealing with. However, what’s cool is that Megan Fox is leading the charging when entering the room full of snipers. The actress has shown some solid chops in the past when it comes to the genre, so hopefully, she’s able to keep up her end in the upcoming film.
You Choose This Life Over Family And Friends
The morals and values of Expendables are often similar to the Fast series as they highlight family as well. It’s still cheesy to a certain extent, but it’s great that these characters aren’t just stoic, badass moving from action to action. Characters are still important in action films. Fans don’t love Die Hard just because of the set pieces; It’s mainly due to John McClane and Hans Gruber. Giving these characters dimension and a moral code helps audiences connect to them and the story overall.
Crazy Chase Sequence
Jason Statham and action is like peanut butter and jelly. They’re a perfect combination and it seems to be no different here. What makes Statham so great is his fearlessness towards action scenes. “I’d do more if they let me. I’ve never really been frightened to do anything.” He told IGN. It isn’t just his boldness in doing his choreography, but his prowess during these moments. The level of physical action that makes you feel every hit, or in the case of this wild car chase, gunshot.
Stallone himself has confirmed that Statham would be getting a spin-off down the line. However it hasn’t been revealed whether it would take place after the events of Expendables 4. That means this could be Lee Christmas’s final outing in the leading franchise. It makes every action sequence more thrilling. In the case of the car chase, it seems like rollicking good times that bring back fond memories that made the early entries so fun.
The Montage of Action
This is somewhat cheating as it’s not exactly one moment, but it’s all pieced together in a montage sequence. Crazy knife fights. An insane motorcycle jumping sequence. Airplanes exploding; As I stated previously, the purpose of the Expendables is to bring exciting action as it’s not trying to be an Oscar-winning masterpiece. The diversity in fights is nicely displayed in these moments which keeps the action fresh and engaging. Hopefully, these sequences live up to the exciting hype.
Iko Uwais vs. Jason Statham
Are two tremendous marital arts fighters going head-to-head? Yes, please! The Raid and The Raid 2 are some of the best action films in the current century. Every fight that Iko Uwais was a pulse-pounding sequence that forced the genre as a whole to level up. The actor bringing his style to The Expendables highlights the old vs. new generation narrative. Plus, it adds a modern twist that’s been beneficial to the genre as a whole since The Raid came out. This fight has the potential to be one of the best in modern cinema. Let’s hope that it can even reach a fraction of those high praises.
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