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The Expendables

  Sylvester Stallone is an excellent business man. He knows what his fans want – and he gives it to them. They want to see Stallone shooting, Jet Li kicking and Jason Statham being handsome. Supply and demand.

  Barney Ross (Stallone) is the leader of a consummate team of mercenaries. If this sounds familiar it’s because we have already seen this movie twice this year…The Losers and The A Team!

  The team includes Christmas (Jason Statham), Ying Yang (Jet Li) Toll Road (Randy Couture), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren) and several more truly silly names. I almost forgot Tool (Mickey Rourke)! I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. Mickey Rourke is super creepy and I have a hard time accepting him as one of the good guys. Shudder!

  Anyway, Ross takes a mission from Bruce Willis because Governor Schwarzenegger is too busy. I’m sure those characters also had clever names, but I wasn’t paying attention and it really doesn’t matter. Arnold is an iffy actor at best, but Willis is usually better than he was this time. He was so cardboard and un-involved I was half convinced he did his lines on a blue screen and was spliced into the scene digitally.

  Back to the chase! The mission includes heading to an island off the coast of somewhere and taking out General Garza, the dictator suppressing the innocent citizens.

  A botched reconnaissance raid leads to a cool open-air strafing run in a vintage airplane that leaves a ridiculous body count and Ross and Christmas have to leave their contact Sandra (Giselle Itie) behind. Of course there’s a girl involved! How else are we supposed to see their sensitive side?

  After lots more shooting, car chases, traitors, explosions, kicking and Statham being handsome we come to the happy ending with “The Boys Are Back in Town” blaring over the end credits. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  The theater was packed for the Sunday afternoon showing of The Expendables. Like I said, Stallone has given the masses exactly what they expect.

  Two boxes out of five for this film. Obviously it was enjoyed by the majority of movie-goers, but that doesn’t mean the concept wasn’t trite and overused and the acting shoddy. But it will not disappoint action fans. The Expendables is rated R for a ridiculous amount of violence and bad language.

  For a complete listing of shows and times, please call 1-888-319-FILM or visit the website at http://www.cinemahollywood.com/.

 MOVIE TRIVIA

  I realize Dolph Lundgren has been in many movies, but does any of them matter after “I will break you” in this classic 1985 sequel?

LAST WEEK’S MOVIE TRIVIA

      Chris Evans does an excellent job as the charming and funny hero Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four franchise. He used his talents a bit more seriously (but he was still funny) in this 2004 thriller starring Kim Basinger. Cellular.