Movie Review: ‘The Expendables 2’ Is Bigger and Better Than the Original

Practically all the living action hero movie stars known to man are back in “The Expendables 2.” In this sequel to the 2010 film “The Expendables,” Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) leads his motley, muscle-bound crew on a simple job commissioned by Mr. Church (Bruce Willis). When things go wrong, Ross and the gang -- according to the movie website -- cut “a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time.”

Is the action-filled sequel worth seeing? Justin Lowe of The Hollywood Reporter described the film as the “sendoff adrenaline junkies are seeking before the more sedate pace of fall releases.”

“Taut, humorous and attractively packaged, the sequel is both fleet footed and engaging enough to captivate audiences with more than just nonstop action,” Lowe wrote.

Genevieve Loh of TodayOnline.com also complimented the film (albeit somewhat backhandedly).

“It's still all brawn and no brain as Sylvester Stallone and his band of Expendables return for this sequel,” Loh wrote. “It's a bit of a cliche to say it, but yes, ‘The Expendables 2’ is so bad, it's good.”

Here’s what other critics had to say about “The Expendables 2”:

“Loud and dumb but great fun, ‘The Expendables 2’ is an explosive crowd-pleaser that vastly improves on its poor predecessor.” – Ben Rawson-Jones for DigitalSpy.com

“A sequel to Sylvester Stallone’s 2010 hail-Mary all-action-star effort to regain relevance at the box office, ‘The Expendables 2’ may be the biggest, bloodiest and most willfully stupid film since the last time Michael Bay stepped behind a camera.” – Marshall Fine of Hollywood & Fine

“The action lover's dream team doesn't disappoint in ‘The Expendables 2,’ a sequel that's bigger, bolder and more badass than the original. This isn’t a great movie in the by-the-book sense, but it's loads of dumb fun and an old-fashioned action flick that works as a nostalgia trip for fans of the muscle-bound shoot ‘em-ups of the ‘80s and ‘90s.” - Jim Vejvoda of IGN.com

“The Expendables 2” also stars Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Chuck Norris, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Liam Hemsworth and more.

The movie is rated R for strong, bloody violence.

Showtimes: Great Escape 14

Ready to see “The Expendables”? Head to , 2160 Hamilton Creek Parkway. For more theater information, showtimes and pricing, click here or call 678-482-0624.

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