Ultimate Dolph

I know it sounds insane to say this, but believe me: I was actually very, very surprised by how much better 'The Expendables 2' was than 'The Expendables.' True, there's less Jet Li — always a negative — but hiring director Simon West gave Sylvester Stallone the room to just concentrate on “acting” and action. Dolph Lundgren gets some choice lines off, and the fight choreography — showing off Jean-Claude Van Damme as the bad guy among other choice moments — is excellent as well. Add in a supporting cast of neck-breakers and scene-stealers like Jason Statham and Terry Crews (who is, in and of himself, extraordinary) and you'll find 'The Expendables 2' a perfect diversion for any '80s action fan stuck inside on a rainy day.

“The first film was kind of confusing, in the sense that you’re caught between a rock and a hard place, or it’s a feathered fish.” That’s Sylvester Stallone talking about 2010′s The Expendables, which he directed and co-wrote, and which features a weird mixture of fraternal backslapping, Tears of the Sun-style heroism, and the curious fact that Dolph Lundgren seems to magically come back to life just in time for the final scene. Stallone thinks that Expendables 2 got it right, as he explains in an exclusive video obtained for the sequel’s DVD release. The video also features humanity-proof-of-concept Dolph Lundgren talking about how the films compare to The Dirty Dozen, and Randy Couture genially explaining why people loved the movies’ locker-room talk. Watch below!

Dolph Lundgren got a little bit more screen time this time out and his personality got to shine as he actually had some of the funnier lines in the entire film

Audio Commentary with Director Simon West:

It’s a fairly well-known fact that Stallone wrote, directed and acted in the first Expendables and suffered physical and mental exhaustion because of it. This time around, Stallone handled the acting, writing and character development, while the action direction fell to Simon West. West’s commentary is a worthwhile listen (moreso than a lot of the commentary tracks, especially on action films) because he reveals little details about the scenes, such as the evolving relationships of the characters on screen, the original intent for a particular scene, where it was actually filmed (meaning on set or on location) and some of the costs associated with the shoot. For example, the .50 caliber gun used blanks that were $6 each and the production went through $25,000 just for ammo on that gun alone. West reveals other interesting behind-the-scenes facts, such as the opening sequence taking three months to plan and originally being twice as big, or the fact that Li, Norris, Willis and Schwarzenegger all had extremely tight schedules and proved an editing and creative challenge to work them into the film as much as they did. The commentary track is worth listening to alone just to hear West talk about Van Damme’s “unpredictable” style of acting.

Gods of War: Assembling Earth’s Mightiest Anti-Heroes (~20 minutes):

A behind-the-scenes commentary with cast and crew that addressed the writing process with franchise potential in mind, the transition from The Expendables to the sequel, expanding the cast and creative team*, giving the audience their money’s worth and giving each character sufficient screen time. They also talk briefly about The Expendables 3 and tease that they’re bringing in a new wave of action hero apprentices to train.

*The most interesting part here was learning how Stallone and West divided their workload.

Big Guns, Bigger Heroes: The 1980s and the Rise of the Action Film (~25 minutes):

An incredibly interesting retrospective about the state of America in the late 1970s and how counterculture and pop culture informed upon one another to bring about the rise and evolution of action films and action heroes. Experts from various forms of media lead this historical account of action films that dips into nostalgia for those who lived through it and paints a concise picture for those who haven’t. Referenced films include First Blood, 48 Hrs., The Terminator, Commando, Rocky IV, Lethal Weapon 2 and Die Hard. The discussion on the films is interesting enough, but it becomes more engaging when dissecting the heroic action roles and the men who played the part.

On the Assault: The Real Life Weaponry of The Expendables 2 (~15 minutes):

Couture takes viewers on a tour of The Gun Store in Las Vegas where a vast array of weaponry is on display, many available for live firing. Gun nuts will love this extra as it gives a ton of stats on each of the weapons used in the film and shows Couture firing off a few rounds. Some of the weapons include the FN-SCAR-L assault rifle, the M 1911 A1 pistol, the M4 Carbine assault rifle and the Steyr Aug A3 assault rife.

Guns for Hire: The Real Expendables (~25 minutes):

This was an unexpected extra but pretty informative and intense for a movie as fun and tongue-in-cheek as The Expendables 2. This extra introduced a number of private military contractors (don’t call them mercenaries) who talked about their job, the training that goes into it, the misconception that they’re “hired assassins,” and even the effect it has on their friends and families back home. An awesome extra that makes you think twice about how our military works and will be sure to send the corporate conspiracy theorists over the edge.

Deleted Scenes:

A selection of five deleted scenes that were mostly just alternate or extended takes on conversational scenes in the movie. One of the deleted scenes was a cool bit of fighting on Yu’s part in which she beats on baddies with a hockey stick; another fight scene featuring Couture and Crews was also unfortunately cut.

Gag Reel (~5 minutes):

About what you’d expect: a collection of gun jams, weapon malfunctions, tongue twisters and other goofs. There’s even a random “fight scene” with Novak Djokovic wielding his tennis racket. The best part might be the zany alternative performances turned in by Van Damme.