THE EXPENDABLES 3 (Patrick Hughes, 2014)

[Travis]

Ex3 is boring, bloodless, poor paced, it has some pathethic CGI, not enough action, young expendables are unnecessary and I cant imagine anyone could give a flying F about them. Oh, and Dolph is barely in it.

.

Let's face it though, Dolph is probably one of the least popular actors in the movie, even if he has one of the best characters.

[viendammage]

I liked it and have already seen it twice with different groups of friends. May go again with another friend! I mean if you liked 1 and 2 you'll like this one. Big cast, action and laughs. Same hang ups from before: too many faces, uneven tone, bad CGI, etc but I'm tired of hearing of what we thought Stallone should have done and would rather talk about the end result. If the movie going public rated it an A- Cinemascore, surely some of us hardcore fans must have enjoyed as well? I left in a good mood as did the two audiences I saw it with. Gibson and Banderas were great, it's like a GI JOE cartoon w lots of action, flash and the good guys never die.

[Gieferg]

I mean if you liked 1 and 2 you'll like this one.

Ex1 - 10/10
Ex2 - 6/10
Ex3 - 4/10

[Jox]

if you liked 1 and 2 you'll like this one. Big cast, action and laughs.

Maybe for some but I don't agree personally. I'm waiting for second viewing and second opinion when it opens here next week, but I didn't find it any fun or enjoyable when I saw it at the premiere. Maybe I'm getting too old and tired of these things, or maybe it looks the same but doesn't taste the same at all, just like an old warmed up meal. Same hangs up yes, but worse, another time, and with a more cynical packaging, like all the efforts and ideas from Patrick Hughes to renew it in its mise en scène -directing- were trashed in post (and all the movie seems like playing in "fast forward" but this is the old geezer talking -and hasn't watched a blockbuster in years talking).

Box Office: 'Expendables 3' Implodes With $16.2M Weekend, 'Turtles' Tops 'Guardians'
http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendel ... guardians/

[viendammage]

Man, tough crowd here, haha! It's interesting that many core fans did not enjoy the movie. As a hardcore 80's and 90's action guy, I've made peace with this franchise for being more of a gimmick than an actual series of films. With that mindset, I guess I'm just able to enjoy what they present. A bunch of familiar faces, lots of action and some laughs. No more, no less. Watching all 3 on the big screen this week I do wish they would have killed Dolph's character off in part I as planned to give it more gravitas and also because he doesn't do a ton in the sequels. Then if you would have killed off Crews and Couture in the sequel, you could up the stakes even more, change the direction, the genre, the tone, whatever and have it be a Stallone/Statham buddy movie on the run and meeting new familiar faces or something.

Maybe the poor performance will slap the producers in the face and they'll wait a few years and make part IV lean and mean and you guys will come back around.

[GeneralMcFaiL]

I agree with the first part of your post vein... I disagree dolph should have been killed off because this maybe the last few times we get to see the big swede in a theatrical release. Lerner and NU image are just a garbage studio and this thing would have been so much better in someone else's hands. I hope skin trade is a huge hit for dolph so he's able to attach himself to more/better projects. He was barely in this so I just enjoyed it for what it was. Gibson/Snipes/Banderas were the highlights for me. Didn't care for the force feeding of the young expendables down our throats at all.

There really is no need for a 4th at this point unless they do something radical and change up the formula.

[Tom]

I have to agree with Molti. They could still do something good with this franchise in the straight to video realm. Have Dolph, Crews and Randy headline. Shoot it for 10-20 mill. Give more focus and screentime to fewer characters. Maybe get Sly to exec produce and cameo.
Hyams, Reine, Florentine or even Dolph himself to direct.

I think Dolph would actually go along with that idea too. I feel with him that he enjoys playing Gunnar Jensen but hasn't really enjoyed the way his character has been used in 2 and 3. Make Gunnar an edgy character again. Get a few solid B actors in to fill out the side roles and villain roles like Rutger Hauer, Michael Beihn etc.

[Jox]

I've made peace with this franchise for being more of a gimmick than an actual series of films. With that mindset, I guess I'm just able to enjoy what they present.

And that's how I went, but sometimes there's only so much you can take. Then I'll give it another shot on French opening day this Wednesday, see how it feels two weeks later...

Neeson is still one of the most bankable names going.

Which is pretty ironic given how he's not any younger than the generation of Sly, Dolph & co, and comes from a more "serious" and respected career (even though he got noticed in THE DEAD POOL, THE BIG MAN, DARKMAN or NEXT OF KIN). It's the same with some French actors like François Cluzet who have become sort of "action"/"thriller" actors whereas they would have snubbed these kind of projects 20 years ago.

[savagesketch]

I've made peace with this franchise for being more of a gimmick than an actual series of films. With that mindset, I guess I'm just able to enjoy what they present.

And that's how I went, but sometimes there's only so much you can take. Then I'll give it another shot on French opening day this Wednesday, see how it feels two weeks later...

Neeson is still one of the most bankable names going.

Which is pretty ironic given how he's not any younger than the generation of Sly, Dolph & co, and comes from a more "serious" and respected career (even though he got noticed in THE DEAD POOL, THE BIG MAN, DARKMAN or NEXT OF KIN). It's the same with some French actors like François Cluzet who have become sort of "action"/"thriller" actors whereas they would have snubbed these kind of projects 20 years ago.

Neeson found the golden egg when he signed on for TAKEN. That film alone is what catapulted him into not just being a bankable action star, but a recognizable name again, period.

Regarding EX3, it was alright. Some great action sequences, eye-rolling dialogue, and characters who have no purpose to be in the film other than to show up, wink at the audience, and then leave. But after EX2, can't say I was expecting anything different. The recent episode of THE B-MOVIES PODCAST summed up the EX films pretty aptly... "They're not necessarily movies per say, but more or less nostalgic gimmicks whose purpose is to do just that... allow the audience to have fun relishing in their memories of 80's and 90's action flicks..."

With that being said, I do think with Sly directing the first EX, he had much more to prove, and as a result, much more was on the line. The first was much grittier with a more solid story. The later installments are much more jokey and self-referential, which some hate, others love. That's the gamble you take, I guess...

[viendammage]

I have to agree with Molti. They could still do something good with this franchise in the straight to video realm. Have Dolph, Crews and Randy headline. Shoot it for 10-20 mill. Give more focus and screentime to fewer characters. Maybe get Sly to exec produce and cameo.
Hyams, Reine, Florentine or even Dolph himself to direct.

I think Dolph would actually go along with that idea too. I feel with him that he enjoys playing Gunnar Jensen but hasn't really enjoyed the way his character has been used in 2 and 3. Make Gunnar an edgy character again. Get a few solid B actors in to fill out the side roles and villain roles like Rutger Hauer, Michael Beihn etc.

I think you could still do a lean and mean theatrical version just based on the pre-sales from these guys. Make it more of a buddy/chase whatever picture with Barney and Christmas on the run, then input a few famous faces to help them along the way and cast a solid villain. Michael Biehn and Hauer for sure! It might not have the box office potential of the first 3 but could still turn a nice profit.

[viendammage]

I've made peace with this franchise for being more of a gimmick than an actual series of films. With that mindset, I guess I'm just able to enjoy what they present.

And that's how I went, but sometimes there's only so much you can take. Then I'll give it another shot on French opening day this Wednesday, see how it feels two weeks later...

Neeson is still one of the most bankable names going.

Which is pretty ironic given how he's not any younger than the generation of Sly, Dolph & co, and comes from a more "serious" and respected career (even though he got noticed in THE DEAD POOL, THE BIG MAN, DARKMAN or NEXT OF KIN). It's the same with some French actors like François Cluzet who have become sort of "action"/"thriller" actors whereas they would have snubbed these kind of projects 20 years ago.

I hear you, it really is a refined formula versus a reinvention with very few risks involved. Just looking back I think you went from 6 heroes/4 villains in 1, 10 heroes/2 villains in 2 then 14 heroes and 1 villain in part 3! Look forward to hearing your thoughts after a second round. I've seen it 3 times in 4 days with different groups of friends so I did my part haha.

[Jox]

Sunday projections were higher than it actually was...
Final Box Office: 'Expendables 3' Ends Up at $15.9 Million

Final North American box office numbers show The Expendables 3 coming in behind Sunday's already dismal estimate, or $15.9 million versus $16.2 million.

However, it played older than the previous two films, with 66 percent of the audience over the age of 25, compared to 60 percent for the first film and 65 percent for the second. Some box office observers say piracy could have certainly impacted the demo breakdown.

Expendables 3 hopes to make up ground overseas but is off to a sluggish start, including opening to $3.8 million in Russia, compared to $8 million for Expendables 2. All told, it launched in 22 markets over the weekend, grossing $15 million. Piracy is hurting the movie internationally as well.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/f ... s-3-726071

‘Expendables 3’ Illegally Downloaded 5 Million Times, But Still Isn’t Top Hit for Pirates

As of Sunday, 5.12 million people worldwide had pirated “Expendables 3” since a high-quality copy hit torrent-sharing sites July 23, according to piracy-tracking firm Excipio.

That likely contributed to the action movie’s dismal box-office debut this weekend. But over the same July 23-Aug. 18 time period, the movie was No. 4 in downloads, after “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (7.31 million), “Divergent” (6.29 million) and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2″ (5.88 million). Moreover, that’s despite “Expendables 3″ becoming available more than three weeks prior to the film’s U.S. theatrical debut.

For the week ended Aug. 18, the movie was the fifth most popular title on piracy services, with 1.54 million downloads. That trailed “Captain America” (2.61 million downloads globally), “Spider-Man 2″ (1.70 million), “Noah” (1.62 million) and “Divergent” (1.55 million), per Excipio.

It’s impossible to know how “Expendables 3” would have fared in the absence of piracy. A recent study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers estimated, based on several assumptions, that films subject to prerelease piracy generate 19% lower box-office revenue compared with those pirated after theatrical debut.

[Jox]

Legendary Status Not Required: How Sylvester Stallone Plucked ‘Expendables 3’ Director Patrick Hughes Out of Obscurity
http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospect ... obscurity/

Broforce creator on teaming up with ‘The Expendables 3′ cast and favoring chaos over balance (interview)
http://venturebeat.com/2014/08/14/broforce-interview/

Télématin (for Frenchies, this show must be at least as old as me)
http://www.france2.fr/emissions/telemat ... iii_256069

bet.com : interview w/ terry crews and dolph lundgren
http://www.brandonclaybon.com/2014/08/1 ... -lundgren/

[Jox]

Sylvester Stallone & Arnold Schwarzenegger to Headline Asia's Only Official VIP Screening for The Expendables 3 as Highlight of the Venetian Macao's 7th Anniversary Celebration

The Venetian Macao announced today that it will host Asia's only VIP screening experience for the opening of The Expendables 3 featuring live appearances by the blockbuster film's iconic lead actors, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, on August 22nd in celebration of the integrated resort's 7th anniversary.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/legendar ... 00022.html
http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmovies/ ... _Nnb7ySxKZ

I believe Dolph may attend as well.

[Travis]

I just saw it. I went in with low expectations expecting something bad and boring. I thought it was pretty decent and possibly the best of the series.

Dolph looked great in it too.