Stallone’s Expendables unites action film elites

There was once a time when action films ruled cinema. But these were not the action films of today, which safely harbor a PG-13 rating. These films glorified their R rating and ushered in as much on-screen violence, sexuality and as many cheesy one-liners as possible.

The 1980s showcased these over-the-top action films best. And even though they have become almost archaic, Sylvester Stallone is bringing back those glory days of action cinema.

Stallone’s upcoming film, The Expendables, which he directed and co-wrote, hopes to revitalize the action films of the 1980s, and its trailer, and especially its cast, signifies that he could do just that.

The plot is nothing original, but as the classic action films of the 1980s proved, that is never a problem. The film revolves around a group of mercenaries who find themselves involved in a mission that suddenly becomes compromised. This ultimately sets the stage for an unprecedented amount of death and mayhem.

While the plot of the film certainly does not matter, what does is the film’s exceptional cast that just so happens to feature almost all of the action heroes that defined the genre more than 20 years ago. Not only does The Expendables include Stallone but it also features Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Eric Roberts, Dolph Lundgren and the immortal Hollywood action star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Along with showcasing the tried and true of the old action genre, the film also highlights some of today’s action stars, including Jason Statham, Steve Austin and Jet Li.

While the presence of these three in no way compares to the inclusion of the iconic personas of the genre alumni, their presence does in fact signify that The Expendables will not simply be the ’80s revisited, and instead be something that is still fresh.

Stallone was very smart in casting action heroes from both eras, as it will not only draw in a wider appeal for the film but it will also allow it to stand as a timeless example of action films as a whole.

It is this notion that will truly define The Expendables as something more than just an homage to the forgotten films of yesteryear and actually bring back the brutal, yet profoundly comical action standards that have made action films what they are today.

It is refreshing to see someone like Stallone bring all of this back into contemporary cinema. Like all of the stars present in this film, the action genre is where Stallone made his name. While many would consider Rocky to be Stallone’s first noteworthy film, there is still a lot to say about First Blood, a true action film. While Hollywood rehashes films like Rocky every year, it’s intimidated by the thought of ever making a film like the very first Rambo.

The same can be said about Willis. His incredible performance in 1988’s Die Hard helped define the action R-rated film. Again, this is something Hollywood is terrified to reincarnate.

The last installment in the Die Hard franchise was rated PG-13, and the filmmakers had the audacity to muffle the last part of Willis’ trademark line — “Yippie-ki-yay, motherf–ker” — with a gunshot to silence the vulgarity. As far as Schwarzenegger is concerned, the list of classics he has appeared in is endless. His breakout role in 1984’s The Terminator was followed by Commando, Predator, Red Heat and he ended the 1980s with Total Recall. None of these films can ever be outdone.

Although, like Willis, Schwarzenegger also appeared in a lackluster sequel, and as much as everyone will remember the original Terminator, audiences will also unfortunately remember the dreaded Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and last summer’s Terminator Salvation, which thankfully only featured Schwarzenegger in a cameo.

And while The Expendables also only features Schwarzenegger in a cameo, the fact that he will appear in a film that is not afraid to show carnage and not afraid to use vulgar language is certainly a step in the right direction. This can also be said about all three of the film’s most prominent stars.

It is time for Hollywood to once again embrace the notion of exaggerated violence. There have been too many films that depend more on box office revenue than actually personifying all an action film can be. While there are some notable exceptions including The Rock, Face/Off and Enemy of the State, most contemporary films that claim to be action cannot even come close to Schwarzenegger throwing a large knife into someone’s chest, pinning him against a post and then saying with a grin: “Stick around.”

Hopefully Stallone will bring back this lost era of exaggerated violence, language and sexuality, just so audiences can simply have fun with it once again, because fun is exactly what these great actions films are really all about.

Christopher Byars is a senior majoring in English (creative writing). His column “Cinerama” ran Fridays.