In The Expendables 3, Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Statham) and the rest of the team come face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill… or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables – but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members, recruiting individuals who are younger, faster and more tech-savvy. The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style versus high-tech expertise in the Expendables’ most personal battle yet.

My Opinion: I think it’s hilarious that the description above mentions new characters who are “younger, faster and more tech-savvy” because, in this particular world, those characteristics (and characters) don’t matter nearly as much as the old pros. Like with previous entries in the series, there’s only one reason to see this film: watching older action stars show off their chops as part of a team. If that’s all you’re after in a film, you might enjoy this. If you’re looking for even a semblance of a logical plot, you won’t. There’s less story and more excuses for Stallone to do his thing with some compatriots. I do have to give the film props for one bit of casting, though: Antonio Banderas is a scene-stealer with his constantly-talking Galgo.

Q&A Notes: Some negative language regarding gender expression. One scene towards the end of the film has a character imply two others are in a same-sex relationship, though the statement and reaction don’t appear negative.