The reason the first 2 movies were successful is because they were throwbacks, in the best possible way. In a time where everything coming out in cinema was people head to toe in lyrca talking about multiple realities, aliens, super humans and robots, a time where every single release was filmed in a single room because everything was green screened in, the expendables came out and it wasn't subtle, didn't pull any punches, it was a good old fashioned dumb fun action movie. A movie where action takes the spotligh and the story serves it's purpose to move things along but safe to say was never going to win any awards and it doesn't take itself too seriously along the way, it is pure escapism.
3 and 4 utterly destroy the entire appeal of the franchise. Instead of casting recognizable action actors
3 had some big names but the bulk of the screentime was focused on people that nobody recognizes, so they don't fit the whole throwback ethos, nor are they competent actors so they didn't contribute anything to the formula, the result was a movie packed with action yet remarkably stayed boring throughout, it was so bland that I guarantee 99% of people who watched it forgot what happened in it within 5 minutes of it ending
And now with 4 they have done the same thing again,
they cast rappers and eye candy. Don't get me wrong, Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais are both insanely talented, but 50 cent and megan fox have no business whatsoever being in this movie.
So again they are diluting the entire concept that made this franchise work in the first place. I am not saying they should just do constant remakes, reboots and remake expendables 1 with slight story changes over and over but they need to decide what this is supposed to be and what audience it is supposed to be for, 3 and 4 are neither an homage to old school, unapologetic action nor are they good vehicles to put young talent front and centre, the result are movies with some big names, plenty of action, but it is all wrapped up in a very limp, very middling, utterly forgettable package, so confused about it's own identity that the end product is not catered to anybody.
