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The Expendables 3 backdrop

The Expendables 3

22 August 2014English2h 9mPart 3 of The Expendables series
ActionAdventureThriller
out of 10
Unfavorablemost critics didn't like it
Monk Score · 11 scored reviews · 1 not rated

A bloated, toothless team-up that wastes its veteran cast on weak action.

Verdict tier Unfavorable, most critics didn't like it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Nostalgic ensemble of veteran stars
  • Criticised: Weak script and unimaginative action

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Critic consensus

What 12 critics are saying

Critical reception for The Expendables 3 leans negative, with most reviewers finding it overlong, formulaic, and lacking in excitement despite its large ensemble of action stars. The collective presence of veteran action heroes is the most frequently cited source of whatever goodwill the film earns, offering a degree of nostalgia for fans of 1980s action cinema. Common criticisms include unimaginative and cumbersome action sequences, a thin and predictable script, and a toning down of the visceral energy that characterized earlier entries in the franchise. Several critics noted the film wastes its impressive cast by giving key stars insufficient screen time and failing to deliver on either action or humor.

How the 11 scores spread

1 not-rated review isn't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 12 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (12)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    IBNLive

    Film review ·

    ...a disappointing film that might have benefitted from investing more in script rewrites than star salaries. Its nostalgia value aside, this is one noisy bore.

  2. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    Specifics don't matter, and a thermonuclear bomb and CIA black ops are background noise in a film that's about bullets, biceps, blasts and lot of blah.

  3. Top critic

    Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    The action itself is cumbersome and unimaginative, and none of the one-liners are punchy enough to make you laugh. Those were the two elements that made these old timers famous, and the film fails to deliver on both counts – a fatal mistake.

  4. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    While an ensemble cast is indeed impressive, you might feel that so much more could have been done with the story in terms of excitement. Stallone and Arnie fans might also feel a bit shortchanged regarding how much screen time their two favourite characters have got. While the action is indeed high gear, the gore (evidenced in the previous film) is turned down a notch. Nonetheless, it does serve up a decent chunk of old-school action.

  5. BookMyShow

    Film review ·

    The plot is thin, sure. Predictable maybe, but the execution is good. All in all, a watchable movie with the action building till the very end.

  6. Rediff

    Film review ·

    I may have issues with the third installment but the joy of watching these heroes together on screen is a movie event marked in my calendar until they keep making them.

  7. Wogma

    Film review ·

    If there is one reason why it is a tad bit easier to be kinder to an Expendables film, than to, say, Kick or Jai Ho, it is the technical wizardry at their disposal. All of the most far-fetched action scenes merge live-action and CG beautifully, making it easier to suspend one's disbelief. Real-looking ludicrousness is, after all, quite easier to buy than tacky-looking ludicrousness.

  8. The Navhind Times

    Film review ·

    Laborious and too long, there isn't much excitement in this enterprise either even though it has got more than handful action heroes on the scene.

  9. Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    Watch this one if you are a true blue fan of '80s action thrillers who would like one more walk down the nostalgia lane with 'old' heroes. For the rest of us, it is time to dust out those old CDs and watch a re-run of their truly good films.

  10. NowRunning

    Film review ·

    What keeps you hooked is your patience or your fancy craze to see the once glorious A-list action stars perform. By and large, "The Expendables 3" may appeal only to front benchers who enjoy the adrenaline rush of mindless violence.

  11. Deccan Chronicle

    Film review ·

    Expendables 3 reminds you of the mindless Bollywood films of the 90s that were rigid in formula and high on star power that combined delivered something in the sub zero range. Such a waste of time. Expended for no reason at all.

  12. The Hindu

    Film review ·

    ...with minimal dialogues and primal posturing, The Expendables can still expand in less mature territories in their dubbed avatars for here Stallone is no less than Singham.

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