Like its predecessor The Expendables 2 does exactly what it says on the tin. The film has no pretensions and it lets us know this right from the very start, an action packed opening sequence full of guns, explosions and plenty of blood sets the tone for the rest of the movie.

Two years after the release of the original Sly Stone and his gang of aging brutes return to our screens this time around aided by some young blood in the form of Liam Hensworth who plays an bright young sniper fresh from the army known as Billy the kid. There is also the inclusion of Maggie portrayed by Yu Nan which adds a very interesting dynamic to the group. Jean Claude Van Damme also takes his place amongst the star studded line up playing the villain who is rather subtlety named Jean Vilain.

Seeing Arnie, Sly, Willis, Li, Norris and Statham team up on the big screen is a dream come true for action fans and this movie certainly doesn’t disappoint.  There is a lot of shooting, then when the shooting stops, there is a lot of fighting, then there is a lot of drinking, then there is a lot of explosins and so on and so forth. The film is a testosterone pumped rollercoaster from start to finish that makes no excuses for its violent nature.

Unlike the first film the characters are given a bit more down time in this film and really have the chance to develop. The banter between the males is thick and fast and the film even manages to get the occasional laugh from the audience despite its overly cheesy script.

Despite not being as well filmed as the original the film stands as a solid sequel and will certainly please fans of the action genre. All in all it is a good old bit of brain dead fun and if you’re willing to just spend 90 minutes in front of a big screen and watch the death toll rise and enjoy a bunch of old action heroes fighting it out then this is certainly the film for you, overall a very enjoyable watch.

Rating: *** (out of 5)