Sylvester Stallone Is The Actual Villain Of The Expendables Franchise
"Expend4bles" has been a long time coming. In fact, most people assumed the franchise was dead after "The Expendables 3" tanked at the box office, which subsequently led to Sylvester Stallone briefly walking away from the movie series that he manufactured in the first place. Truthfully, though, maybe an "Expendables" blockbuster without Stallone isn't the worst idea in the world.
Stallone is a great action star whose presence is welcome in most movies. In an ideal world, he'd be part of the "Expendables" saga — but without interfering too much. In reality, he has a history of derailing productions, beefing with colleagues, and generally being a headache on certain projects — and some of these habits are particularly evident in this franchise. In the grand scheme of things, the "Expendables" saga is a missed opportunity that fails to live up to its potential, and Stallone's influence is a contributing factor in the underwhelming movies we've been exposed to thus far.
"Expen4bles" might be the movie that gets this franchise back on track, but previous entries have given viewers an idea of what to expect from these adventures. With Stallone having so much input over the proceedings, the "Expendables" saga will always be creatively restricted. With that in mind, let's examine Stallone's track record of refusing to compromise, and discuss how it has impacted this particular action franchise.
Sylvester Stallone's Expendables co-stars haven't always liked him
"The Expendables" franchise boasts an all-star ensemble of bona fide action royalty — Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Jet-Li, Jean-Claude Van Damme, et al. The thing with legendary movie stars, though, is that they have enormous egos, which makes them prone to clashing with their co-stars. Furthermore, Sylvester Stallone and his "Expendables" compatriots understand this more than most.
Prior to teaming up for the "Expendables," Schwarzenegger and Stallone didn't see eye to eye. "We really disliked each other immensely," Stallone revealed to Forbes. "We were... this may sound a little vain, but I think we were pioneering a kind of genre at that time and it hasn't been seen since really." He added that their rivalry stemmed from competing against each other at the box office in the '80s and '90s. However, their reconciliation and subsequent collaborations haven't led to a positive working relationship.
Schwarzenegger has no intention of returning to the "Expendables" franchise as he feels that his character, Trench, was underwritten in "Expendables 3." He told Vanity Fair that Stallone has some great ideas for the franchise, but Schwarzenegger has no interest in returning unless he's given a meatier role. That seems unlikely. After all, would Stallone's ego allow him to risk being upstaged by an old rival in his own action franchise? Probably not. After all, he has a history of making sure he's the star of the show.
Furthermore, Stallone and Jason Statham's characters are the only ones who've consistently received top-billing in these flicks. Stallone casting himself as a lead has come at the expense of other actors getting to sink their teeth into meaningful parts. They are merely seasoning to Stallone's steak, and he won't give up his spot.
Sylvester Stallone's history of on-set tyranny
Sylvester Stallone's megalomania is part of his charm, but he's a disruptive presence on film sets. For example, he was originally given the lead role in "Beverly Hills Cop," only to be fired from the project after proposing numerous modifications to the script. These included changing the lead character's name to Axel Cobretti and removing the comedic parts in favor of grittier action elements.
The germ of Stallone's idea for the action-comedy informed "Cobra," which is one of the best action movies of the '80s. That said, the success of "Beverly Hills Cop" and the commercial failure of "Cobra" suggests that Stallone's ideas aren't always on point, and maybe sometimes — just sometimes — he should trust other people to oversee a film's creative journey.
George P. Cosmatos is listed as the director of "Cobra," but it's believed that Stallone handled those duties by himself. This reportedly happened when the pair worked together on "Rambo: First Blood Part II" as well. If the reports are true, it would seem that Stallone likes to have control over his babies, and the "Expendables" franchise is very much his child. That's not to say that Stallone ghost-directed the previous films, but his input has been well-documented.
Put bluntly, Stallone started the "Expendable" franchise, and that means he'll only opt to work with filmmakers who agree with his vision. Unfortunately, the actor's sensibilities aren't as vibrant and exciting as they used to be, and that shows in these movies.
The Expendables movies haven't dazzled action fans yet
Artists evolve and change as time goes on, but the "Expendables" franchise could benefit from bringing back the same Sylvester Stallone who made "Cobra." That movie benefits from having a focused vision and an abundance of entertaining sequences that draw upon everything from action yarns to slasher movies. Stallone used to execute his creative control to make action movies that pushed boundaries, but the "Expendables" franchise is the personification of "meh."
For a start, the films fail to maximize the potential of their impressive ensembles. The downside of casting so many action icons, when it comes down to it, is having to underutilize some of them due to limited screen time. That said, the "Expendables" flicks also fail to impress as visceral action romps. The first two are bloody, sure, but they're hardly inventive in the combat department. No one needs these movies to be deep, but some shootouts and brawls that are given room to breathe and aren't hampered by quick cuts could go a long way in improving the overall experience. "The Expendables 3," meanwhile, is a toothless slog that's made even worse by its PG-13 rating. The Stallone of old would have balked at the notion of a PG-13-rated flick about skilled mercenaries.
Stallone is the guiding force behind this franchise, and he's failed to make it realize its full potential. The ingredients for excellence are there, but it needs a cook who can turn them into a tasty treat. While studio interference and other factors do dictate how movies are made, the "Expendable" series would benefit from recruiting a maverick filmmaker to steer the ship.
Sylvester Stallone needs to let visionary filmmakers handle the Expendables franchise
There's no denying that the "Expendables" saga has attracted some talented directors. Sylvester Stallone, Simon West, Patrick Hughes, and Scott Waugh are capable of making good movies. At the same time, the world of action cinema is currently littered with exciting up-and-coming directors who frequently make amazing movies. The type of filmmakers who could take this franchise to the next level and make it roar.
Gareth Evans immediately springs to mind. With "The Raid" flicks and the "Gangs of London" TV series, he's shown a knack for delivering high-octane, bone-crunching action while working with large ensembles. The "Expendables" franchise needs more thrills, and it certainly needs to make better use of its sprawling cast of characters.
Similarly, Timo Tjahjanto has become a cult favorite thanks to carnage-filled gems like "The Night Comes for Us," "The Big 4," and "Headshot" (which he co-directed with Kimo Stamboel). While he's yet to work with a cast as huge as the "Expendables" gang, his characters always feel significant: the most basic supporting players even receive moments to shine. Not every character in the "Expendables" can receive a meaningful arc, but Tjahjanto would make sure that they all got a chance to unleash a scene or two of highly memorable mayhem.
Unfortunately, the franchise's lead star is too stubborn to admit defeat and let others upstage him. Stallone was left out of "Creed III" because he wasn't open to the changes, so it's unlikely that he'd be willing to hand over another one of his babies to someone with new ideas ... even if it was to a filmmaker who could raise this franchise into something far better.