No one expected Shakespeare, but director Simon West’s failure to turn this franchise into something memorable can easily be ranked as one of the biggest disappointments of the decade. Admit it though: on the surface, the idea of Sylvester Stallone assembling a team of action stars to kick ass is a testosterone turn-on. Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris and even Arnold Schwarzenegger. What’s not to like? And who cares if these guys are mostly…old. Right? So why is “The Expendables 2″ such a disappointment? Because West forgets to include the most important ingredient of them all: a coherent plot. Or a dialogue that actors can speak without sounding ridiculous (” I now pronounce you man and knife” says Jason Statham’s Lee Christmas. Prepare to laugh out loud…for all the wrong reasons). But even with all its faults, “The Expendables 2” is never boring, unlike part one which was dull as hell. The simple plot follows Stallone and his team once again, as they track a stash of plutonium from a plane that crashed in Albania, before the villain (Van Damme) gets it first. Can you guess what happens next? Course you do. Sadly, “The Expendables 2” runs out of steam after the hour mark. New faces, like “Hunger Games” star Liam Hemsworth as a speedy sniper, or Nan Yu as female mercenary can’t do much to save this sequel from being strictly “routine”. But perhaps the most fun to be had here is watching Van Damme show-off some improved acting skills, as he creates a memorable villain in just a few scenes. Other than that, it’s hard for me to really recommend this sequel. Action fans might still have a good time watching it, but even fans deserved more than just an “Ok” film. Especially with a cast like this one. At some point, you can hear Stallone say “”that plane belongs in a museum.” “We all do”, replies Schwarzy. At least we’re on the same page.

Rating: 2/4