The Expendables Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray release of "The Expendables – Extended Director’s Cut" delivers an exemplary video presentation, maintaining the high standards set by the theatrical cut. The 1080p High Definition transfer, presented in the original aspect ratio of 2.4:1 widescreen, offers exceptional detail with skin pores and individual hair strands clearly visible. This level of detail extends across the board without any softness, DNR tinkering, or noticeable edge enhancement. The color scheme is diverse, from blue-dominated reflective scenes to darker sequences in tunnels, maintaining strong detail and rich black levels even in low-light conditions. Notably, the added footage blends seamlessly with the rest of the film.

The AVC encoded transfer keeps its sharpness intact, especially significant in the numerous dark scenes that characterize Stallone's stylistic choices. The film's cool, blue-tinged darkness is well captured, with remarkable contrast and excellent black levels that avoid absorbing objects into the shadows. Even in scenes with minimal lighting, such as Iti�'s cell, the transfer maintains fine detail. Close-ups exhibit a wealth of detail—sometimes unflattering—but add to the immersive experience, revealing facial scars and muscle definitions with precise clarity. The colors, although somewhat muted in darker scenes, remain vibrant and robust through the rest.

While nearly impeccable, the transfer does have minor issues. There are instances where blacks appear flat, particularly in the later scenes such as Monroe’s office meeting, giving some elements an unusual matte black finish reminiscent of metallic textures. Additionally, some CG effects retain their unrealistic appearance reminiscent of theatrical viewings. However, these are isolated cases, as the majority of the film showcases deep, inky blacks with excellent delineation. The transfer is pristine with no signs of aliasing, blocking, or source noise artifacts, solidifying it as a reference quality presentation that will please fans without doubt.

The audio presentation of the Blu-ray for "The Expendables" stands as a benchmark in action film sound design, leveraging a robust DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix. The track envelops you in an aggressive, immersive soundscape from the first rumble of motorcycles to the final cacophony of explosions and gunfire. With meticulously placed effects, bullets whizz convincingly past and grenades explode with palpable impact, ensuring that each action sequence pops with dynamic LFE accompaniment. The automatic shotgun's authoritative thumps and the resounding blasts across various scenes make the bass a constant, visceral presence that reverberates deeply through your living room.

While the high-octane actions and myriad effects dominate the soundfield, the track also excels in maintaining clarity and fidelity in dialogue, albeit with slight issues surrounding Mickey Rourke's occasionally mumbled lines. Still, dialogue generally remains crisp and coherent, properly anchored in the frontal array. Notably, the mix makes excellent use of all seven channels, especially in action-packed scenes where surround activity creates an enveloping experience. Even subtle sounds like gun magazines clicking into place or tattoo needles buzzing are rendered with precision and depth.

The audio mix on this release is nothing short of bombastic, punctuated by continuous LFE that might inconveniently shake valuables off shelves or wake anyone dozing nearby. From the thunderous dock explosions to Ross' airplane jets panning seamlessly across the soundstage, the auditory experience is rich and engaging. This track thrives on ferocity—whether it's the silvery flash of a blade or the bone-jarring whomp of a bazooka—but it also caters to those finer acoustic details, making it a reference-quality offering for fans of action cinema wanting a demo material sound experience.

The extras on the Blu-ray edition of "The Expendables" offer a substantial and insightful look into the production of the film. While the absence of an audio commentary might disappoint some fans, the remaining bonus features are extensive and well-rounded. Sylvester Stallone provides a brief but candid introduction to the film, reflecting on his revisions in the editing process. The standout extra is "Inferno: The Making of The Expendables," an exhaustive 92-minute documentary that delves deeply into every aspect of the film's production, including behind-the-scenes footage, effects comparisons, rehearsals, and candid interviews with the cast and crew. Additional featurettes give further insight into Stallone's directorial style and the film's promotion. These extras collectively provide a comprehensive understanding of the movie’s creation.

Extras included in this disc:

• Introduction by Sylvester Stallone: Brief insight into the editing process and Stallone's reflections.
• Inferno: The Making of The Expendables: Extensive documentary covering production aspects with behind-the-scenes footage.
• Action: The Expendables: Spike TV featurette offering an overview of the production.
• Sylvester Stallone: A Director in Action: Featurette focusing on Stallone's directorial approach and experience.
• Sinner's Prayer Music Video by Sully Erna: Music video for one of the significant songs from the film.

"The Expendables," directed by Sylvester Stallone, is an ensemble action film that channels the raw, explosive energy reminiscent of 80s action flicks. While both the theatrical and Extended Director’s Cut versions deliver robust and brawny entertainment, the latter offers refined editing, improved humor, and a better soundtrack. Stallone leads a motley crew of mercenaries, played by an impressive mix of seasoned and contemporary action stars such as Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Terry Crews. With a straightforward plot centered around high-octane missions and duels against nefarious villains, the Director’s Cut subtly enhances the narrative by infusing marginally more depth into character backstories and emotional beats.

Where the movie particularly shines is in its practical effects and stunt work, which are sorely missed in today’s visually-sterile CGI landscape. The Dynamic action sequences boast real explosions and methodically choreographed combat scenes, evoking nostalgia for genre purists. Nevertheless, some technical choices like the overuse of shaky-cam during fight scenes cause occasional incoherence, damping the excitement. Stallone’s commitment to this old-school aesthetic is laudable, even if the execution doesn't fully escape modern filmmaking sensibilities. This blend results in an action-packed nostalgic ride bedecked with sweat, blood, and fiery explosions but tempered with some contemporary filmmaking polish.

On Blu-ray, "The Expendables" sports a vibrant 1080p visual presentation that accentuates every fiery blast and sweat-drenched muscle. Stallone’s introduction supplementing the Director’s Cut offers insight into his creative journey and motivations for revisiting the project. While the additional content may not radically change the film's essence, fans of the original can relish the slightly extended runtime and deeper character explorations, whereas newcomers will appreciate this more refined iteration. Despite some shortcomings in dramatic heft, this film remains an exuberant tribute to yesteryear's action extravaganzas.

The Blu-ray release of "The Expendables" delivers dynamic audiovisual presentations that stand out in the action genre. The exceptional 1080p transfer ensures a crisp and detailed visual experience, further enhanced by the robust DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 sound mix. From Stallone’s gritty performance to pulsating action sequences, the movie offers a sensory delight best suited for high-definition enjoyment. Despite these technical merits, "The Expendables" does not achieve significant narrative depth, often leaning heavily on its star-studded cast and high-octane stunts over storytelling precision.

While the director's cut brings additional dramatic sequences, many may find these additions superfluous to a film renowned for its unrelenting action. The new alternate opening credits drag, contrasting with the otherwise brisk pacing. Fans may prefer the theatrical cut for its focused and intense delivery. The additional content, though intriguing, does not dramatically enhance the viewer experience or elevate the film to a new level of cinematic greatness.

Don't get me wrong, "The Expendables" is fun and enjoyable, but it's no great masterpiece, and Stallone's ingenuous insistence that he somehow was kept from releasing the real masterpiece "The Expendables" should have been is just downright ridiculous. There are a couple of nice extra touches here, but nothing so amazing that it recasts the picture in any significantly new light. As with the theatrical release of the film, this Blu-ray looks and especially sounds fantastic, and if you're a fan of this kind of testosterone fueled actioner, it certainly comes Recommended.