Mercenary Madness

It seems like every time Hollywood gets a good idea, 4 or 5 other similar ideas crop up right behind it. Usually all but one get weeded before you go see them in the theater, occasionally you will see 2 break through around the same time. Examples of this phenomena are Dantes Peak/Volcano, Armageddon/Deep Impact and Finding Nemo/Shark Tale. This will happen about once a year with varying degrees of visibility, but this year we get the rare trifecta. Three movies all with very similar core concepts all battling for out hearts and wallets this summer. Three films will weave us a tale about a close group of highly trained mercs who used to work for, or were betrayed by the government and only trust each other. They take jobs for money, but the movie likely sees our heroes get revenge for their betrayal. So lets break them down and see who is the Favorite, Dark Horse and Lame Duck of the trio! It's time for some Mercenary Madness!

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The Expendables



Sylvester Stallone knows his fans. Say what you will about the man and his movies, but he knows exactly what people want when they walk into a Stallone film. Ever since he took control over his image and characters with the better then expected Rocky Balboa, Stallone has been on a roll, making films as if he were a Stallone fan boy himself. This summer he might just unveil his masterpiece. The Expendables was cast like the internet's dream list of action stars of the 80's, 90's and today, you will see Stallone, Willis and Ah-Nold together in a scene... you will see Jason Statham, Jet Li and Stallone simultaneously kicking ass... you will see Dolph Lundgern and Mickey Rourke doing stuff... and for those who are interested Stone Cold Steve Austin and Randy Couture are around too. Seriously if you were every excited by some form of cinema violence in the last 30 years, this film will appeal to you. This only flaw in this film's armor is the simple fact that it is hard to sell an 80's style action flick in 2010, especially with other, more flashy, films are coming out before it.

Verdict: With the best cast of the bunch, and Stallone behind the camera this film might be the best, but it is a harder sell and will likely not be the big winner. DARK HORSE.

The A-Team:



The classic TV show is reborn in 2010 with a good cast and a big budget. This is has the most name recognition of the bunch and a Director who can really set up an action scene, so there is hope. The problem here is that this is an adaption of a TV show, and there is a very sticky history of these being balls awful. Added to that is the Mr. T factor which presents the problem of an actor who is larger then the character he played, which will lead to either a painful characiture or a lifeless shell of a character that will bring the whole movie down. This film boasts a good cast that I would generally root for, but I can't shake the feeling that this film will suffer from bad timing. Had this come out last year, or next, it wouldn't have the added burden of having to be better then not just previous TV adaptations (a VERY low bar), but also a pair of similar films out in the same few months that frankly look much better.

Verdict: Might make the most money of the group, just because, but out of the three stands the greatest chance of being a flaming turd. LAME DUCK.


The Losers:



Of the three trailers released for these films, the Losers looks like the most fun. Based on an obscure comic book somewhere in the DC library, The Losers boasts a great cast, a great look and a very interesting director (whose previous work includes Stomp the Yard and I Always Know What You Did Last Summer). Playing like a more colorful mix of both the Expendables and The A-Team, The Losers seems to have something for quite literately everyone. Sexy Ladies? Check. Sexy Guys? Check. (I figure that in theory only) Big Explosions? Check. Lots of Guns? Check. Sexy Scenes and Slow Motion? Check and Check, and both in one scene no less! The Losers looks to be a blast that appeals to the masses in flash, the nerds in substance and the inbetweeners in sex appeal, if only it didn't have to contend with Kick-Ass in theaters this would be a slam dunk.

Verdict: The film doesn't have the big names of the other two and a less then favorable release date to compete with a couple summer flicks, yet despite the underdog status I am willing to bet this will be the more loved of the Mercenary Movies of 2010. FAVORITE.