History YMMV / TheExpendables

* CompleteMonster: [[RogueAgent Rogue CIA agent]] James Munroe is the BigBad of the first film. A drug smuggler and [[HiredGuns mercenary]], Munroe is responsible for his partner, [[TheGeneralissimo General Garza]], transforming the island of [[BananaRepublic Vilena]] into a PoliceState, using the people as labor in their drug operation. During his first scene, Munroe kills one prisoner, then derides [[EvenEvilHasStandards Garza]] for his lack of spine, forcing the [[NobleDemon General]] to murder a second prisoner in order to save face. When the Expendables raid Vilena, Munroe captures Garza's daughter, Sandra, who opposes her father's government, and has her [[WaterTorture waterboarded]] over Garza's objections. He contracts former Expendable, Gunnar, to kill the rest of the team, and when Garza turns on him following the Expendables' assault on Vilena, he shoots the General InTheBack, kills the rest of his security detail, and tries to make good his escape, though not before instructing [[TheDragon Paine]] and [[TortureTechnician The Brit]] to torture [[TheHero Barney Ross]], and taking Sandra hostage to use as a HumanShield. Caring only for [[OnlyInItForTheMoney his profits]], Munroe is willing to wreck an entire country [[{{Greed}} in order to increase them]].

** In 2009, one year before the first film's release, Mickie Rourke had an apparition in Wrestling/{{WWE}} thanks to his success with ''Film/TheWrestler'' in order to work a storyline with Wrestling/ChrisJericho. As at first Rourke didn't trust the company, he brought with him an entourage of tough guys, including MMA fighter Frank Shamrock, boxer Clint Coronel and an Israeli bounty hunter, just in case he got double crossed or something. Naturally, after the film came out and this was made public, a fan in [[http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/10/17/6994427/wwe-chris-jericho-book-best-in-the-world-story-vince-mcmahon-fought-frank-shamrock-wrestling-news this page]] was quick to point out that Rourke had assembled his own team of Expendables for real.

** SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: In the first film, Toll Road's AA12 produces an immensely satisfying "THUNK THUNK THUNK" sound that signals someone turning into hamburger.

** MostWonderfulSound: In the first film, Toll Road's AA12 produces an immensely satisfying "THUNK THUNK THUNK" sound that signals someone turning into hamburger.

** Talking about WWE, it has adopted [[ImageSong Diamond Eyes]] as one of their themes. From a film that featured a classically-trained wrestler (who also trained professional wrestling, actually) kicking a pro wrestler into a fire.

* ClicheStorm: The reason it exists. [[TropesAreNotBad In this case, it's not necessarily a bad thing]].

* FandomBerserkButton: Never bring up the [[{{Bowdlerise}} PG-13 rating]] to hardcore fans of the series. Just don't. There's a reason why [[Film/TheExpendables3 the third movie]] got a lot of backlash.
* FunnyAneurysmMoment: The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fncp0sQvBM0 Call to Arms]] trailer for the first movie reminds you not to watch it off your torrents but "in a fucking theater where violence belongs". However, [[http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-expendables-3-leaks-online-3-weeks-ahead-of-release-20140725 the third movie was leaked online prior to release.]] That line is also fairly wince-inducing in light of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Aurora_shooting mass shooting]] that took place in a cinema right around the second film's release.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: [[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-china-expendables-dark-knight-rises-spider-man20121010,0,3607540.story The sequel outgrossed both The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man in China.]] The series does well there in general, with a fourth movie [[http://variety.com/2015/film/asia/expendables-4-secures-china-pre-sale-1201614508/ getting Chinese distribution rights and investments]] before it was even ''announced''.

** In 2009, one year before the first film's release, Mickie Rourke had an apparition in Wrestling/{{WWE}} thanks to his success with ''Film/TheWrestler'' to work a storyline with Wrestling/ChrisJericho. As at first Rourke didn't trust the company, he brought with him an entourage of tough guys, including MMA fighter Frank Shamrock, boxer Clint Coronel and an Israeli bounty hunter, just in case he got double crossed or something. Naturally, after the film came out and this was made public, a fan in [[http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/10/17/6994427/wwe-chris-jericho-book-best-in-the-world-story-vince-mcmahon-fought-frank-shamrock-wrestling-news this page]] was quick to point out that Rourke had assembled his own team of Expendables for real.

* OneSceneWonder: Trench and Church, played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger and Creator/BruceWillis. The sequel gives them more screentime and action sequences. Also, Creator/MickeyRourke, who has about 5 minutes of screen time yet gives arguably the best performance of the first film.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: General Garza's twin bodyguards. What's the use of having two MMA fighters like Antonio Rodrigo and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a film filled with many other fighters and martial arts experts if you don't work any hand-to-hand fight scene with them?

* HarsherInHindsight: Steve Austin plays a man who, as a plot point, WouldHitAGirl. Steve Austin has faced charges for domestic abuse in the past.

* TookTheBadFilmSeriously: Many critics who didn't like the movie were nevertheless impressed by Mickey Rourke's performance and wondered what such a dedicated performance was doing in a "brain-dead action flick". Oddly enough, a lot of critics, in a doubly inverted version of this trope, were expecting slam-bang action all the way through, but ''complained'' about the overuse of CGI (which was not a staple in 80s movies), the too-modern ShakyCam, and, most unexpectedly, it having ''too much plot.''

** Talking about WWE, it has adopted [[ImageSong Diamond Eyes]] as one of their themes. From a film that featured a classically-trained wrestler kicking a professional wrestler into a fire.

* TookTheBadFilmSeriously: Many critics who didn't like the movie were nevertheless impressed by Mickey Rourke's performance and wondered what such a dedicated performance was doing in a "brain-dead action flick". Oddly enough, a lot of critics, in an odd version of this trope, were expecting slam-bang action all the way through, but ''complained'' about the overuse of CGI (which was not a staple in 80s movies), the too-modern ShakyCam, and, most unexpectedly, it having ''too much plot.''

* CompleteMonster: [[RogueAgent Rogue agent CIA agent]] James Munroe is the BigBad of the first film. A drug smuggler and [[HiredGuns mercenary]], Munroe is responsible for his partner, [[TheGeneralissimo General Garza]], transforming the island of [[BananaRepublic Vilena]] into a PoliceState, using the people as labor in their drug operation. During his first scene, Munroe kills one prisoner, then derides [[EvenEvilHasStandards Garza]] for his lack of spine, forcing the [[NobleDemon General]] to murder a second prisoner in order to save face. When the Expendables raid Vilena, Munroe captures Garza's daughter, Sandra, who opposes her father's government, and has her [[WaterTorture waterboarded]] over Garza's objections. He contracts former Expendable, Gunnar, to kill the rest of the team, and when Garza turns on him following the Expendables' assault on Vilena, he shoots the General InTheBack, kills the rest of his security detail, and tries to make good his escape, though not before instructing [[TheDragon Paine]] and [[TortureTechnician The Brit]] to torture [[TheHero Barney Ross]], and taking Sandra hostage to use as a HumanShield. Caring only for [[OnlyInItForTheMoney his profits]], Munroe is willing to wreck an entire country [[{{Greed}} in order to increase them]].

* CompleteMonster: [[RogueAgent Rogue agent CIA agent]] James Munroe is the BigBad of the first film. A drug smuggler and [[HiredGuns mercenary]], Munroe is responsible for his partner, [[TheGeneralissimo General Garza]], transforming the island of [[BananaRepublic Vilena]] into a PoliceState, using the people as labor in their drug operation. During his first scene, Munroe kills one prisoner, then derides [[EvenEvilHasStandards Garza]] for his lack of spine, forcing the [[NobleDemon General]] to murder a second prisoner in order to save face. When the Expendables raid Vilena, Munroe captures Garza's daughter, Sandra, who opposes her father's government, and has her waterboarded over Garza's objections. He contracts former Expendable, Gunnar, to kill the rest of the team, and when Garza turns on him following the Expendables' assault on Vilena, he shoots the General InTheBack, kills the rest of his security detail, and tries to make good his escape, though not before instructing [[TheDragon Paine]] and [[TortureTechnician The Brit]] to torture [[TheHero Barney Ross]], and taking Sandra hostage to use as a HumanShield. Caring only for [[OnlyInItForTheMoney his profits]], Munroe is willing to wreck an entire country [[{{Greed}} in order to increase them]].

* SoCoolItsAwesome: The entire series. Considering the fact that they are the revival of the action movie genre, this is to be expected.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGPxlMpzqYQ This fanmade musical]] of ''The Expendables'' contains a chorus that says "PG-13 is for pussies". [[{{Irony}} Ironically, the third movie was eventually rated PG-13]].

** In 2009, one year before the first film's release, Mickie Rourke had an apparition in Wrestling/{{WWE}} thanks to his work in ''Film/TheWrestler'' to work a storyline with Wrestling/ChrisJericho. As at first Rourke didn't trust the company, he brought with him an entourage of tough guys, including MMA fighter Frank Shamrock, boxer Clint Coronel and an Israeli bounty hunter, just in case he got double crossed or something. Naturally, after the film came out and this was made public, a fan in [[http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/10/17/6994427/wwe-chris-jericho-book-best-in-the-world-story-vince-mcmahon-fought-frank-shamrock-wrestling-news this page]] was quick to point out that Rourke had assembled his own team of Expendables for real.

** WWE has adopted [[ImageSong Diamond Eyes]] as one of their themes. From a film that featured a classically-trained wrestler kicking a professional wrestler into a fire.

* SpecialEffectFailure: The guard that Ross decapitated somehow managed to grow his head back between shots.

* CompleteMonster: Rogue CIA agent James Munroe is the Big Bad of the first film. A drug smuggler and mercenary, Munroe is responsible for his partner, General Garza, transforming the island of Vilena into a PoliceState, using the people as labor in their drug operation. During his first scene, Munroe kills one prisoner, then derides Garza for his lack of spine, forcing the General to murder a second prisoner in order to save face. When the Expendables raid Vilena, Munroe captures Garza's daughter, Sandra, who opposes her father's government, and has her waterboarded over Garza's objections. He contracts former Expendable, Gunnar, to kill the rest of the team, and when Garza turns on him following the Expendables' assault on Vilena, he shoots the General in the back, kills the rest of his security detail, and tries to make good his escape, though not before instructing Paine and The Brit to torture Barney Ross, and taking Sandra hostage to use as a HumanShield. Caring only for his profits, Munroe is willing to wreck an entire country in order to increase them.

* OneSceneWonder: Trench and Church, played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger and Creator/BruceWillis. The sequel gives them more screentime and action sequences. Also, Mickey Rourke, who has about 5 minutes of screen time yet gives arguably the best performance of the first film.

* FandomBerserkButton: Never bring up the [[{{Bowdlerise}} PG-13 rating]] to hardcore fans of the series. Just don't. There's a reason why this movie got a lot of backlash.

* BaseBreaker:
** There is a split on opinions on Billy the Kid. One half of the fanbase are willing to say that he was well-acted and functioned well within the team and for the most part is respected for not being as obnoxious and cliche as he could have been [[spoiler:and for facing death like a hero.]] The other half... well... just see WhatTheHellCastingAgency below.
** Galgo the crazy Spanish legionary is a plain LoveItOrHateIt. People see him as either a walking, breathing CrowningMomentOfFunny or the lowest point of an already defficient film.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: Well, it uses Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly's theme whenever [[Creator/ChuckNorris Booker]] appears.
* EvenBetterSequel: Just for the sake of adding more names, more action and LOTS more in-jokes, ''2'' was almost uniformly better received than the first one.

** In the second movie, Barney's team receives a rusty, beat-up An-2 biplane. Barney comments "[it] belongs in a museum" and is then told his team does, too. Creator/HarrisonFord, who said the same phrase (and gets the second phrase thrown at him) [[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade twenty years earlier]], appears in the third film.

* MemeticMutation: "Track 'em, find 'em and kill 'em!"
* {{Narm}}: "I SAID: ARE YOU A REAL TOUGH GUY?!"

** NoProblemWithLicensedGames: The tie in game [[VideoGame/{{BROFORCE}} Expendabros]] shows the movie's spirit quite well; the only way it can get better is if it had oneliners.

** There was some grumbling at the news that ''The Expendables 2'' would cut most hard profanity from the script to accommodate Creator/ChuckNorris at his request. Once the movie came out, though, this was subverted; pretty much everyone agreed that swapping out a few F-Bombs for an appearance from the MemeticBadass himself was a good trade.

* WhatTheHellCastingAgency: While the fandom seems to be rather accepting of a [[TheSmurfettePrinciple female presence]] on the team, the more vocal reaction to Liam Hemsworth being cast is vehement to say the least. Reasons vary; from him being too young, to not having an action movie to his credit, [[note]]Film/TheHungerGames was being made at the same time as The Expendables 2, both films being produced by Lionsgate, so he was probably cast to cash in on the film's success, which, in the eyes of some, doesn't help his case much.[[/note]] to his relationship with Creator/MileyCyrus. [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement Don't ask.]]
** Though people stopped complaining once that found out that [[spoiler: his character dies not even 20 minutes into the film]]
** Kelsey Grammer in ''III''.

* OneSceneWonder: Trench and Church, played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger and BruceWillis. The sequel gives them more screentime and action sequences. Also, Mickey Rourke, who has about 5 minutes of screen time yet gives arguably the best performance of the first film.

* {{Sequelitis}}: The third film, due to being rated [=PG13=] and adding unnecessary new characters played by lesser-known actors who are taking the screentime from the bigger name actors whose appearance were the whole point of the franchise, has drawn much criticism.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks:

** Early reviews have bemoaned that ''III'' is both PG-13 and devotes an unnecessary amount of screentime to the younger Expendables. After the film bombed at the box office, Sylvester Stallone admitted that it was a "mistake" to lower the film to PG-13 and he promised that fourth film in the franchise will return to an R-rating.

* ViewersAreGeniuses: The legion song Antonio Banderas's character sings in the third film and his hilarious "marching" are not random antics, but a obscure cultural joke. The motions and noises he does are actually the steps of the Spanish Legion parade during Holy Week in the city of Seville, something only a viewer very acquainted with the culture of Spain could recognize.
* WhatTheHellCastingAgency: While the fandom seems to be rather accepting of a [[TheSmurfettePrinciple female presence]] on the team, the more vocal reaction to Liam Hemsworth being cast is vehement to say the least. Reasons vary; from him being too young, to not having an action movie to his credit, [[note]] Film/TheHungerGames was being made at the same time as The Expendables 2, both films being produced by Lionsgate, so he was probably cast to cash in on the films success, which, in the eyes of some, doesn't help his case much.[[/note]] to his relationship with MileyCyrus. [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement Don't ask.]]

** There is a split on opinions on Billy the Kid. One half of the fanbase are willing to say that he was well-acted and functioned well within the team and for the most part is respected for not being as obnoxious and cliche as he could have been [[spoiler: and for facing death like a hero.]] The other half... well... just see WhatTheHellCastingAgency below.

* BrokenBase: The fact that the third movie [[http://collider.com/the-expendables-3-rating/ was rated PG-13]] in contrast to the R ratings of the first two movies. Also, when a PG-13 rating was announced for the second movie, many fans were upset. Let's not forget that [[http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/the-expendables-3-leaks-online-3-weeks-ahead-of-release-20140725 the third movie was also leaked online]] before it could be released in theaters, with many fans fearing that the movie might not do well at the box office because of this leak.

* CompleteMonster: Rogue CIA agent James Munroe is the Big Bad of the first film. A drug smuggler and mercenary, Munroe is responsible for his partner, General Garza, transforming the island of Vilena into a PoliceState, using the people as labor in their drug operation. During his first scene, Munroe kills one prisoner, then derides Garza for his lack of spine, forcing the General to murder a second prisoner in order to save face. When the Expendables raid Vilena, Munroe captures Garza's daughter, Sandra, who opposes her father's government, and has her waterboarded over Garza's objections. He contracts former Expendable, Gunnar, to kill the rest of the team, and when Garza turns on him following the Expendables' assault on Vilena, he shoots the General in the back, kills the rest of his security detail, and tries to make good his escape, though not before instructing Paine and The Brit to torture Barney Ross, and taking Sandra hostage to use as a HumanShield. Caring only for [[OnlyInItForTheMoney his profits]], Munroe is willing to wreck an entire country [[{{greed}} in order to increase them]].

* ContestedSequel: The third movie has its moments but, due to its PG-13 rating, new characters not fitting the casting aesthetic ([[MetaCasting young actors without the same credentials as the veterans]]) taking up screen time, and that the movie made #4 at the box office on its opening weekend, it's seen as a misstep in the series. Stallone acknowledged this, and says the fourth movie should WinBackTheCrowd.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Antonio Banderas as Galgo practically made Expendables 3 worthwhile. A rare occasion when a MotorMouth is the fan favorite, the fact he was genuinely funny ("I needed a job! All I wanted to do is kill people! And I do that ''very well!'' Goddammit!") and managed some pathos with his backstory helps.
* EvenBetterSequel: Just for the sake of adding more names, more action and LOTS more in jokes, ''2'' was almost uniformly better received than the first one.

* CompleteMonster: [[RogueAgent Rogue CIA agent]] James Munroe is the BigBad of the first film. A drug smuggler and mercenary, Munroe is responsible for his partner, General Garza, transforming the island of Vilena into a PoliceState, using the people as labor in their drug operation. During his first scene, Munroe kills one prisoner, then derides Garza for his lack of spine, forcing the General to murder a second prisoner in order to save face. When the Expendables raid Vilena, Munroe captures Garza's daughter, Sandra, who opposes her father's government, and has her waterboarded over Garza's objections. He contracts former Expendable, Gunnar, to kill the rest of the team, and when Garza turns on him following the Expendables' assault on Vilena, he shoots the General InRheBack, kills the rest of his security detail, and tries to make good his escape, though not before instructing Paine and The Brit to torture Barney Ross, and taking Sandra hostage to use as a HumanShield. Caring only for [[OnlyInItForTheMoney his profits]], Munroe is willing to wreck an entire country [[{{greed}} in order to increase them]].

* FandomBerserkButton: Never bring up the [[AvoidTheDreadedGRating PG-13 rating]] to hardcore fans of the series. Just don't. There's a reason why the third movie got a lot of backlash.

* [[JustHereForGodzilla Just Here For]] [[strike:Godzilla]]''[[AllStarCast THE WHOLE DAMN CAST]]''