The Expendables 4: Action Sequel Explodes with High-Octane Thrills!

Summary

Critics have unleashed their reviews for The Expendables 4, calling it unexciting, disappointing, and maybe the worst entry in the franchise.

Critics have heavily criticized the film for its subpar CGI and lackluster fight sequences, which do not do justice to the talents of martial artists Iko Uwais and Tony Jaa.

Furthermore, the movie is claimed to be missing the enjoyable and cheesy elements that were present in the previous installments, and the new cast has also been deemed underwhelming.

The reviews for The Expendables 4 have been revealed, and critics are sharing their honest thoughts on director Scott Waugh's new sequel. After three previous films, the mercenary team is back, this time on a mission to stop World War III. Sylvester Stallone returns as Barney Ross, with Jason Statham's Lee Christmas taking the lead in a movie that features both familiar and new cast members.

On the film's wide release day, critics are not holding back in their reviews. Chase Hutchinson of Collider describes it as a "largely dull and dreary experience that never feels like anything more than a hollow imitation of better action works from the past." Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter expresses disappointment in how the cast of The Expendables 4 is wasted, particularly martial artists like Iko Uwais and Tony Jaa, who are featured in "short, unexciting fight scenes that are poorly filmed and poorly edited, as if they were featuring Carrot Top and Yakov Smirnoff."

Why The Expendables 4's Reviews Are So Negative

The Expendables 4 is heavily criticized by David Jenkins of Little White Lies for its cheap and low-effort feel. He suggests that the film prioritizes cutting creative corners and minimizing costs rather than entertaining the audience. Simon Thompson of IGN shares a similar perspective, highlighting the awful CGI and green screen effects that make the movie appear cheap and inauthentic, almost pulling the viewer out of the experience.

In comparison to The Expendables 3, Ian Freer's review for Empire acknowledges marginal improvement in the fourth installment but still considers it mostly bad. Freer notes that the predictable surprises and overall lack of pace, inventiveness, and enthusiasm hinder the film's quality. Ian Sandwell of Digital Spy also criticizes The Expendables 4, claiming that it lacks the fun present in previous films. Sandwell implies that the fourth installment mistakenly adopts a serious and gritty tone instead of embracing the cheesy and enjoyable nature of the earlier movies.

The Expendables 4 might be dead on arrival, as The Independent's review by Clarisse Loughrey expresses a similarly negative opinion. Loughrey notes that the movie lacks the veteran action stars crossover that was supposed to be the main focus. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian also shares the sentiment that Statham, though not utilized to his full potential, shines in the movie. Bradshaw emphasizes that while most of the cast seems disinterested, Statham could handle comic or any kind of dialogue if given the opportunity.