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EXPENDABLES 3, THE

We all need the movies that allow us to just sit back and let our mind melt - the kind of movie you can watch without your brain. No thinking, no deciphering, no figuring things out. Just watch and enjoy the explosions.

The Expendables 3 has plenty of that and more. There are enough bullets, deaths, explosions, weapons, punches, kicks and bruises to make any fan of action movies content.

Usually in action film like this, the acting is good enough to believe the characters. Adding Mel Gibson and Antonio Banderas to this third sequel is the best thing this franchise has done. They easily give the finest performances in this film and in the whole trilogy. Antonio gives the film lots of humor and a remarkable monologue, showing his range impeccably. And then there's Mel Gibson, who works with the limitations of his script beautifully - not being too over-the-top, too psycho or too much of a cliché, he creates a villain that doesn't come off crazy or bombastic, but realistic. I appreciated their performances.

As for other aspects of the movie, there isn't really much that struck me as outstanding. The sound is great, the special effects are nice, the script is an action movie script. You have typical character archetypes - tough girl, stubborn prodigy, attempts at humor, one liners and lots of explosions.

To sum up this film, I would quote critic James Berardinelli's (Reelviews) review on The Expendables 2, "Does exactly what it's supposed to do-no more, no less." What does that mean? No deep thinking, more explosions.

Taking into consideration its success and flaws, I give this film 3 out of 5 stars, meaning I recommend you see it. It's a nice film to see if you wish to get a few laughs and relax your brain. Because of the huge amount of violence and the profanity , I recommend this film for kids ages 16 to18. The MPAA seems to be getting more lenient with their ratings but KIDS FIRST! considers excessive profanity inappropriate for younger kids.

Reviewed by Willie Jones, KIDS FIRST! Critic, Age 15

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Barney (Stallone), Christmas (Statham) and the rest of the team comes face-to-face with Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), who years ago co-founded The Expendables with Barney. Stonebanks subsequently became a ruthless arms trader and someone who Barney was forced to kill... or so he thought. Stonebanks, who eluded death once before, now is making it his mission to end The Expendables -- but Barney has other plans. Barney decides that he has to fight old blood with new blood, and brings in a new era of Expendables team members, recruiting individuals who are younger, faster and more tech-savvy. The latest mission becomes a clash of classic old-school style versus high-tech expertise in the Expendables' most personal battle yet.

Starring Sylverster Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson Antonio Banderas, Ronda Rousey. Directed by Patrick Hughes.