Light on plot, and heavy on testosterone, Sylvester Stallone returned to action genre relevancy with The Expendables series. With each film. Stallone assembles an all-star cast of action heroes for two hours of high octane mayhem. There’s not really much more to them, but the franchise has attracted enough business to warrant a third film, with a fourth expected in 2016.

Barney Ross (Stallone) and his team of Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), and Toll Road (Randy Couture) are dropped into an unnamed Eastern European country. They rescue long lost member Doctor Death (Wesley Snipes), whose been locked away for years after a botched mission. On their way home, the take a little side trip, tasked with taking out infamous arms dealer Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who happens to be a founding member of The Expendables, and someone Barney thought he took care of shortly after he turned his back on the team.

Unfortunately, the mission gets bungled, and Crews is seriously injured. Determined not to lose any more members, Barney decides to inject some much younger blood into things. With the help of retired mercenary Bonaparte (Kelsey Grammer), he recruits retired U.S. Marine John Smilee (Kellan Lutz), athletic nightclub bouncer Luna (Ronda Rousey), computer expert, and combat veteran, Thorn (Glen Powell), and weapons expert Mars (Victor Ortiz). Antonio Banderas is around as Galgo, an expert sharpshooter, he wants to be a member of The Expendables, despite Barney’s denial.

While several of the faces have changed, the emphasis remains on gaining revenge. The screenplay is essentially one action beat after another, as the team goes all in to avenge their injured comrade. The movie does show just the slightest hint of a heart when Barney finds himself questioning whether life might be better surrounded by loved ones, rather than dodging bullets all the time. No matter how brief, it’s interesting to see a character like Barney, the epitome of machismo and a franchise built on testosterone, admit to uncertainty.

Sylvester Stallone, Creighton Rothenberger, and Katrin Benedikt made a wise decision to introduce younger characters into the mix, Unfortunately, once they’re on the scene, none of the characters are really given enough time to establish their personalities, and leave a mark. It would have been interesting to see the young bucks teach the old dogs new tricks, but apart one incident where saves the team, that scenario never develops. Nonetheless, all the newbies make the most of their screen time. Call me crazy, but I think MMA champion Rhonda Rousey could be a genuine female action star. Her acting isn’t great, but she’s very convincing in the action scenes, and this was her acting debut. It’s also good to see Wesley Snipes back in action again. While there where a few too many references to his real life issues, he made the best out of a bad situation. Harrison Ford is an unexpected riot as Drummer, a grumpy C.I.A. man who finds Christmas incomprehensible. His appearance may be brief, but he makes it a memorable one. Mel Gibson clearly enjoys playing the villain; chewing up scenery, and employing various facial tics. The standout here is undoubtedly Antonio Banderas, who steals every scene he’s in. Relentless, chatty, and eager to please, he’s like a gnat that just won’t go away.

Popping up in small but memorable cameos are Jet Li and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who get some laughs.

The Expendables 3 isn’t a great film, but for those who’ve enjoyed the franchise in the past, this installment offers more of the same while injecting some fresh possibilities with the introduction of some young team members.

Presented in the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.40:1, Lionsgate’s 1080p presentation is very clean, and detailed. Colors are bright, and vivid throughout, with skin tones appearing natural. Contrast is consistent, and black levels are solid. Overall, this is a fine transfer, but I wouldn’t put it in the reference quality category.

The audio is presented in Dolby TrueHD 7.1. The sound is reference quality. Bullets whizz by, and explosions fill the soundfield. Brian Tyler’s percussive score is given impressive bass. For those with fancier systems, a Dolby Atmos mix is available.

English, English SDH, and Spanish subtitles are included.

The following extras are available:

  • The Expendables 3 Documentary (HD, 51:56) A decidedly long EPK, featuring interviews with various cast and crew, as well as behind-the-scenes footage.
  • New Blood: Stacked and Jacked (HD, 16:11) A look at some of the new cast members.
  • The Total Action Package (HD, 6:40) A brief look at some of the set pieces.
  • Gag Reel (HD, 5:41) What you would expect.
  • Extended Scene: Christmas Runs the Gauntlet (HD, 2:46)
  • Theatrical (2:06:27) and Unrated Extended (2:11:31) Versions of the film.