Review

The Expendables 2

Common Sense Media says

The Expendables are still very violent, but much improved.
Age
15
Quality
 
  • Positive messages0
    The Expendables 2 is mostly based on/driven by revenge, which enables the band of heroes to kill any number of bad guys without feeling bad about it. At one point, they're asked to help rescue some captured civilians. They initially refuse -- a rescue would get in the way of their mission -- but they eventually do it.
  • Positive role models1
    A strong female character who's a wise and skilled fighter quickly becomes an equal among the men. Although the men are violent and driven by revenge, their hearts are generally in the right place.
  • Violence4
    The movie's violence is strong and graphic, but it's also cartoonish and without much weight or consequence. There's heavy shooting, spurting blood, and many dead bodies. There are also knives and stabbing, hitting with brass knuckles, and martial arts fighting. There's a helicopter crash and a very, very quick shot of a burning man. One major character dies. A character is beheaded by a whirling propeller, and a main character brings back a man's head in a bag. Kidnapping.
  • Sex1
    One of the main characters frequently speaks flirtatiously to his girlfriend on the phone. Viewers see them together in one scene, in which they kiss briefly. There's some discussion about her "cheating." The main female character flirts slightly with the lead male character. Additional flirting and love talk.
  • Language3
    Several uses of "s--t," plus "bastards," "damn," "hell," "ass," and "swear to God."
  • Consumerism1
    A large, old-fashioned Pepsi-Cola sign is highly visible in a few shots.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
    Dolph Lundgren's character has a history of "chemical dependence." He's seen drinking from a flask on more than one occasion, but he never seems drunk and is more in control this time around. Characters occasionally drink beer in a bar or clink bottles while flying a plane. Some characters smoke cigars.
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Expendables 2 has even more legendary action stars -- and is quite a bit better -- than The Expendables, so expect boys of all ages to be clamoring to see it. The violence is strong and constant but slightly less nasty than in the first film. Overall the feel is cartoonish, although the characters are motivated by revenge, and there's lots of killing (and fighting, spurting blood, and dead bodies) with no consequences. Language isn't nearly as strong as in the last movie (supposedly due to co-star Chuck Norris' objections) but does include about a half-dozen uses of "s--t." There's some love talk and flirting and a discussion of cheating, but most of the sexual content is mild. A character with a history of chemical dependence takes a drink from a flask from time to time but never appears drunk; some of the main characters smoke cigars. On the plus side, there's a strong female character this time around, in addition to many other improvements.

This review of The Expendables 2 was written by
Age
15
Based on 11 parent & educator reviews:
  • 82% say violence is an issue
  • 45% say language is an issue
  • 36% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
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Most useful reviews by all members

Educator
August 21, 2012
16
Pause for kids & under
 
Stars many well known action buffs. Sylvester Stallone is the lead of the group of Expendables and are taken by surprise when a supposedly simple mission goes terribly wrong. Stallone and the gang seek revenge on the group that kills one of their own.
Extremely violent. I would advise no one under 16 should see this movie.
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Kid, 12 years old
August 18, 2012
10
OK for kids & up
 
Adults only
It's too violent for kids
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Teen, 15 years old
August 19, 2012
14
OK for kids & up
 
??
'On the plus side, there's a strong female character?' What is that supposed to mean? If everyone wants equal rights for women, that was a stupid thing to say. Who cares if a male or female character is strong? Whoever wrote the review is stupid.
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Teen, 17 years old
August 18, 2012
17
Pause for kids & under
 
Amazing movie
Too violent nobOdy under 17 shOuld watch
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Kid, 12 years old
August 19, 2012
16
Pause for kids & under
 
best movie ever
This was the best action film of the year! So many stars in the movie and that alone made it good. to make it better, it was actually really entertaining! this one was way better than the first. now lets get to the violence. when they shoot the bad guys, blood splatters on walls, car windshields, everythin around them. hemsworth shoots off someones head, but its from a distance, but its still pretty obvious. theres a lot of stabbing and blood. statham wrestles a guy into a propeler, and the propeller slices of his head. you dont really see the head come off, or the stump, but its very bloody. stallone chokes people with a large metal chain.
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Adult
August 20, 2012
15
OK for kids & up
 
better than the first
I left the theater a while ago from seeing this and it was incredible, the expendables 2 is better than the first, it has more action and is more ridiculous lol, the expendables 1 and 2 are the greatest movies ever made and the greatest movies of all time
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Teen, 15 years old
August 18, 2012
10
OK for kids & up
 
Great movie
Positive role models but there's violence and kids will love it
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Teen, 17 years old
August 18, 2012
15
Pause for kids & under
 
Too violent
Extremely violent for kids
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Teen, 16 years old
August 17, 2012
15
OK for kids & up
 
Expendables 2 movie review
Very fun
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Teen, 14 years old
August 21, 2012
18
Not for Kids
 
Extremely gruesome action movie is great but insanely bloody
Lots of brutality and violence with blood and gore throughout. Not at all for kids.
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