Kernel Rating (out of 5): 
MPAA Rating: R Length: 102 minutes
Age Appropriate for: 15+. It’s rated R because of the cursing and violence, but man, is it all so, so dumb. Frequent machine gun use and non-graphic violence, but there are a few grosser scenes, like heads exploding on propeller blades and some goriness involving dismemberment. But ultimately the film treats itself in such a non-serious, jokey way that the violence is similarly unimportant; how you feel about a film dispensing such violence haphazardly will impact whether you allow your teen to see “The Expendables 2.”
‘The Expendables 2’ really, really didn’t need to happen. Seeing old-school action stars like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, et al. together in one room just isn’t that exciting anymore—especially when, tonally, the film can’t decide if it’s one big joke or a serious drama. Both attempts fail pretty handily.
By Roxana Hadadi
Who wasn’t shocked when, two years ago, “The Expendables” made nearly $275 million internationally on an $80 million budget? That kind of success was astonishing for the meh-at-best film, which brought together practically vintage action stars like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis with comparatively young actors, such as Jason Statham, for one big shoot-’em-up fest.
But a sequel? So unnecessary. And especially because “The Expendables 2” is just so unsure of what it wants to be.
