Why It Ranks
The Expendables 2 is the franchise at its best: Van Damme’s villain is genuinely great, the Stallone-Schwarzenegger-Willis airport battle is the nostalgia payoff the first film promised, and Chuck Norris telling a Chuck Norris joke is the most meta moment in action cinema.
The Film
The Expendables 2 improves on the original in every way that matters: bigger cast, better villain (a scenery-devouring Jean-Claude Van Damme), and significantly more screen time for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis. The airport finale — where Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Willis fight side by side, trading their catchphrases like baseball cards (‘I’ll be back.’ ‘You’ve been back enough. I’ll be back.’) — is the franchise’s peak moment of fan service. Chuck Norris’s cameo, complete with a Chuck Norris joke he delivers about himself, is the film’s most crowd-pleasing moment. Van Damme’s Vilain is the franchise’s best antagonist by a wide margin.
Fun Facts
Jean-Claude Van Damme turned down the first film but accepted the sequel specifically to play the villain.
Van Damme named his character ‘Vilain’ — the French word for villain — as a deliberate joke.
Chuck Norris agreed to appear only if the film received a PG-13 rating, which caused some tension with Stallone’s R-rated vision.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s expanded role was possible because he had left the California governorship by the time of filming.
1W-8L on options. 100% net worth in GSE preferred. One email Sundays. You in?
Keep Exploring
Top 25 Action Movies
See the full ranked list of the greatest action films ever made.
Read moreTop 25 Movie Villains
The greatest antagonists in cinema history, ranked.
Read moreTom Cruise
The last real movie star and his commitment to practical stunts.
Read moreArnold Schwarzenegger
Bodybuilder, movie star, Governor. The ultimate self-made man.
Read moreConsulting
Salesforce development and technical consulting.
Read moreWins
Track record of wins across investing, building, and creating.
Read more