Sylvester Stallone once offered the blunt opinion that The Expendables 3 was a "horrible miscalculation" for the series - and he's right. The '80s and '90s were the heyday of R-rated action fare fronted by muscle-bound heroes played the likes of Stallone and Arnie. Those kinds of films faded away in popularity thanks to the rise of comic book movies or fantasy epics, but the Stallone-created Expendables franchise was an attempt to - in more ways than one - get the band back together. They collected famous action stars together for a throwback to the violent blockbusters of old.

In terms of overall quality, none of The Expendables movies hold up next to the likes of Rambo, Predator, or even Universal Soldier. That said, they were enjoyable romps in their own way. However, franchise producer Avi Lerner always felt there was more profit to be made by toning down the bloodshed of the property. To that end, it was mandated that The Expendables 3 would not only have a PG-13 rating but that younger cast members like Ronda Rousey or future Top Gun: Maverick breakout Glen Powell would be added to appeal to teenage viewers.

Stallone Believes Expendables 3's PG-13 Decision Hurt The Series

The Expendables 3 cast

While Expendables 3 didn't bomb, its critical and commercial reception was noticeably down from the previous two. The lower rating did little to improve its box office numbers, with the sequel feeling far too tame for fans of R-rated while its collection of veteran actors did little for younger viewers. The Expendables 3 later received an extended, unrated version, and while promoting that version to Mandatory in 2014, Stallone stated of the PG-13 that "I believe it was a horrible miscalculation on everyone’s part in trying to reach a wider audience, but in doing such, diminish the violence that the audience expects. I’m quite certain it won’t happen again."

Why The Expendables 3 Was So Poorly Received

The-Expendables-Cast

It would be unfair to blame The Expendables 3's issues solely on its rating, but it certainly didn't help. The films were, by design, appealing to an older audience, and those who missed a gritter form of action film. By making Expendables 3 a slicker, more cartoonish, and less violent film, the producers were already undermining the franchise's mission statement. Stallone himself appeared to realize this even before the sequel was released but felt it was an experiment worth trying. The star was true to his word, as the upcoming Expendables 4 will once again be an R-rated affair.

Taking the rating controversy out of it, The Expendables 3 had numerous storytelling and casting faults. There were far, FAR too many characters, making the fact that nobody gets killed - or "expended" - all the more bizarre. None of the young Expendables are that compelling, with a couple of performances being particularly wooden. Wesley Snipes' Doc is wasted, while the final setpiece stretches on too long and outside of a couple of impressive stunts, it becomes achingly dull after a while. Mel Gibson's casting was also a point of controversy for Expendables 3, though he arguably gives the most committed turn as villain/former Expendables Stonebanks.

Source: Mandatory