With an all-star ensemble of action legends, it's no surprise that The Expendables movies feature some epic action moments. With rumors of a fourth movie on the way, the franchise might still have some thrills and mayhem to deliver.
The movies were designed to be a throwback to old-school action movies and they feature wall-to-wall shootouts, chases, and fight scenes to please fans of the genre. But even with the endless action in the three Expendables movies to date, there are some standout moments that are especially memorable.
Gunner Vs Yin Yang (The Expendables)
With so many big-name action stars in these movies, it's fun to see which of them pair up in a fight. One of the more unexpected matchups is between Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li, which ends up being a pretty fun fight.
Gunner (Lundgren) and Yin Yang (Li) were always combative as teammates, but when Gunner goes rogue, the two really face off. Seeing these two men of very different fighting styles battle it out is a thrill and it's great when Yang uses their height difference to his advantage.
Basketball Fight (The Expendables)
The first movie features an odd subplot about Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) and his ex-girlfriend, Lacy (Charisma Carpenter). While it largely seems unnecessary to the overall plot, it allows for this fun and somewhat cheesy fight.
After learning his ex's new boyfriend Paul (Hank Amos) hit her, Christmas visits the man at a basketball court. Christmas proceeds to make short work of Paul and his friends, before stabbing Paul's basketball and making a hilarious action movie one-liner about deflating the rest of his balls.
Water Getaway (The Expendables 2)
The opening rescue mission in The Expendables 2 features a number of fun moments, but it all caps off with an epic getaway. Barney Ross and his team make it to their seaplane as the enemy army chases behind them. As Ross and co. attempt to take off, they blow a bridge standing in their way.
While these movies don't feel nearly as big as the superhero movies that are everywhere these days, this felt like a really big set-piece by any action movie standards. It's also nice to see such a big moment done with practical effects seen in classic '80s action movies.
Sending A Message (The Expendables)
Barney and his team may be tough mercenaries, but that doesn't mean they don't have feelings. After visiting the island where their next mission is meant to take place, Barney and Christmas decide to send a message to the corrupt government and rogue CIA operatives as they make their exit.
While flying off the island, Barney dumps fuel on the dockyard and Christmas shoots it with a flare, blowing the enemies up in a massive fireball. Christmas remarks, "That was a statement," which actually feels like a massive understatement.
Church And Trench Join The Fight (The Expendables 2)
The first movie was packed with action stars, but it unfortunately only featured a brief scene where Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger shared the screen. It was even more disappointing as it wasn't even an action scene.
However, The Expendables 2 rectifies that mistake with its climactic airport battle. Church (Willis) and Trench (Schwarzenegger) join Barney and his team during their assault. The image of these three legends standing side-by-side and firing their big guns is a fun sight to see.
Train Prison Break (The Expendables 3)
Wesley Snipes seemed like an obvious choice to join the ensemble of this franchise, but it took until the third movie for him to finally show up. Thankfully, his introductory action sequence was a solid one.
Barney and his team attack a train prison transport holding his old comrade, Doc (Snipes). After he is released, Doc turns the train into a giant ramming device that crashes into his would-be prison, destroying it. The sequence has a fun Western movie vibe to it that fits the franchise well.
Barney Vs Vilain (The Expendables 2)
Another actor who felt perfect for this series is action movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme. While he wasn't one of the main team, Van Damme got the chance to really chew the scenery in the second movie as the main villain whose name is, of course, Vilain.
Van Damme has a lot of fun as the seemingly carefree bad guy who taunts Barney all the way up to their final fight. While this match-up of legends could have been more epic, it is appropriately brutal and Van Damme can still deliver an impressive kick.
Barney Vs Stonebanks (The Expendables 3)
Of all the main villains in the series, Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson) is the best. He is the man who started The Expendables with Barney before becoming a ruthless arms dealer. There is so much bad blood between them that their brawl at the end proves to be pretty intense.
Dropping their guns and using only their fists, these two former friends take no mercy on each other. It is a dirty, gritty, and hard-hitting fight to the death that delivers a satisfying end.
Yin Yang In The Kitchen (The Expendables 2)
Though Jet Li isn't in many American action movies, he is one of the most skilled fighters in the cast. So it is a shame he has such a small role in the second and third movies. However, even though he is only in the opening scene of The Expendables 2, he delivers its best fight.
During a rescue mission, Yang finds himself out of ammo and facing off with a number of enemies in the kitchen. He arms himself with some pots and pans and delivers a great beat down. It is a fast-paced, energetic and fun fight that shows off Li's considerable skills.
Tunnel Brawl (The Expendables)
Aside from a fairly forgettable shootout in the movie's opening scene, the third act of the first movie is the first time the team of heroes is seen in action together. Thankfully, the wait is worth it as they take on an army of enemies in a tunnel.
There is so much going on in this one action sequence, from Barney fighting Paine (Steve Austin) to Caesar (Terry Crews) blasting his massive gun. But the best moment is when Jet Li and Jason Statham team up to deliver a beat down on a henchman. The poor guy doesn't stand a chance and it ends with a particularly brutal kill.