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Parents' Guide to

The Expendables 3

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Action less gory but still constant in overcooked sequel.

Movie PG-13 2014 126 minutes
The Expendables 3 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 13+

Based on 4 parent reviews

age 11+

The Expendables 3

Okay, there is some language but the blood and gore is nothing worse than 007, They don't go to the floor as soon as there shot they wobble and it's not that realistic. Language on the other hand is a problem, it has more than Expendables 1 or Expendables 2. It is for 11+. Many scenes of Arnold Schwarzenegger smoking. Great Film Though. Helping each other and calling each other family is good role models and messages.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 13+

This title has:

Too much violence

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (10 ):

This sequel unfortunately moves back in the wrong direction. Based on pure nostalgia, with a nod to teamwork and not much else, Stallone's The Expendables (2010) was a junky-looking downer, but it was a huge hit. The Expendables 2 (2012) was somehow a marked improvement, with better action and more downtime between characters ... but it was less of a hit.

The violence may be less gruesome in this installment, but it's also jagged, jarring, and disorienting. The sheer number of characters doesn't help; in certain scenes, there are half a dozen things going on. With action taking up the bulk of the movie, character interactions feel abbreviated and truncated. With a couple of fleeting exceptions, characters don't really get a chance to do or say much. Certainly Stallone and Statham's chummy banter has diminished. Perhaps worse, the entire idea of recruiting "kids" to protect the older teammates feels wrong. The future of action looks pretty... inactive.

Movie Details

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