Before “The Expendables” movie franchise there was the movie “They Were Expendable.”

“They Were Expendable” (1945), directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, Robert Montgomery and Donna Reed, is a movie about the World War II Battle of the Philippines (1941- 42).

The movies in “The Expendables” franchise are no comparison to the John Ford movie. “The Expendables” franchise does have its moments.

“The Expendables 4,” or “Expend4bles” as the movie’s publicity material puts it, returns the crew to another story of mayhem and quips in an action-packed film that has no reason to be as entertaining as it is.

The reason the film is enjoyable is because of Jason Statham (Lee Christmas) and Sylvester Stallone (Barney Ross). The two actors have great on-screen chemistry in a quip-o-rama of putdowns, send-ups and snarky comments.

Statham is great as an action actor. And in that role, he carries the film. With his face twisted into ironic grimaces and his terse comments, he’s the star of the movie.

Stallone, in a supporting role, doesn’t take second-billing to anyone. With Statham in the co-pilot’s seat, Stallone gives as good as he gets behind the controls of a military transport plane. Call him Sly Pilot.

“Expend4ables” is expandable. There’s a new talented crew on board. The movie is a non-superheroes version of Marvel or DC superheroes movies.

“The Expendables 4” includes Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, who impresses as Easy Day, a new member of the Expendables.

Megan Fox, a solid action star as evident in “The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (2009), with opening scenes filmed at the former Bethlehem Steel Corp. southside plant prior to SteelStacks, and “Transformers” (2007), is memorable as Gina, Lee Christmas’s former girlfriend and a CIA agent.

New members of the Expendables include hand-to-hand combat fighters: Jacob Scipio (Galan) and Levy Tran (Lash).

Along for the ride are Dolph Lundgren (Gunner Jensen), Tony Jaa (Decha), Randy Couture (Toll Road), Andy Garcia (Marsh) and Iko Uwais (Rahmat, the villain).

“The Expendables 4” has incredible martial arts combat, dramatic shooting sequences and bone-crushing fight scenes. The action scenes are brutal, frequently graphic and always visceral. The editing is fast-paced. Camera angles are inventive. The cinematography is crisp.

The plot for “The Expendables 4” is, well, expendable. The Expendables, new and old, are attempting to prevent a nuclear bomb from being exploded in a remote eastern area of Russia, thereby triggering World War III. The storyline travels from New Orleans to Libya to Thailand to a cargo ship off the coast of mainland Russia and China.

Scott Waugh (“Need for Speed,” 2024; “Act of Valor,” 2012) efficiently directs from a screenplay by Kurt Wimmer (screenwriter: “Point Break,” 2015; “Total Recall,” 2012; “Salt,” 2010), Tad Daggerhart (screenwriter: “Black Lotus,” 2023) and Max Adams (screenwriter: “Extraction,” 2015) from a story by Spenser Cohen (screenwriter: “Moonfall,” 2022), Wimmer and Daggerhart, and based on characters by Dave Callaham (screenwriter: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” 2023; “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” 2021; “Mortal Kombat,” 2021; “Wonder Woman 1984,” 2020; “Zombieland: Double Tap,” 2019, and three previous “The Expendables,” 2014, 2012, 2010 ).

“The Expendables 4” is expendable, but it is dependable for fans of intense action films.

“The Expendables 4” will be enjoyed by fans of Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone and Megan Fox, and the “Expendables” franchise.

“Expend4ables,”

MPAA rated R (Restricted Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.) for strong, bloody violence throughout, language and sexual material; Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Run time: 1 hour, 43 minutes. Distributed by Lionsgate.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“The Expendables 4” was filmed in Greece, Bulgari and England.

At The Movies:

“The Expendables 4” was seen in the Dolby Cinema at AMC, AMC Center Valley 16.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Weekend Box Office,

Oct. 6 - 8: Nearly a half-century after the release of “The Exorcist” (Dec. 26, 1973), “The Exorcist: Believer” scared movie-goers again, opening at No. 1 with $27.2 million in 3,663 theaters, chasing “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” from its one-week at No. 1, dropping one place to No. 2 with $11.7 million in 4,027 theaters, $38.8 million, two weeks.

3. “Saw X” dropped one place, $8.1 million in 3,262 theaters, $32.5 million, two weeks. 4. ”The Creator” dropped one place, $6 million in 3,680 theaters, $24.9 million, two weeks. 5. ”The Blind” moved up one place, $3.9 million in 1,314 theaters, $10.4 million, two weeks. 6. “A Haunting in Venice” dropped one place, $2.7 million in 2,425 theaters, $35.6 million, four weeks. 7. “The Nun II” dropped three places, $2.56 million in 2,492 theaters, $81 million, five weeks. 8. “Dumb Money” dropped one place, $2.1 million in 2,837 theaters, $10.6 million, four weeks. 9. “The Equalizer 3” dropped one place, $1.8 million in 1,526 theaters, $88.8 million, six weeks. 10. “Hocus Pocus 30th Anniversary Re-Release,” $1.5 million in 1,430 theaters, opening. 11. “Expend4bles” dropped two places, $1 million in 1,818 theaters, $15.3 million, three weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Oct. 8 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Oct. 13:

“Taylor Swift; The Eras Tour,”

No MPAA rating. First, “The Eras” tour. Now, “The Eras” movie. What next, The “Travis Kelcie Era”? Sam Wrench directs the documentary film about the Wyomissing, Berks County, native’s summer 2023 United States concert tour.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of Oct. 4 are subject to change.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes