After over a decade of bullets, brawls, and banter, The Expendables 5 (2025) fires its way into theaters with more muscle, mayhem, and nostalgia than ever before. Directed by Scott Waugh (returning from Expend4bles), this fifth entry knows exactly what it is: a no-holds-barred action spectacle that leans into its legacy — and surprisingly, breathes new life into the aging franchise.
The story kicks off when a rogue faction of mercenaries, led by a former CIA asset turned warlord (played with icy menace by Karl Urban), hijacks a nuclear submarine off the coast of the South China Sea. With global tensions rising, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is forced out of semi-retirement to assemble a new version of the Expendables — a hybrid of veteran firepower and fresh talent.
Joining Ross are returning favorites Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), and Toll Road (Randy Couture), alongside newcomers like martial arts star Iko Uwais, action upstart Ana de Armas as a lethal sniper, and Liam Hemsworth — whose character, Billy the Kid, is somehow alive and very angry. How? Don’t ask. It’s The Expendables.
The Expendables 5 wastes no time. Within the first ten minutes, a jungle extraction mission turns into a firefight involving helicopters, motorcycles, and a tank that falls out of a cargo plane. It’s absurd, over-the-top, and gleefully self-aware.
Scott Waugh’s direction keeps the action slick and mostly coherent, though it’s clear that spectacle takes precedence over logic. The hand-to-hand combat sequences — especially one between Iko Uwais and Tony Jaa in a surprise cameo — are among the best choreographed in the franchise, finally adding a dose of finesse to the typically brute-force mayhem.
The final showdown, set on the deck of a missile-laden submarine while it’s sinking, is so ridiculous it might as well have been directed by Michael Bay in a caffeine frenzy — and yet, it works. Explosions? Check. Last-minute helicopter rescues? Of course. An aging Stallone slow-walking away from flames in slow motion? Absolutely.
Stallone, now pushing 79, still holds the screen with sheer charisma, even if the physical demands are clearly shared with Statham, who takes on the bulk of the action. Statham is in top form, delivering quips and kicks with equal precision. Dolph Lundgren continues to be a lovable wildcard, and Randy Couture is, well, still present.
Among the newcomers, Ana de Armas is the standout, bringing wit and intensity to her role — and suggesting a future for the franchise that isn’t entirely testosterone-fueled. Uwais is underused in terms of dialogue but shines in combat. Karl Urban delivers a solid villain performance, if a bit one-dimensional.
What sets The Expendables 5 apart from its predecessors is its slight — and we mean slight — attempt at self-reflection. There’s an undercurrent of mortality and legacy, especially in Stallone’s scenes, that hints this might be Barney Ross’s true final mission. And while the script doesn’t get too sentimental, there’s an awareness that the world has moved on — and maybe it's time the Expendables evolve too.
The Expendables 5 is exactly what fans expect — and maybe a little more. It’s not smarter. It’s not deeper. But it’s louder, faster, and strangely more fun than it has any right to be in 2025. With just enough heart to elevate the carnage, and a promising younger cast, this could be a satisfying farewell — or the beginning of a new generation of expendable heroes.
Rating: 7.5/10
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