MERCENARIES (2014)

Directed By: Christopher Douglas Olen Ray 
Written By: Edward DeRuiter 
Cinematography By: Alexander Yellen 
Editor: Maureen Murphy & Bobby K. Richardson 



Cast: Zoe Bell, Cynthia Rothrock, Brigitte Nielsen, Kristanna Lokken, Vivica A.Fox, Nicole Bilderback, Tim Abell, Gerald Webb, Alecis Raich 


The President's daughter is captured and imprisoned while touring a war zone, so a team of elite female commandos is assembled to infiltrate a women's prison for a daring rescue.

One can see what was attempted here and I was looking forward to watching this film even though I knew better.

Obviously made to capitalize on the fame of THE EXPENDABLES. Though while that movie had stars old and veteran. This cast seems more players in major movies more in supporting roles. Who all have taken a fall and seem to be cast more in VOD movies as of late.

The film reminds one of the 1980's chuck Norris films where he would fight a celebrity villain as the head of some vague terrors group with the help of a team. I thought this film would be a throwback to those types of movies that after awhile even went straight to video/DVD. These movies while sometimes serious also had a sense of humor about themselves and knew they weren't the best. After awhile more in the 90's it became more about stunt casting former big names Into these films and usually cramming as many recognizable names into films like these.

You come in hoping for something like that a fun nostalgic film dipped in corniness. What you get is thoroughly disappointing. It's kind of like when Demi Moore was announced to be in the CHARLIE'S ANGELS movie sequel and are happy for her comeback especially as a villain as it had been awhile since seeing her in screen then you see the movie and she looks fantastic but you also realize and remember how wooden she can be in her acting. Especially as it had been awhile. That is the exact feeling here, butt here is nothing good or nice to say really. As the film doesn't even look good.

The tradition continues here as the film is obviously inspired by THE EXPENDABLES and even includes a THE DIRTY DOZEN type men on a mission with nothing to lose. Only here it's women. Where you could easily question why the United states would use these women for a suicide mission. As each is untrustworthy but oddly patriotic.

So this film quickly becomes a female take off of THE EXPENDABLES with a noticeably lower budget and not necessarily the all-stars or even b-level stars to fill out the cast of female warriors and villains. I know female action heroes are rare or seem to only be given a few shots at being the action heroines. Not to mention when they do they try to make it seem at times like these are ordinary women who come through in extreme circumstances and make the films more of a thriller (think Meryl Streep in THE RIVER WILD) But they could have tried for bigger, but then again that might have been too much for the budget to get people like Geena Davis, Bridget Fonda, Angela Bassett, Madeline Stowe. As even if they could get them I am sure they would have turned the SCREENPLAY down.

This film feels like business as usual for a straight to VOD project with nothing really too noticeable. Except that this film seems to lack a sense of humor and self awareness and chooses to play the material straight. Which makes the film truly hard to sit through. It seems like all the money was used to get the cast as it looks like it is filmed foreign but on an old abandoned set and using the most basic cgi special effects program.

The film has the same simpleness as those films.

Brigitte Nielsen is the villain and struts around the movie like a rock star. Even though she is a terrorist. It helps make her memorable and give us more of an impression of her character. She is instantly more memorable than any of the villains they had in THE EXPENDABLES. The double cross is kind of expected though it is also one of the only surprises the film even attempts.

Zoe Bell is good as the lead but she needs a better film and material to really shown and no matter what she does can't really raise the bar on this film.

Nicole Bilderback as the explosions expert is clearly one of the smarter characters and the closest the film comes to a comic relief, but half Of her characters use is to make Asian jokes.

Cynthia Rothrock is particularly bad in This film. never really been a fan of her films before and here her role is more dependent on her acting capabilities which are still poor. There is only one action sequence involving her and is very brief. Though to be fair she was apparently cast a day before cameras rolled as last minute replacement for Rebecca DeMornay

With this film you know what you are in for and getting. Watching this. So you can watch it on that level but still bad.

The Explosions all look cgi animated and the film offers very little hand to hand combat and when there is it's obvious stunt doubles. So the action is even lackluster.


Grade: F