Wednesday 19 January 2011

Expendables
(2010)

RATING:60%
FORMAT:DVD

"Rage against the dying of the light"

Reflecting the usual American obsession with solving political problems through the use of violence, that only serves to create more problems, this one serves up its thrills with some humor, a little irony and a morsel of wit - to compensate for the clichéd characterization and under-written roles. Additionally, the movie criticizes US foreign policy - especially the unethical nature of killing only for money - while indulging in the more violent aspects of same.

It is a great pleasure to see ones favorite actors try to send themselves up but, some of the violence is gratuitously-macho, and one senses that old-timers like Sylvester STALLONE do not wish to "go gentle into that good night". The violence is toned-down from the pointlessly-excessive Rambo and a plot device from King Lear added - which is all to the good.

Copyright © 2011 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://franktalker5.blogspot.com) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.
Posted by Frank TALKER™ at 13:18
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Science:



No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power.



Jacob Bronowski… (1908 - 74), British scientist, author. Encounter (London, July 1971).


Sleep of Reason:



The dream of reason produces monsters. Imagination deserted by reason creates impossible, useless thoughts. United with reason, imagination is the mother of all art and the source of all its beauty.



Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes… (1746-1828), Spanish painter. Caption to Caprichos, number 43, a series of eighty etchings completed in 1798, satirical and grotesque in form.


Humans & Aliens:



I am human and let nothing human be alien to me.



Terence… (circa 190-159 BC), Roman dramatist. Chremes, in The Self-Tormentor [Heauton Timorumenos], act 1, scene 1.


Führerprinzip:



One leader, one people, signifies one master and millions of slaves… There is no organ of conciliation or mediation interposed between the leader and the people, nothing in fact but the apparatus - in other words, the party - which is the emanation of the leader and the tool of his will to oppress. In this way the first and sole principle of this degraded form of mysticism is born, the Führerprinzip, which restores idolatry and a debased deity to the world of nihilism.



Albert Camus… (1913-60), French-Algerian writer & philosopher. The Rebel: An Essay on Man in Revolt: New York: Vintage Books, (1984; page 182.)