Decades before Jason Statham became the modern face of high-octane cinema, the action genre was defined by the massive physiques and even larger personalities of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Beyond their box-office dominance, the two were legendary for a famously petty—and often comedic—rivalry. According to Stallone, the friction ignited at the 1977 Golden Globes. As Stallone’s breakout hit Rocky faced a series of losses, Schwarzenegger reportedly taunted him incessantly, only to be silenced when Rocky ultimately clinched the award for Best Drama. Stallone famously responded by hurling a bowl of flowers at his rival before claiming his trophy.
What followed was a twenty-year cold war defined by dueling egos. Their tactics ranged from the juvenile—such as Schwarzenegger tricking Stallone into the disastrous Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot by pretending he wanted the role himself—to the genuinely cutthroat, including rumors that Stallone fanned the flames of malicious tabloid allegations regarding Schwarzenegger’s personal history.
However, as their individual star power faded in the late ’90s, this hostility softened into an unexpected friendship. This bond eventually brought them together for a series of explosive, over-the-top collaborations during the 2010s. For fans of mindless, high-adrenaline fun, these films are a must-watch—though they are set to disappear from Netflix in just a few days.
The Expendables serves as a grand tribute to the action icons of yesteryear, focusing on a hardened squad of mercenaries tackling impossible missions, from thwarting terrorist cells to securing stolen plutonium. The 2010 original, conceived by David Callaham and directed by Stallone, established the franchise’s template: a high-stakes, testosterone-fueled adventure led by Stallone’s Barney Ross.
Ultimately, these films aren’t about complex narratives; they are about sheer spectacle. The plot in each installment is little more than a thin veil for relentless shootouts, massive explosions, and brawls. Recognizing this, the filmmakers embraced the absurdity, infusing the series with just enough tongue-in-cheek humor to ensure the audience knows that while the stakes are fake, the thrills are very real.
The true genius of the franchise lies in its casting, which has functioned as a “who’s who” of action royalty over the past four decades. Alongside Stallone, the series has featured heavy hitters like Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Harrison Ford, and Wesley Snipes.
Nothing compares to the sight of Stallone and Schwarzenegger sharing the frame, particularly in the middle chapters where the scripts cleverly play into their long-standing real-life rivalry. If you’re looking for a dose of pure, uncomplicated adrenaline, be sure to catch all four films on Netflix before they vanish on June 20.
Source: Polygon
