THE EXPENDABLES 5: BLOOD BROTHERS doesn’t ease audiences back into familiar territory—it detonates the franchise’s emotional core within minutes. The film opens with a shocking, almost sacrilegious act: the assassination of Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone). The iconic cigar, once a symbol of battered brotherhood and old-war bravado, is extinguished along with the soul of the team. In one ruthless stroke, nostalgia is stripped away, replaced by grief, anger, and an aching sense of loss that immediately raises the emotional stakes higher than any previous installment.
With the brotherhood shattered, the burden falls on Lee Christmas (Jason Statham). Long the dependable right hand, Christmas now steps into an impossible leadership vacuum. Statham delivers one of his most controlled yet intense performances, allowing cracks to form in his trademark stoicism. Beneath the calm precision lies a simmering rage and a crushing sense of responsibility. This isn’t a routine black-ops mission—it’s a deeply personal crusade fueled by loyalty, guilt, and blood.
The villain is not a stranger, but a ghost from the past. Goliath (Dave Bautista), a former Expendable abandoned during a botched 1990s mission, emerges as a brilliantly tragic antagonist. Bautista’s near-silent, physically imposing presence gives the character a terrifying gravity. Now ruling Acheron—a floating super-prison armed with nuclear firepower—Goliath isn’t chasing world domination. He wants justice as he sees it. His vendetta cuts straight to the franchise’s core theme: loyalty among soldiers who have nothing left but each other.
This ideological fracture fuels the film’s most compelling tension. The surviving veterans cling to brute-force instincts while a new generation, led by Gunner Jr. (Chris Hemsworth, effortlessly charismatic), introduces sleek, tech-driven warfare. The clash of old-school grit and modern tactics culminates in the assault on Acheron—a relentless barrage of practical stunts, explosive firefights, and savage close-quarters combat that feels urgent, angry, and earned.
The finale is nothing short of spectacular. A ferocious hand-to-hand showdown between Statham and Bautista unfolds atop a crashing helicopter, spiraling toward the open ocean. Shot with visceral clarity and minimal CGI, every blow lands with brutal weight. It’s not just an action set piece—it’s an emotional reckoning. Precision versus power. Loyalty versus betrayal. Past sins violently confronted.
By the time the wreckage settles, Blood Brothers delivers its true triumph: a passing of the torch forged through pain, respect, and survival rather than sentimentality.
The Expendables 5: Blood Brothers is bold, brutal, and surprisingly emotional—a rare action sequel that honors its legacy by daring to break it.
Rating: 9.2/10 | A legendary, earth-shattering pass of the torch.
Watch trailer: