Let’s be honest – if The Expendables 2 received a watered-down PG-13 rating, action film enthusiasts everywhere would have rioted in the streets causing more chaos than Stallone’s diluted on-screen antics. But with rumors stating that ass-kicking legend Chuck Norris would only participate if a PG-13 rating was aimed for, how could fans help themselves from worrying?
Well, sleep easy my friends. /Film and director Simon West have confirmed all those original rumors can officially be forgotten, with The Expendables 2 wearing a “very hard R” rating as a badge of honor.
Jo Blo initially got a hold of West in an effort to close the whole ratings controversy and were granted the following statement:
It’s a very hard R, actually. The rumor got out — I’m sure there were some financial people who wanted it to be PG-13 because they thought it would somehow make more money or have a broader audience, but there was no way. I mean, when you get these guys on the set, they can’t say a line without putting the F-bomb in it, and they can’t pick up a gun without blowing several limbs off. There was no way this film could ever work other than an R, because that’s just not what it is, and I think the core audience that loved the first one would just be outraged if it wasn’t an R. It would be so sanitized, and such a weird version of it. I can’t see how it could ever be PG-13. There was a rumor out there or some pressure out there because somebody thought they would somehow make it a family movie. It’s more a dysfunctional family movie.
I couldn’t share West’s sentiments any more. With The Expendables 2 boasting an epic cast of macho on-screen icons, we can only hope for relatable badassery akin to Stallone’s 2008 reboot of Rambo, which delivered noteworthy yet gritty warfare over blood-soaked battlegrounds.
Simon West isn’t new to the whole action scene either, after both Con Air and The Mechanic displayed adept filmmaking infused with a strong handle on heart-pounding fight sequences. As a gigantic adrenaline movie junkie myself, you better believe I’m giddy with anticipations to see how West can squeeze every ounce of unadulterated 80’s/90’s action exploitation out of The Expendables 2.
Simon West has control of a project possessing mountainous potential due to legendary star power, but unfortunately such circumstances can be both a blessing or curse.
Do you believe West can deliver an R-rated show-stopping action blockbuster? Or will West simply be a scapegoat if The Expendables 2 fails to meet audience expectations.
Let us know!