As a seasoned action movie aficionado with a penchant for the rugged and the raw, I find myself deeply saddened by the impending departure of Jason Statham’s iconic role as Lee Christmas in The Expendables series from Netflix. Having grown up on the gritty action films of the ’80s, I can attest to the sheer nostalgia that The Expendables trilogy brings, with its ensemble cast of grizzled veterans.
Fans of the action franchise are set for a spooky Halloween as the initial three movies from the series on their platform will disappear. While Jason Statham continues to thrive on various streaming services with recent releases like “The Beekeeper” and classics such as “The Mechanic”, Netflix viewers have a brief window to savor his portrayal of Lee Christmas in “The Expendables” and its first two sequels led by Sylvester Stallone.
2010 saw the debut of “The Expendables,” a film harkening back to ’80s action flicks, with Sylvester Stallone masterfully assembling an impressive roster of grizzled action stars. Luminaries such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Dolph Lundgren graced the screen alongside each other, but it was Jason Statham who contributed his own action hero character to the mix. This character would later become the mainstay for a significant portion of the series’ fourth, somewhat delayed sequel.
Despite Stallone being the lead actor in the initial three movies of the franchise, fans who are fond of Jason Statham found a particular appeal in his character as a former British SAS soldier. His knack for handling weapons, knives, and just about anything else, coupled with his charm and wit when dispatching enemies, made him an ideal candidate to lead the franchise’s fourth installment, Expend4bles, in 2023. Interestingly, Stallone chose to step aside and pass the torch to Statham, recognizing his abilities as a worthy successor. However, audience reception to the fourth film was not as warm as expected, possibly due to the prolonged wait of nearly a decade. Consequently, the future of the franchise is currently in question.
Jason Statham’s Movies Have Dominated Streaming
It’s one of those unusual outcomes from the rise of streaming platforms, but it seems that despite mixed reviews for Expend4bles, the Brit named Statham is still a favorite among viewers. They can’t seem to get enough of his movies on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and free services like FreeVee and Tubi. Whatever charm the bald Londoner possesses has led to a surge in Stath-mania in recent times.
In July, the Beekeeper attracted a massive crowd when it premiered on Prime Video, six months following a prosperous box-office run at the start of the year that generated more than $150 million against a budget of $40 million. Interestingly, it had previously been released for video-on-demand in January. However, its arrival on Prime Video boosted its popularity, making it the second most-watched movie on the platform. With an impressive 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, one of Jason Statham’s top-rated films in recent years, it appears to have ignited a trend whereby his older movies are now experiencing renewed success due to its achievement.
Despite receiving negative criticism, films like “The Mechanic”, “The Meg”, and “Expendables 4” – with its low 13% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – have consistently made it to top ten lists, suggesting that sometimes all people crave is a bald British actor delivering high-octane action scenes to help them get through the day. Although the first three Expendables movies are leaving Netflix, they won’t be gone for long as they’ll soon be found on another platform. As of now, “Expendables 4” can be streamed on Starz.
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2024-10-17 15:31