By Michelle Norris
When you hear the name Sylvester Stallone, you immediately think action, muscles, guns and some serious testosterone – in other words, for every red-blooded man out there, he is a legend.
Renowned for creating and starring in the hit action films Rocky and Rambo, Stallone (or as he’s now more commonly known – Sly) is back with his new action packed blockbuster The Expendables, starring Jason Statham, Jet Li, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren and Sly himself, this is set to be one of the greatest, explosive, male driven films of the decade.
So, when I met up with Sly in London last week, I was half expecting him to burst through the double doors kitted out in war paint and guns with that signature snarl on his face. Instead he walked across the room dressed in a smart suit and tie. But he definitely still oozed natural charisma.
As the writer, director and star of The Expendables, Sly was quick to admit that he is starting to feel the strain from the film’s hype, due to the incredible line-up.
“It’s A LOT of pressure, sometimes you know with some films you’ve got a major turkey on your hands and it’s not even Thanksgiving,” laughs Sly. “But this is the other end of it where there is a great expectancy, you think jeez I didn’t think it would be like this when I was making it. So you begin to say ‘will this live up to it’s ideals?’ It’s kind of complex, your damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
The Expendables tells the story of a group of mercenaries hired to infiltrate a South American country and overthrow its ruthless dictator. But once the mission begins, the men realise things aren’t quite as they appear and find themselves caught in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal.
Packed with an incredible line-up of ‘old-school’ action heroes, Sly explains that even though he has an all-star cast, he knew that the cast alone wouldn’t make a movie.
“Stars don’t matter. They really don’t. Concept matters,” he tells me. “But this was all favours and done on a really low budget. Some of these guys literally almost worked for nothing – meaning me!” he laughs.
And one of the key elements for Sly was bringing the much loved action hero from the 80s back to life.
“Every generation including mine, has to find their own heroes,” says the 64-year-old. “And this generation has to find superheroes as their heroes. That’s why we’re kind of a novelty,” he laughs. “Only Jason is current, which is really lucky for us.”
Indeed, Jason Statham, who is known for his leading roles in films such as The Transporter and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, is one of the younger cast members at just 37. So, what was it like for Jason to be working alongside and directed by the ultimate action star from his childhood?
“It’s a situation where you get to know the real man behind the camera,” explains Jason Statham. “It’s not the ‘film maker’ anymore it’s a regular guy and to me the best part about working with Sly was getting to know him as a person and there’s no substitute for that.”
And even though Sly is controversially known for the violence in his films, Sly was quick to claim that all of the action in The Expendables is justified.
“The one thing in my films is that I only kill people that need to be killed,” he says. “Let me put it this way: the ones that deserve to get it, get it and they get it good. And the ones that go after women really get it. I’m not going to let someone who has been having his way with a woman and wrecking her life get away with just being shot with a bullet because that’s too civilised. He’s going to feel real pain. I don’t feel guilty about it at all. Unless you want me to,” he says with a smile.
Well, I certainly wouldn’t want to argue with Sly! So, can we expect to see more from the action legend in the future?
“I've done ‘my movies’ and probably I don't think that people are really that interested in seeing me do that anymore,” he laughs. “But I'd like The Expendables to go on. I like everyone except him,” he jokes, while gesturing to Dolph Lundgren.
So action fans, it looks like we might have a sequel on our hands!
The Expendables opens in cinemas nationwide today (Thurs).