I just recently watched Abraham Lincoln: Vampire hunter and Expendables 2.
I can honestly say that AL:VH was a good movie. I liked the characters, the humour and I like alternate histories and this was a good one.
Expendables 2 though... As I tried to think why was I disappointed in it I realised this: Expendables 2 is what I feared the first one would be. It was an mediocre action movie with a ensamble cast and as many explosions, one liners and inside jokes as they could fit into it.
Expendables 1 was a well done movie and although for most parts it was "just an 80's action movie" it was an extremely well done, every detail fit the movie. Furthermore despite the huge cast they had time for each of the characters and they managed to avoid making too many inside jokes.
Also Mickey Rourke stole the show with his scene and I particularly liked that they didn't add the mandatory love story between Barney Sandra. Because that is what I assumed them to do during the film, but instead saving her was more about Barney fighting his inner demons and guilt.
Back to Expendables 2, somehow I got the impression that this time the movie had clearly been made for the lowest common denominator. Aagh all those references to the movies the actors had done and all those jokes (Chuck Norris facts?! Really?!) seemed so unnecessary. Just editing those out would have made this a better movie. It's like some faceless board of directors was going through the script saying: "Lets see how many times we can get Arnold to say 'I'll be back.'"
The action scenes are good but just seem to be overcompensating or something. I guess they probably looked at what the fans were saying about the movie and then decided to put those things in the sequel and make them jumbo size.
Still, the acting was mostly good and some of those jokes were funny. It just is such a shame that they wasted a lot of potential for the sake of making a pointless and brainless money maker.