Have you ever looked through Stallone or Arnold’s film biography and didn’t know what film to check out? Fear not, we’ve got you covered with some of the best Stallone and Schwarzenegger films of the 2010’s.
2010 saw the release of The Expendables which had an all-star cast. But it wasn’t really a true comeback both for Sly and Arnie. Yes, Sly was the main lead, but a true cinematic comeback would be his roles in Rambo (2008) or Rock Balboa (2006).
However, in this article, we will focus on action releases in the 2010s amongst Stallone and Schwarzenegger films.
Let’s go over and rank every time the two made a comeback, either as an independent piece or together. I have left out straight to DVD releases. This article is all about their main releases.
This list is all about Stallone and Schwarzenegger films of the 2010.
1. Bullet to the Head (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: 45%
Box office: 22.6 million
Review: This film feels straight out of the ’80s with its ridiculously simple yet fierce plot.
By far the most impressive aspect of this film is Stallone’s physical performance. When he takes out enemies, he really takes them out.
You feel every punch. It’s physical action cinema that captures the senses.
However, the plot and writing are expectedly disappointing. This is a straight-up throwback to 80’s action cinema and if that is what you want, you will be mostly satisfied.
This is an old-school throwback and for that, it feels very different to a lot of the action films of today.
Streaming platforms: Amazon prime video free.
2. The Last Stand (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: 61%
Box office: 48.3 million
Director: Jee-Woon Kim
Review: My initial reaction to this film back in 2013 was a disappointment.
This is because we never really see Arnold take out huge waves of enemies like he did in films like Commando (1985) or The Terminator (1984).
The film has a lot more creative style and for that, I do give the film credit. The film is a western-action, which we don’t see a lot of nowadays.
The supporting cast is entertaining to watch. In particular, Johnny Knoxville is probably the most memorable addition.
The action is slick in parts. We get to see well-executed car chases and some over the top blood splatters.
This film wasn’t the true comeback we were waiting to see from Arnold. It just lacked a spark and a bit of energy. Call it a belated comeback.
It’s a late arrival but at least he arrives in style.
Streaming platforms: Netflix
3. Escape Plan (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
Box office: 137.3 million
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Review: Now we’re talking! What makes this film work more than not is that there is actually a plot this time around.
The film earns your attention first, then it delivers the action. Prison break movies are always exciting but they have been done to death at this point. Luckily, the chemistry between Sly and Arnie helps maintain your interest, even when the film tries to explain the plot, which can be at times quite dull.
I felt that the director was genuinely trying to make a good film and didn’t rely on the nostalgia factor of these two stars to be the films main selling point.
It’s nothing special, but it gets the job done with machine guns. The main selling point is the actual escape at the end.
The film leads to an exciting climax, one not to be missed for action junkies.
Watch out for Arnold’s one-liner towards the end, it’s actually very funny.
Streaming platforms: Netflix
4. Sabotage (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes: 22%
Box office: 22.1 million
Director: David Ayer
Review: This film is an example of more extreme violence. Director David Ayer is no stranger to this theme.
The previous year saw the release of the powerful End of Watch (2013) which never feared to show audiences the harsh reality of what policemen see and do in LA. David Ayer likes this theme of reality violence, but he takes it a bit too far in this film.
Arnold gives a good performance, but I think audiences prefer to see Arnold when he shows a bit more charisma.
Terminator 2 (1991) is a perfect balance. It’s serious when it needs to be but it never feels grotesque or made out of poor taste.
The script and plot are so generic in this circumstance, that not even Arnold’s charisma lacking performance is enough to recommend.
This is a more serious performance from him, in a film that is a lot darker than his previous work.
I’d say skip this film, but if you are in the mood for gritty and intense action sequences, then this film will provide you with that.
Streaming platform: Amazon prime video free, Netflix
5. The Expendables 3 (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes: 32%
Box office: 214.7 million
Director: Patrick Hughes
Review: for the third time in a row, we have Arnie and Sly star in an ensemble piece.
The common problem audiences had with this film were three points. The PG-13 rating, CGI overuse and the new cast.
Whilst all three points are valid problems, I think The Expendables 3 (2014) works for the most part but it comes down to expectation.
This was Patrick Hughes 2nd directorial feature and he would later make the popular The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017) and its sequel The Hitman’s Wifes Bodyguard (2021).
He can direct action very well and the stunt work in The Expendables 3 (2014) is very impressive. By far the most exciting part of the film is the last 30 minutes. It reminded me of the action from The Raid (2011), which is one of the greatest hand to hand combat ever filmed on screen.
The action from The Expendables 3 is exciting because you can see real stunt work, which is so refreshing to witness in this day and age of action films.
Other impressive elements include the addition of Mel Gibson who definitely earns the best villain award.
Ironically, he would earn an Oscar nomination for Hacksaw Ridge (2016) for best direction.
I think he is the strongest villain out of the three and has an interesting backstory, which adds a surprising amount of depth.
Streaming: Amazon prime
6. Rambo Last Blood (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes: 26%
IMDb: 6.1
Box office: 91.4 million
Review: Overall, Rambo Last Blood is a solid film. It plays by generic genre tropes of action films, and I think the film knows this, yet the story is fresh within the context of the franchise.
The plot moves at a predictable pace, but there is still fun to be had with Rambo Last Blood (2019. Its most notable comparison is Taken (2008).
Yet, I think it was a smart move to place Rambo’s character in a situation where he has to save a member of his family.
Tonally speaking, it just made enough sense for me to believe. The action this time around is gruesome, it’s more on par with the fourth instalment and less so with the rather cartoony nature of 2 and 3.
The violence may shock audiences but the ending is emotionally satisfying.
Streaming: Amazon prime
7. The Expendables 2
Rotten Tomatoes: 67%
Box office: 315 million
Director: Simon West
Review: up next in our list of Stallone and Schwarzenegger films is The Expendables 2.
Simon West is the main star of this film. He ups the stakes by giving audiences a much bigger action spectacle.
This was helped by the addition of Chuck Norris, Jean Clean Van Damme, Liam Hemsworth, Scott Adkins and more. It gives you more than what the 1st film gave you. It takes more risks with humour. When it works, it’s funny and when it doesn’t, it’s painful.
But, the action is handled by an expert. Simon West has worked on a lot of top-notch action thrillers such as the iconic yet cheesy 90’s romp Con Air (1997) and he was even an executive producer on Back Hawk Down (2001).
He is a director that is still working in the action genre and he recently completed a project named The Legend Hunters (2021).
The Expendables 2 is currently the best-reviewed action film from both stars in the last 10 years.
Final verdict
The best-reviewed action film is The Expendables 2, but I also recommend Escape Plan as more of a throwback to their work in the ’80s and ’90s.
It’s certainly one of the standout performers amongst Stallone and Schwarzenegger films.
Speaking of action cinema, The Expendables 4 may still happen. You can read an update on The Expendables 4 here.
You can buy Escape plan on blu ray, here
The Expendables 2 steelbook here
