Pride of Lions (2014) Directed by Sidney J. Furie

"Pride of Lions", featuring all of the "The Expendables" rejects, which is really saying something about the quality of this movie, seeing the amount of washed up actors who do appear in one or more of the "The Expendables" movies.

The movie is not even being subtle about it. This is nothing but a cheap knock off of the "The Expendables" movies and other movies in that vein, such as for instance "RED". In other words; action movies that feature old actors in it, who are the stars and heroes of the movie. It's the biggest 'joke' of the movie, that's of course also filled with a whole bunch of age jokes, that are far from creative or very funny really.

I seriously do wonder as well though if people are really going to recognize all of the actors who are in the movie. A movie like this really could use some star power but all that it features in at are actors such as Bo Svenson, Margot Kidder, Louis Gossett Jr. and Seymour Cassel. Names that won't immediately ring a bell with most young and modern audiences. I also doubt that this movie wants to make any of them go back and watch some of the actor's older and classic movies. It's just an absolutely terrible movie, with a horrible story, a cheap look, cringe worthy moments, terrible acting and tons of other just plain horrible things.

This movie just really doesn't work. It has a terrible flow and things are never build up effectively. It doesn't ever set any of its characters up properly, despite the fact that this movie in essence is all about its characters, since otherwise it has very little to offer. You never get to know anything interesting or relevant about any of the characters and you therefor won't care about any of them either.

It's truly ridicules how the characters get thrown right into the action in Afghanistan (that never actually looks like Afghanistan of course), without any arguments or reluctance. They are all ready to fight, while at the same time it's also very clear that all of them are terribly out of shape and have one or more medical issues. It doesn't even work on a comedy sort of level, since the writing is absolutely terrible. Absolutely nothing gets set up properly, flows well or works out as credible enough, in any shape or form. Things are never much of an issue and things just conveniently happen in this movie. It's absolutely ridicules to watch at times and not even in a fun or funny kind of way. Painful stuff, especially also when the movie tries to insert some heartfelt drama and emotional moments. The movie and its story are besides very predictable and features no surprises or clever twists in it whatsoever.

The movie feels absolutely amateurish, in just about every regard. It's hard to believe that this movie actually got directed by a very experienced director, who has been in the business since the '50's. Granted that he didn't exactly directed any of the best or most popular movies throughout his career ("Superman IV: The Quest for Peace", some of the "Iron Eagle" movies) but I definitely have seen some Sidney J. Furie movies that are worth seeing and are some well constructed and told movies. Who knows, maybe it's just really an age thing. At the time of the movie its release, Sidney J. Furie already was 81 years old, making him even older than any of the actors who appear in this movie.

Also something terribly off about the action and violence of the movie. It just never feels or looks right when one of the kind and average looking 'grandpas' takes out an opponent with a deliberate head shot or blows some of them up. Of course all action movies to a certain extent glorifies violence but it usually isn't much of an issue, since it works out well within the context of the movie. Just not for this movie as well though. Maybe it's because of the goofy and carefree approach of the movie and all of the comedy that gets featured in it that just feels too much in contrast with the movie its violence.

An absolutely terrible movie and not even in an amusing or funny type of way. Simply avoid!

3/10

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