Sylvester Stallone‘s The Expendables is an entertaining action film, with plenty of bloody action to satisfy your need for high-octane violence! It’s fun and it’s paying homage to all the great 80s and 90s action movies we oh-so love! Therefore, The Expendables is a nostalgia trip for action fans, and there’s plenty to enjoy, especially the quotes!
Trust me, there are some great lines in this film! Don’t believe me? While I do have Mickey Rourke to thank for most of these quotes, there are still many good lines in The Expendables. And that’s the reason I whipped up this list! So enjoy the 10 best The Expendables quotes!
10. “Let’s just say you’re with her for a couple of hours, and it’s nice, and it’s hot and heavy, but after that, think about it. What do you do for the rest of the day? She probably did you a favor. Now you have more time to feel sorry for yourself.” – Barney
There’s plenty of jokes in this film, but none are set up like these lines from Barney Ross. Sure, it’s not “funny”, but it’s worth a good giggle, right? I mean, humor is extremely subjective, and I can’t tell you what’s “funny”, as it’s all about your own sense of humor. But, I feel like this joke lands well, is delievered smoothly, and is very fitting. Thus, it snatches a spot on my list!
9. “I understand, but if I can’t see inside you, how do I know if you’re telling the truth?” – Garza
This quote is equal parts deep and shallow, and I honestly don’t know which way it leans more? While it’s an obvious attempt at an oxymoron, it’s also a factual statement. In turn, it’s actually something that doesn’t need to be said, but is presented as something special, which it is not! However, I do like it for those exact same reasons, as something obvious is made deep simply by its delivery. I mean, when you compare it to other quotes from The Expendables, it’s among the best of the worst category.
8. “Taking money for something is not a gift. Taking nothing for something is.” – Sandra
Like father, like daughter, right? I mean, this quote is very similar to General Garza’s, as it’s an unnecessary explanation, as we all know the definition of the word “gift”. While some may not, it’s made unintentionally complex, and gives us a “thank you for stating the obvious” situation. However, these lines were still able to grab my attention. It’s the simple fact that it’s delivered well, and made profound. Surely it’s a matter of perspective, but I find it both clever and weird at the same time. How about you? Considering the rest of the dialogue in this film, it’s still one of the best The Expendables quotes.
7. “I’m busy anyway, so give this job to my friend here. He loves playing in the jungle.” – Trench
Who doesn’t love a bit of banter between old rivals, and good friends? Whether you’re on team Sly or Arnie, it’s great to see them together, working alongside one another, and trading some playful barbs! While this quote is pretty obvious enough, I should still clairfy that Arnie is in-fact refering Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo, who’s known for “playing in the jungle”. In turn, the quote has nothing to do with The Expendables, and is solely a joke for the fans and viewers at home. Simply put, it’s funny, and easily among the most memorable quotes from the film!
6. “Kind of feeling like dead, too, you know? My head’s all a very, very black place. I don’t believe in sh*t. Just goddamn Dracula black.” – Tool
That’s dark, isn’t it? While it’s obviously the point, it’s just really well describing Tool’s feelings. In turn, he’s metaphorically speaking about depression, but also his own worldview being pitch black. It means that there’s no light, which means no hope or thoughts of a brighter future, and thus we’re given the primary reason Tool retired. Simply put, he’s tired of losing himself in the mud and blood, killing others, only to die slowly inside. It’s a “good” job, but requires your soul in return.
5. “I am making you rich. And being wealthy is very good. It allows people to be the real asswipes nature intended them to be.” – James Munroe
Talk about being blunt? I mean, James Munroe does have a point. He’s essentially saying that wealth removes social restraints of being “nice”, as there’s no reason to be “civil”. In turn, he’s saying that all humans would be “asswipes” if they’d be wealthy! Right or wrong? Doesn’t really matter. He’s the bad guy, you know? What he says is supposed to make you question your own moral code, and it succesfully does that, so it’s a pretty good quote. While it’s very simple, it’s good enough to make the list!
4. “You know, she stands for something. You know, man, we don’t stand for sh*t. We used to, but that dried all up, like this is gonna dry all up. This here paint is gonna dry.” – Tool
Mickey Rourke’s Tool has a way with words, doesn’t he? While painting a guitar for his ex-fling, he gives his thoughts on Sandra not leaving Vilena, saying that she stands for something. But, that’s not all. He so eloquently says “we don’t stand for sh*t”, referring to himself and The Expendables. In turn, he’s saying that through all the bloodshed, they lost their ways. At one point in time, it wasn’t just about the money, and just doing the job. It was about helping people, and saving them. Where did it all go wrong? In-fact, Tool’s saying that just like paint, what’s done is done, and there’s nothing that can change that. Thus, he’s saying that whatever he is today, he cannot change, because he’s spilled too much blood, and done too many things.
3. “I once knew a man called Tool. To me, was the epitome of cool. He was good with a knife. Bad with a wife. But to think he could beat me. Dreaming he’d defeat me. Cool Tool, you gotta be a fool.” – Christmas
This is pure poetry, isn’t it? And what a way to end the film? Considering that Lee Christmas is the best character of The Expendables, it’s fitting for him to close the show with some elegant rhymes! Given, I’m overexaggerating. However, I’m not gonna undersell this ending, as it’s a nice way to end The Expendables. While it’s merely a few lines about Tool, it’s Jason Statham’s charismatic delivery, and charming behavior, that make it such a great quote. In turn, it’s one of the best The Expendables quotes!
2. “I promised myself, I don’t wanna die all alone, full of holes in the mud and blood. I’m gonna die with something that counts. I’m gonna die with a woman. I wanna die with someone who cares about me, you know. I don’t wanna die for a woman, I wanna die laying next to a woman. That’s what I want.” – Tool
This is one of many great quotes from Tool, describing what “matters” to him, and how he’s not willing to die for someone else. Whether he’d die during a mission or for a woman he loves, it’s pointless, as he’d die in both scenarios. Simply put, Tool’s saying he wants to live and die of old age, on his own terms, not “for” someone else. Thus, he gives us an unexpected gem, that’s actually quite cryptic and metaphoric, but beautifully simple when you give it some thought.
1. “She looked at me, and I knew she was gonna jump. You know what I did, man? I just turned around and I kept walking, until I heard that splash. Then she was gone. And after… after taking all them lives, here was one that I could have saved, but didn’t. And what I realized later on was… if I had saved that woman, I might have… I don’t know, saved what was left of my soul, you know?” – Tool
Mickey Rourke’s Tool is just a minor character in The Expendables, but according to my quotes list, he’s anything but “minor”. He’s the character who gives the film heart, soul, and so much more. It’s something that I cannot explain, but I’m sure you can understand. Mickey Rourke’s performance makes The Expendables feel legit, with some stakes, and actually gives us great character dialogue. In turn, every scene with Tool is a must-watch, and his monologue is very good, if not excellent.
The best part? When he explains how he let someone committ suicide, because he’s lifetime of killing had made him cold and heartless. He regrets it, because at that very moment, Tool spiritually died as well. He even admits to that situation being the reason his head is “dracula black”. I mean, it’s simply a fantastic monologue, and these lines take the cake on this list of The Expendables quotes!
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