In “The Expendables 4,” Sylvester Stallone’s character, Barney, teams up with Jason Statham’s character, Lee, to assemble a new squad for a mission in Libya. The primary antagonists are a Libyan mercenary named Suarto (played by Iko Uwais) and a terrorist named Ocellot (played by Andy Garcia). Suarto steals a dangerous nuclear weapon, prompting the Expendables to stop him.
The film is packed with two hours of intense action, explosions, and many apparent deaths, in keeping with the series’ signature style. One particularly shocking moment occurs when Barney’s plane crashes in Libya, seemingly resulting in his demise. However, it is later revealed that his death was staged. After a fake funeral, a mysterious character named Marsh informs Lee that he is off the team, and Megan Fox’s character, Gina, takes over. This development raises questions, as it is never explained why they couldn’t access a secret file before Barney’s “death.”
The file contains crucial information about Ocellot, motivating the Expendables to pursue him. The mission officially concludes, but Lee has other plans and ultimately rejoins the team to track Gina.
Upon the team’s return from Libya, they face an ambush and are imprisoned. Lee manages to free them, leading to the movie’s final stages.
In the climax, Suarto orchestrates a prisoner exchange with the CIA. However, a major twist occurs: Marsh reveals himself to be Ocelot and activates the nuclear weapon before throwing the remote into the sea.
The Expendables manage to escape, but Lee chooses to stay behind to confront Marsh, unaware that Barney’s “death” was a ruse. It appears that Lee is in grave danger, but suddenly, gunfire erupts, and it is revealed to be Barney making a dramatic return. All of Marsh’s men are defeated, and Ocelot challenges Lee to a fistfight but is ultimately defeated by Barney using a helicopter.
The film concludes with the team celebrating at a bar to the tune of Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back in Town.” While some fans may have reservations about the conclusion, it sets the stage for a potential fifth movie. All members of the team survive, except for Marsh, who turns out to be the main antagonist this time. Barney’s faked death was a surprising twist that kept Jason Statham’s character deeply involved in the Expendables action.