SINGAPORE — What do you get when you have Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger starring opposite each other in lead roles for the first time, a seemingly convoluted jail-break plot line and credible supporting actors like Vincent D’Onofrio and Jim Caviezel? Sadly, a whole lot of sexagenarian non-action.

Which is shame really, because all you hope for when your favourite 1980s action heroes are locked in some super prison is for the movie to be as reminiscently cheesy as the unabashed action films of yore. Remember when movies were so bad, they were good? And entertaining enough for you to snicker your way through? Well, not quite here. It’s a logical pairing, given Sly and Arnie’s popularity, combined star power and success in The Expendables and its sequel. But for all the film’s potential, the expected popcorn thrills and spills never quite explode as you think they would. And though director Mikael Hafstrom does allow both Stallone and Schwarzenegger some signature, weapon-enhanced tough-guy moments, with a nudge-wink to their catch-phrase glory days, there should have been way more.

Because we all know, when it comes to the quintessential 1980s popcorn action hero flick, you can’t deny the importance of delivering that cheestastic one liner, after you out-fought, out-shot, and out-bombed the villainous enemy in true gritty style.

(116 mins, NC16)