The Expendables cut for UK release

In the build-up to the release of Sylvester Stallone’s ensemble action epic The Expendables, there was considerable speculation in the US over whether the film would be a ‘hard R’, as Sly himself described it, or whether it would be cut for a PG-13 certification and a potentially wider audience.

Fears that almost every violent scene would be trimmed at the behest of a cash-hungry distributor proved unfounded, however, and the MPAA granted The Expendables an R rating for “strong action and bloody violence throughout, and for some language” – in other words, exactly what action fans were hoping for all along (the presence of language, as opposed to utter silence or perhaps incoherent mumbling is also a relief - this is a Sly Stallone film, after all).

For The Expendables’ UK release, meanwhile, the story is altogether different. A quick look at the film’s entry on the BBFC website states "This work was cut," and that the edit was made "at the request of the distributor to achieve a particular category."

Rather than release the movie uncut as an 18 certificate, Lionsgate has chosen instead to remove a brief scene which shows a character "sadistically twisting a knife into a guard's neck" in order to acquire a 15 rating.

Given the brevity of the moment in question – as far as we can tell, the excised footage amounts to little more than two seconds – it’s perhaps understandable that Lionsgate would want to go for a lower certification. It also allows it plaster the word 'Uncut' on the eventual DVD release.

Source - denofgeek.com