Why Lexi Alexander Is A Perfect Fit For THE EXPENDABELLES

After our previous ExpendaBelles story which included calling Lexi Alexander a perfect fit to direct, there has been a wave of support for her to get the job. Something that hasn’t gone unnoticed. As Lexi has gone out of her way to let folks know she’s got a copy of the script via Twitter. The hook of the ExpendaBelles is that it’s an all-female concept. At the moment all the potential actors are female and so are the writers of the script. Giving a female voice for the action genre which we don’t often get, sadly. Producers like Avi Lerner of Millennium Films have a opportunity to go for a trifecta by hiring a female director.

A female action director can help steer an entertaining film without it being too exploitive. I can already imagine what some male directors (*cough* Robert Rodriguez *cough*) would do with a film like this. They’d toss attractive ladies in skimpy outfits, given guns and very little dialog or development. Then calling it a day. The fact remains that lots of women enjoy the genre and support the hell out of it.

There is a huge untapped market as a majority of female audiences are avoiding action films because of the glaring misogyny and over sexualized imagery concerning women. It’s a similar problem that plagues the superhero genre as well. However, the dumbing down of female characters (or lack of) remains the biggest problem within action films. We don’t often get a strong three dimension character like Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor. It’s more the damsel in distress or a “love-interest”. They stay in the background and rarely have input or are included solving problems. While those characters can be great they don’t have the depth a supporting or lead character should have.

This film has the chance to break those moulds and push the boundaries of our concepts of what action can be. I think Lexi could help echo that in the way she directed a multiple amount of interesting characters in Green Street Hooligans. Juggling a bunch of characters who had their own motives and characteristics while keeping audiences invested. Basically, she understands how to direct a group dynamic. She also helped discover actor Charlie Hunnam, you’re welcome Sons of Anarchy fans. Lexi also remains to be the only female director to handle a Marvel film property.

Action, this lady knows how to shoot it. Granted there are other female directors working in the genre but Lexi stands out. She understands the process and knows how to capture action in the spirit of what makes The Expendables a fun franchise. I can’t imagine what she’d be capable of with an actual studio budget. Some have zero clue that Punisher: War Zone‘s reported production budget was around $35 million. That’s right someone made a Marvel film that cost similar to most indie films. To put things in perspective recent Adam Sandler comedies cost $70-80 million to make which is more than double War Zone’s budget. A majority of the Sandler films don’t include massive action sequences or crazy amounts of stunt/special effects work. If given a budget similar to first Expendables ($80m) you can bet ExpendaBelles will end up looking like it cost $150 million to make in Lexi’s hands. Alexander can stretch a dollar for all that it’s worth.

Lexi has untapped talent that is begging for a larger stage. Green Street Hooligans won at the South By Southwest Festival in 2005 and Lexi earned an Oscar nomination for Best Live Action Short in 2002 for Johnny Flynton. She has a martial arts background and understands what fight scenes need to look like to feel real to audiences. Yes, War Zone was over the top but that was the film Lionsgate wanted her to make. I doubt most can argue the action sequences which was the actual meat of the film was poorly executed. Giving her the tools needed for success I think it’s safe to say Alexander would make a fine director for this project.