Yeah the Expendables was so much better than I expected it's not even funny. Sure it wasn't a perfect action flick, but it really got the job done. I went in with my big bag of popcorn 'n' drink, and enjoyed the ride for what it was.
Not saying that I didn't enjoy the **** out of the movie, but Sly has some real learning to do. The one thing I really admire out of Sly and his movies is that he's really organised. He can get things together and then get them done even with all the changes in casting. He just doesn't have the film making skills to match at this time.
Rambo 4 was a pretty good showing of his skills and while he did use shaky cam, he didn't use it at the same time with quick cuts and extreme close ups as he did in Expendables. It feels like he is covering up for something that doesn't need covering up. Hell most of the time there was no reason for the cam to be shaky.
He also has an over reliance on CG blood and CG. Maybe because it's cheaper and easier, but it just isn't as good as squibs and a blood pack. Hell, most of the people dying in the Rambo movies just fall over.
Maybe he just doesn't have it in him, but I hope with the sequel he can go old school properly with not just the actors, but the techniques used in old action movies with modern equipment.
All that said, his action movies are still better than most action movies out there in the last 5 hell, 10 years in the entertainment department.