PHOTO BY YANA BLAJEVA / LIONSGATE

Four movies and 13 years in, this franchise is no longer a parade of stars.

The original “Expendables,” released way back in 2010, served as a class reunion for the purveyors of 20th-century action — Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Bruce Willis and a dozen others appeared for a mindless, frenzied throwback.

As the franchise continued, each installment added similar fist-forward heavyweights; Jean-Claude Van Damme, Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, Chuck Norris and even controversial madman Mel Gibson popped in. Now, for the fourth installment and first since 2014, they’ve got … 50 Cent, Tony Jaa and Megan Fox.

Listen, I’m no fan of Mel Gibson, but this is clearly a step down in terms of fame.

Stallone, Statham and Lundgren are still around, at least, so it’s not exactly devoid of star power — but, without the litany of muscles from previous installments, “Expend4bles” is left to coast on nostalgia for the type of uncomplicated action long absent from cinemas.

The plot could appear in any Clinton-era multiplex beat-em-up: An unhinged villain (Iko Uwais) steals some nuclear detonators and plans to use them to start World War III. Under the guidance of a toothpick-chomping military type (Andy Garcia), the titular Expendables fly overseas to blast and stab their way to victory.

Complications ensue — including a twist that you won’t buy for a minute — and the cast is expanded enough to get dramatic shots of the less-famous posse marching toward battle. While no surprise returns or appearances are forthcoming (it doesn’t count as a spoiler if I tell you something that doesn’t happen), less-famous supporting players Levy Tran and Jacob Scipio handle themselves well.

Very little of it makes sense, and slapdash visual effects show in some scenes. On the other hand, Jason Statham steals a motorcycle with two mounted rifles before launching it off of an improvised ramp, twisting mid-air to shoot an adversary beneath him and executing a perfect landing. And in another scene, he calls a bad guy a “sneaky little sausage.”

So it’s fine.

My Rating: 5/10

“Expend4bles” is now playing in theaters.