MOVIE REVIEW: The Losers ***

But despite its poor box office performance across the pond, director Sylvain White’s comic book adaptation delivers everything you want from a popcorn movie and is definitely a winner.

The story follows an elite special forces unit sent to the Bolivian jungle on a search and destroy mission.

But the team find they have become the target of a deadly double cross, instigated from the inside by a powerful enemy.

Presumed dead, they go undercover in a dangerous plot to clear their names and even the score.

The film has shades of cult 80s TV show The A-Team — a remake of which opens this summer — and is sillier than Mr T in a tutu, serving pink lemonade at a summer fete.

But although the narrative may be icoherent, it delivers fun in spades.

The action is joyously over the top and the rapport between the band of mercenaries is infectious.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is deliciously dry as the gang’s leader Clay, while goofball humour is provided by Chris Evans as tech-geek Jensen.

Avatar’s Zoe Saldana sheds her CGI blue skin to play the beautiful operative Aisha and she positively sizzles with sex appeal.

Jason Patric may be camper than a row of tents as the villainous Max but then a scene where Evans sings Don’t Stop Believing while shooting his way into a high security headquarters doesn’t exactly scream machismo.

Thankfully, The Losers never really takes itself too seriously, exploding anything which would look good engulfed in a fire ball with a cheeky wink and a knowing nod.

And while the film is as throwaway as Evans’s novelty T-shirts, it is still an enjoyable, fast-paced, boys-with-toys romp which is best enjoyed with a cold beer and a pinch of salt.

The Losers (12A) is in cinemas on Friday.