Movie Review: ‘Rambo’ is Ugly and Sad
Posted by Loukas Tsouknidas (loukas@filmschoolrejects.com) on January 22, 2008
Filed Under: John Rambo , Rambo , Reviews , Sylvester Stallone, Reviews
Sylvester Stallone tried to give a proper farewell to his world known character Rocky Balboa last year after 5 movies, and he pretty much did it with dignity. Now, he attempts to do the same with John Rambo. The outcome is as much ugly as it is sad.
Rocky Balboa was a film about a former boxer, a beat down character that spectators might like or even feel genuinely sorry for. Speculating on that, Stallone went along (although falling off the simplistic melodrama cliff more than once as expected) and nailed the ending with great boxing action and one last deserving moment of shine for an average man’s hero. But a lean mean killing machine that finds himself again in ripping off guts with his hands is a bit too much to root for in any other way but for laughs.
Rambo could be a good senseless gut-fest if it didn’t start off with documentary images of the Burma civil war victims or continue with a lot of talking from those obnoxious American church people. Unfortunately Stallone couldn’t help putting some sort of message to Rambo’s walk away fest, projecting him as a product of the system who just can’t get away from what he was shaped to be: a bad ass commando super-killer. So, he puts that to use for a good cause.
Obviously, the bad guys kill and rape without pause plus they shout incoherently without making any sense whenever they open their mouths. That should work fine if the head mercenary didn’t give that self-righteous speech about how he does it to feed his wife and three kids. Kind of a too obvious blow to the spectator’s intelligence here, though he gets his foot blown off later and i couldn’t help liking that.
On top of the whole lack of self-awareness came the bad CGI explosions and slaughtering that looked like they were copied from some computer game. They looked so cheap and unrealistic that i laughed (out of embarrassment i think) even before some poor guy got split in half by a machete or an explosion.
Unfortunately Rambo is sadder than Stallone’s permanent facial expression. It’s badly directed, looking too cheap for a 2008 war movie and exploits its main character rather than dignifying him as a proper farewell would. At least he was right about one thing: when you’re pushed… giving an “F” is as easy as breathing.
Read more articles by Loukas Tsouknidas
46 Comments
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR
LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR
LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR
RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!
That’s my way of saying while your review is probably spot on, I’m still seeing this opening weekend because I’m a mindless, violence obsessed male aged 18-34.
LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOOOOOOOOOOOR!
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:26 pm
yawn…what a worthless review…sounds like you went in with the opinion you were coming out with…worthless documentary footage?? Ya sure its so horrible for stallone wanting to bring light to a crisis in Burma..but too bad us Americans who are so self centered dont care..
but hey..the first 3 rambos didnt get good reviews…why should I listen now?? or I guess i could go see Juno…
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Mike — you should go see Juno.
But also, go see Rambo and come back and let us know what you think…
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Sounds like next year’s prime entry for a GAG award.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Instead of seeing Juno see “In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale!”
On second thought, don’t.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I could spare my eyes of this retro-kiddy-gun-fest easily because noone over here cares for a review. The greek audience dumped Rocky Balboa last year as they will dump John Rambo next week because let’s face it, it only moves thirty something film freaks like me out of nostalgia and nothing more but the 7 euro price on movies keeps even them away. That’s the reason i went plus cause i liked Rocky’s exit flick and hoped for something similar.
Most people left the press-screening since “Juno” screened right before and that’s what they were there for. I stayed till the end credits. When something sucks it just does and there is nothing you can do about it. CGI toy slaughters are not a dignifying exit for the man they call John Rambo. Go, see and sympathize…
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Loukas, check back this weekend for my review of RAMBO! I really enjoyed Rocky Balboa and love guns, so maybe we’ll be in agreement on Rambo!
January 23rd, 2008 at 2:38 am
OK
January 24th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I think you’re just afraid of Rambo.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Rambo is the *#()@. Screw you and your review.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Yeah! Screw you for having an opinion and writing a review and posting it on a website about movies… Not cool, man!
January 25th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I was three when I first saw John Rambo drifting along the road, to Delmore Barry’s house, seeking the only remaining member of his Special Forces unit. When he unsuspectingly walked up his widow, with the faintest of smiles, little did he know what that road awaited him. Neither did me, and as years passed by that image still remains one of the most clearly etched memories of mine. People might reduce, and classify what ensued to a rather common tag – a super rocking series, which last hit us twenty years back. I would think otherwise; this series was much more than simply the ultimate action trilogy of all time.
And that was then.
In the meantime, the action genre as we knew it, is slowly dying amongst a plethora of wussy poor excuses. There’re some films trying to revive it and all, but the ultimate period for them was the 70s-80s. Those guys kicked posterior, and I mean real bad. No one can even stand up to them, not even the supposed superheroes. There sure is one relic named Jason Bourne, but he can only do so much. These bad guys are ruling the roost making action films for toddlers, and families, with fake explosions and hoping they could get the same share of audience as the next Drew Barrymore romance.
And that is now.
Well, John Rambo is back. And with him is Sylvester Stallone, who after successfully resurrecting Rocky Balboa, has made an absolute blinder of a film. This is action as it is supposed to be, gritty and no holds barred. Not fake, no Sir. Sock em up, Rambo style, in the guts. If you pass for a Rambo fan, and an action fan, you would find yourself thanking heavens. And I don’t see the film breaking into any new fans. We, meanwhile, have grown into adults, and it feels so has John Rambo for us giving a scale of violence Saving Private Ryan would have been proud of. The body count raked up is somewhere between Rambo III and Rambo II, but wouldn’t you be surprised when I tell you that Stallone has done it again – John Rambo is the best installment since, well, First Blood. And that is something, since there were two real killers in between.
The country is Burma, and John Rambo is living for nothing out there. Meanwhile human rights atrocities are setting new world records, as the Burmese army is crushing its way through the Karen territory. A group of missionaries turn up to this stranger, John, to ride them through the river, and help them serve lives. The Burmese are as bad as any bunch of villains have been in any action flick, with snarls, and grunts, and shrieks. But little do they know their worst nightmare is down, but not out. And when Rambo is pushed, let me tell you, killing is as easy as breathing.
There’re moments scattered all over the place, where the action junkie long dormant inside of you would want to exclaim in joy, and shout. Sitting in the fourth row from the screen, and although there were a few souls around, I gave it my howl. Come on, you get action this hardboiled only once in a while, and when it is bestowed on you, you got to be wise enough to savor every moment of it. Stallone amazes me with his physique. Throw away, in the nearest dumpster bear in mind (Environment Awareness Week), all the lingering doubts that he’s feels too old for this, or doesn’t look the part. He is as capable of throwing real hurting bombs, as throwing iron-melting stares. Not that he speaks all that often, as Rambo barely as lines, but the slurred speech still works wonders and can still intimidate a whole army of fake tough-guys. Because why? Because he’s the ultimate tough guy. Period.
What did I say though – this series is much more than rocking and socking the whole world, which it is, and in a superbig way. Scratch the first film, and you’ll find one of the best dramas about the soldier in war, and what he has to face. John Rambo is much more than your average action cutout; he is as psychologically complex as Jason Bourne. Maybe that is why Bourne rocks, for he seems to be an urban version of John Rambo. He is the ultimate man of action, and at its core is Stallone who has created a character believable at first, but at the same time larger-than-life and parody proof. In that, he’s similar to Eastwood’s the man with no name. Come to think of it, what kind of a name is John Rambo anyway. The kind of name that superheroes would be proud of, and the kind of name that creates legends out of it. Rambo sure is one, and Stallone furthers that here. He understands these characters he has created, he knows them, and he hits the bull-eye.
Stallone does understand too, what makes this series of his so dear to his fans. Remember he was co-writer on the first film. Between all the action, he creates quite nice moments with the character and his inner demons. Rambo has been the best at quelling them; he’s the classic crowd pleaser for he is a killing machine yet he has guilt inside him, and he is vulnerable. Stallone is often not given his due, for he’s a sublimely excellent filmmaker. His methods aren’t loud, they do not show off, and he’s one of the best narrators. He has this knack of pulling out sequences nothing of which seem to be false, yet when we sit back and think of them, we realize how easily they could have gone laughably wrong. This is old school action, and by that I mean almost all the action is clear, comprehensible and most importantly gut wrenching. The themes he touches, under the pretext of an action film, shouldn’t be lost track of. There is a hell of a lot of violence, and blood, but the film doesn’t seem to be reveling in it. And not that it shies away from it. It is criticizing it, and at the same moment we enjoy it, and that is what makes these movies so very special.
It was almost a year back when I watched Rocky Balboa, and reviewed it. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2008. It has been made at a comparatively lesser budget of $50 million. The studios should have had more faith in Stallone, and at 93 minutes I wanted it all the more to continue. How I wish I was a child to experience it all over again, anew.
One might wonder what made the legend stay back in the jungles of Asia, within the darkest confines of the heart. I guess John Rambo was waiting for someone to tell him that the mission is over. Little did he realize, all these years that the voice was within him. What that voice required was catharsis, and in a final shootout, which could easily be overlooked as mere turkey shooting, Stallone makes Rambo enjoy what he does best. And when he looks back at it, what he has done, he realizes it is time to go home.
We couldn’t have asked for a better journey. Stallone, take a bow.
January 25th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
This was less a review than a revelation of a reviewer’s prejudices and naivete. Re the former, the reference to “obnoxious American church people” pretty much tells the tale. Re the latter, the snarky line “Obviously, the bad guys kill and rape without pause” suggests that Mr. Tsouknidas either doesn’t keep abreast of current events or chooses to stand with the growing population of enlightened half-men in denial of the facts in a dangerous world. I guess the bodies of 300 dead Burmese monks just isn’t enough “real” to penetrate his intellectual armor.
January 25th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I just saw rambo and i thought it was one of the best action films i seen this year it had gore like a motherfucker that movie was sick i suggest people to see it
January 26th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Gotta tell ya… After seeing a Rotten Tomatoes score of 35% and hearing rumors of no pre-release screenings I went in expecting Rambo to suck like a vacuum cleaner.
Imagine my shock when I ended up thinking it was AWESOME. I gave it 4.5/5 on Screen Rant.
Yes, it was ugly and brutal, but it FITS. This was an awesome goodbye to the series.
Vic
January 26th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Your review is a worthless piece of arrogant drivel. My money is on you not having even seen the movie but rather a 3 minute trailer.
”Rambo” is to the series, what ”Rocky Balboa” did to that franchise. A fitting and satisfying end.
Go rent Mean Girls, you worthless SOB.
January 26th, 2008 at 3:02 am
RAMBO: Yes, flawed, but awesome film. Makes a clear statement that the tyrannies of the world must be destroyed at all costs. This film is what the Americans should have done in Afghanistan to the Taliban in 2000, before 9/11. Stallone has the guts to point out some political and humane evils (like the male villain abusing the young boy), and that the cruelty of man should be met with violence. Society in the West is becoming way too soft in 2008. Hey, love the last scene of the movie. It ties it all together. Can’t beat the Jerry Goldsmith theme music.
January 26th, 2008 at 5:23 am
John Rambo for president…
January 26th, 2008 at 9:15 am
The only people who would not like this movie are:
1) women
2) children
3) chicken shit men who were never in a fight.
4) those nerd critics who whack off to movies like “ya ya sisterhood.”
5) weak politicans who were never in a fight.
Those who would love the movie are:
1) Those who appreciate how hard it is to get in and stay in peak physical condition
2) Anyone who was in the military
3) Anyone who has been in a “few” streetfights
4) Anyone who ever put their life on the line for something other than themselves.
5) Anyone who appreciates good action films.
I loved the movie and anyone who doesn’t should go change their panties. If you sit close enough to the screen and speakers in the theatre, your teeth will almost rattle from the explosions!
The movie is entertainment, and not meant to “enlighten” folks or make them feel warm and fuzzy.
I have been to that region of Asia and understand what a bitch it must have been to film in that enviornment.
Go see the movie and enjoy yourselfs!
January 26th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I laugh at critics. Whoever reviewed this movie is probably a Stallone hater and pretty much will trash any movie that Stallone is involved with. It’s all jealosy. I have not seen this movie yet, but I will and I will guarantee that I will throughly enjoy it. After all, who are the critics? Critics are nothing but failed filmmakers that are so bitter about failing that they go around and trash successful filmmakers and actors movies. I also have several films that are in distribution and I get good and bad reviews, but I just laugh at the bad reviews because I am the one enjoying the success of my films while people reviewing them are probably bitter about having to do the same 9-5 thing their whole lives. Just from watcing the trailer, Rambo 4 looks like it is a perfect ending to a great franchsie.
January 26th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
The Movie is highly entertaining. I thought its excellent. Those who would criticize this movie are usually people who are simply salivating to bash Stallone and his work even before seeing it.
What I like about this movie is that this movie showed the human side of Rambo like the first Rambo movie, First Blood. Not only that, it showed consideration to his to the fact that he is becoming vulnerable as a person perhaps as he ages.
I like this movie. I don’t care what other people say.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
The movie was good, the review of this movie was not. Of course these are film school rejects so no points for guessing why they got rejected if they can’t see a good movie if John Rambo were to blow them up with an exploding arrow. Did Sly have a political message in this movie? Sure but he doesn’t beat you over the head with it like Lions For Lambs. Is Rambo about anything other than the myth of the one man army? No so don’t go looking for Life Is Beautiful here folks. Did Loukas get Barbie Dolls instead of GI Joe for Christmas as a kid? Absolutely.
Its good to cheer for a hero who in the face of no one doing anything or to powerless to do anything stands against the tide of brutality. Its simplistic sure but its 93 minutes so Ben Hur style story telling is not going to do here. If anything Rambo works because it is now the anti-action of movie of Hollywood. Instead of having an action movie where everyone is resentful about having to stand up and fight for something, or sending the message the the pacifists are the real heroes, or the war is hell and soldiers are pigs message; we have Stallone’s Rambo. Remember Rambo is a Green Beret, the Green Beret’s motto is liberate the oppressed. It is not suck down starbucks and give your 2.50 to Amnesty International. It would good to hear audiences cheer for an American hero who wasn’t stupid, villainous, arrogant, bloodthirsty as Hollywood has come to critique them as.
What critics seem not to notice is that the character Rambo does not revel in the bloodshed. He doesn’t fill up a hot tube full of it and light a celebratory cigar as for all the bloodshed. Rambo is just a soldier who comes to terms in the world and his role a soldier in all those past battles. I was glad to see Stallone send Rambo off in style and unapologetic about the character’s past like so many other movies do begging the audience, actually the critics forgiveness for making a movie in the first place.
Grey Fox
January 27th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Rambo maybe good or maybe bad.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
This is the worst review I have read about this movie yet. Never have I seen such bias
comments and ill-timed attempts at making yourself look better by bashing the movie. I
watched the movie just yesterday and thought it was great. The gore was incredible along
with an ending that blows away most endings I have ever seen in a movie. How much are
they paying you? This website deserves its money back. You are a joke. An F? You have to
be a failed actor.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I saw the movie with my husband and we both enjoyed it. I don’t think it deserves an “f”. I thought it was f**king excellent, fantastic, and fabulous. Please don’t go by this weak review go and see it for yourself. This film is a true story. This is the truth about burmese military how they treat there own people. I should know I was there when this all started in 1988. I left burma in1990 with my mother because school were shut down. If you have the time please visit freeburma.org. Please help support burma. “Live for something – or – Die for nothing” Sylvester Stallone .
January 28th, 2008 at 4:04 am
i dont know what most of you critics want in action movies these day, (some lame scienc fiction plot or some romance to distract us) BUT this movie is everything it should be. unfortunately things like the slaughter of “not so smart” missionaries happens all the time. it was a great way to make a new rambo. give him purpose to dismember people. the action was above and beyond, and it was downright brutal not unlike what a lot of people realize. so go review your romantic comedies and leave the action movies to actual men
January 28th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Who ever wrote this review clearly failed to realize the porpose of a movie like John Rambo. Rambo is not here to win an academy award, it is a violent “blood lust” type movie. That is all! I thought it was great!!! If you’re a sissy that thinks Stallone is sad or tired; I dare you to fight him in real life! He may not really be Special Forces, but for 60 he’s in great shape, better than all of you arm chair warriors out there. Loukas Tsouknidas, thats a challenge; or maybe you’d just like to fight me?
January 29th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Do not agree with the reviewer who obviously does not know how a real war hapens as a soldier who has been to iraq, fought in desert storm. The explosions and the special effects were right on cue as they possibly could be. I felt this Rambo movie was the most realistic since the first, and probably the best. The best part in the movie is the way stallone showed the effects of powerful a 50 cal. machine can ruin the body, I give it four thumbs up.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Well; I just finished watching the movie about 2 hours ago; It is interesting that everyone has an opinion about everything. The person who wrote this review said “the bad CGI explosions and slaughtering that looked like they were copied from some computer game. They looked so cheap and unrealistic that i laughed (out of embarrassment i think) even before some poor guy got split in half by a machete or an explosion.
WELL let me tell you this movie scared the living HELL out of me. It is amazing to me that in the good ol USofA, that people STILL take everything for granted. I will ask you (the person who wrote this review) have you served your country, have you laid your life on the line for this country. OUT of almost ANY movie I have every seen NOTHING and I do mean NOTHING has EVER depicted this situation as it has been portrayed. I will say I am close to 50 years of age, and I will with certainty tell you that WHOEVER helped in the depiction of gore and carnage had seen in real life what was being portrayed. I will tell you that all of the carnage and depiction is 100% accurate, I know …. I have SEEN it. I was hoping to never have to see ANY of that stuff again until after the day I died, and someone put it on the screen, it scared the Hell out of me, I am still shaking from it. I ask the reviewer and anyone else who finds this a “fake” movie to just be a little patient and understanding. I would NEVER want anyone to EVER see anything like this. I thank “Mr Stalone” for this great movie, but I will never never let my wife and kids (who are grown) to have to ever see stuff like this or a movie like this. That is why I laid my life on the line so many years ago so that they would never have to.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:17 am
wat the hell this was one of the best movies i have ever seen your probably just giving it an f cuz ur scared of rambo
January 30th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Fact No1: If this was named “Bill Mambo” starring Silvio Tallone it would go straight to DVD like a Dolph “I-can-kick-Stallone’s-ass-any-day-unless-it’s-his-movie” Lundgren war flick.
Fact No2: For those that identify a bit too much with their celebrity heroes… Read this, it’s scarier than the crack-open-a-neck scene:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a87066/sylvester-stallone-im-a-tiny-fairy.html
January 30th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
hi jacob o and your review sucks u fag ur article doesnt mean shit ur just a lousy person disrespecting ur country and god.. I wouldnt be suprised if sylvester kicks ur asss tomorow
January 30th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
yo daniel lol yea i know mr sam chieftan ur a fucking douchebag that got owned multiple times so u should just go lay down and die!!!!!!!
oh wah ah ah ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 1st, 2008 at 10:45 am
You are obviously a moron. I guess you aren’t intelligent enough to understand cynicism and sarcasm. The man says it’s for his EX wife and three children. He is jaded and is expressing that he does not kill for anything other than the money he needs to live and has to reluctantly give his EX. Open your mind moron. The EFX were actually pretty good.
Also, I’m glad the image of villagers being thrown into flames and limbs being hacked off make you want to laugh. People like you are the reason why America is growing weak. You have no core beliefs. You have no honor. You write what you think the Abercrombie crowd will laugh at when you should be penning a letter of resignation.
February 2nd, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Its pretty funny how everyone likes this movie except the critics, Also makes me wonder why i go see movies that get bad reviews.
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I just saw this movie..and it blew me away!!!…I am a woman…and I utterly ENJOYED this film..HOLY CRAP….the action was phenomenal…
February 5th, 2008 at 8:22 am
I didn’t think it was a particularly bad movie, but it was hardly the greatest movie ever. I mean I didn’t mind the Burma storyline, and in fairness to the reviewer the church people were pretty damn annoying. School boy said they were noble, but I’m thinking of the other N word, naive. As for the bad guys, they’re pretty much your cookie cutter bad guys who only exist to get their ass kicked by John Rambo. Indeed, I have to say I had a hard time telling the difference between them. Anyway as a result, all the horror and gore of war so to speak wasn’t nearly as horrible as it could of been but then again that’s what your standard action movie is.
Now, before anyone question my “manliness” for rating this movie anything but remarkably great, I’ve got a brother in Iraq at the moment and my youngest one is in basic training right now. Myself, I was turned down from the military as a result of being deaf in my right ear from birth. As for this movie even coming close to First Blood, no. Though that doesn’t mean it isn’t entertaining in its own right, its everything a Rambo should be, lots of mindless killing.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:56 am
The thing with me right, I love to read the Critics comments. I don’t like most of them, I disagree with some of them and yet I agree with a couple of them. What I can say is that I respect the Critics opinions of saying what they have to say but I will not make them change my mind as to what movie/s that suck, is crap or a movie I should see or not. Critics, let me be my own judge ok. If I am interested in a movie I will go see it. It’s my damn money and if I don’t enjoy it, well then fine, maybe someone else will enjoy it more. I saw the movie last night and it was great. I enjoyed every second of it from begining to end. Sylvester Stallone, job well done and thank you for all of the years you entertained America and the rest of the world. I love fast pace action films and I am a Rambo fan. But hear this, I still love my comedies, horrors, suspense thrillers and drama. Everyone has a right to like whatever movie they wish right?
February 8th, 2008 at 1:30 am
This movie is one of the best movies i had seen ever in my life.The orinallity of the film is awesome.This movie exposes the dreadful life of the karen people under the burmese junda.Through this movie the cries of the karen and other ethnic groups are heard which was unknown to the world outside.I appreciate the courage and dignity of syslvester stallone for taking such an oppurtunity to explore the life of the people in burma under the cruel militay junda which considers its people as their enemy.One must say”Burma is not a country with army,its a army with a country”.Hope the UN or the US will help the burmese after seeing this film.Stallone really did a good job not only for the burmese people but for the whole mankind .
February 25th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
RAMBO THE GREATEST RAMBO FOR EVER LETS HAVE MORE MORE MORE MORE
February 27th, 2008 at 6:18 am
It is awesome. I can’t stand arty farty reviews that look into things with a magnifying glass, get a life.
Any real action fan should enjoy this movie as much as I did.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:33 am
http://thebigbadfilmreview.blogspot.com/
Alternate Title:
Rambo-Forearms
Ram-Bore
This film had such a weak story line it could only be strung out for an hour and a quarter. It basically concerns a group of christian missionaries being held hostage in Burma, and Rambo, along with a group of mercenaries, being contracted by a Pastor to free them.
Rambo 4 is in stark contrast to the other Rambos where he muscle posed his way to self glory. In this film, however, he must have been too self conscious of his love handles and sausage veins that the central focus of Rambo, and his character as a whole for that matter, was his forearms.
The Burmese soldiers were portrayed as verminous killing scum who feed live people to pigs, and Sly even makes further propaganda swipes at Burmese generals by portraying the one in this movie as a raper of young boys.
The killing is so gratuitous and lustful, you wonder what kind of sick, sado-masterbatory audience could enjoy this snuff movie. Rambo manages to effortlessly kill everybody in every imaginable way, and would have encountered more resistance had the Burmese army been replaced by a bunch of grannies armed with knitting needles and balls of wool. And where the hell he manages to find , in the middle of the jungle, some kind of huge, thermo-nuclear device to detonate at short notice is any one’s guess.
This abomination of a movie further insult by trying to add believability to this sado-wet dream, by allowing Rambo to get a slight nick from a bullet to his shoulder in the last minutes of the film, as he’s mopping up the final remaining Burmese ’skittle’ soldiers.
It was a pity Rambo’s Kernel is no longer alive as he was the real star of the Rambo franchise and provided the only hint of class and proper acting.
Anyone claiming this was just a bit of fun should watch again the actual footage of the suffering of the Burmese people shown at the beginning of this film, appreciate how Sly has tried to glorify himself at their expense, and then should proceed straight to the doctors and have their brains checked out for advanced syphilis.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:02 am
The above response, another idiot with too much to say.
March 4th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Man, you guys watch to much movie and you should watch ur mum more often
March 9th, 2008 at 12:07 am
Loukas, were you busy scribbling notes when watching Rambo, or did you sit back and actually try to ‘enjoy’ watching the film?
Sure, Stallone has a face that looks like it’s been chiselled from granite, but the first scene during the film when he brings the ol’ trusty compound bow into action was one of the finest sub-action scenes I’ve seen in a film for a while, and from that point it only gets better. The Rambo theme music brought shivers running down my spine during the opening scenes, and Stallone has done a masterful job with this film.
The violence in the film equals anything that ‘Apocalypto’ or ‘Saving Private Ryan’ have to offer, but the violence is never glorified.
I give it a 9 out of 10 for sheer grit, action, simple quiet moments that Stallone chose to leave in the mix to emphasise other scenes showing brutality of what life would be like under the brutal regimes in Burma, and an understated ending that leaves you hoping Rambo will find the peace that his character deserves. If you were in a god-forsaken jungle somewhere with native soldiers after you, there’s no-one else you’d rather have on your side than John R.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:51 am
I completely disagree with the main review. And its F grade. This movie deserves an A. No, make that an A++. I could care less about its political ambitions. It is a movie. In general, movies are to entertain and in some cases educate. This movie does excellent in both factors.
Here, we have Mr. Killing Machine who kills everything. Action is great past the intro. Build is up good too. This movie isnt suppose to have a thick story line. There is bad guys, and you kill the bad guys. Simple. Its just complicated because they added the stupid religious people. Which I thought was a nice touch.
Action hands down is great. Its non stop. Doesnt give a person much time to think or analyze the situation, unless your Rambo, who is the God of Death.
Anyone who doesnt like this movie should grow a pair of balls and be sent to berma.