Reviews of Rambo

Bandana Bravo...

Posted : 1 year, 2 months ago on 28 October 2008 07:12 (A review of Rambo)

''Y'know what you are, what you're made of. War is in your blood. When you're pushed, killing's as easy as breathing.''

John Rambo joins a group of mercenaries to venture into war-torn Burma, and rescue a group of Christian aid workers who were kidnapped by the ruthless local infantry unit.

Sylvester Stallone: John Rambo

Julie Benz: Sarah Miller

This is a pure unstoppable action film right from the word go, hugely violent DO not see if you're squeamish...
One of the things i interesting things about it is the fact that there is minimum dialogue in the film, though there is obviously dialogue but nothing all together noteworthy.
But that's a good thing the Rambo character was never really much of a talker anyway, he doesn't need to say much of anything the content is just read in his physicality and facial expressions, making this film at times feel like a silent movie. You can just easily see even from certain things he says that John Rambo is kind of tired, bored, a bit lonely though it doesn't bother him much, still carries those internal post traumatic war scars, but most of all carries an anger within himself. From the world he doesn't like how things have changed and are going but most of all feels frustrated at himself knowing all of his actions in his former mercenary role throughout the years haven't changed anything. You can just see he's a man just waiting for a chance once more to put things right as well as finally find his sense of inner peace and just a home to come back home to. Well at least that's how I saw it. I'll admit despite Rambo's age he can still kick butt, he may have been out of the game for a while but has came back strong.

One of the other things I like about the film is the gritty realism, it makes this film a bit unsettling at times because everything that happens in it actually feels real, making Rambo feel all the more like a character that can exist. From the cinematography which is shot in documentary style makes the envorment and everything that happens in the film feel palpable. The actions scenes are brutally honest, I've seen a lot of violence in certain movies but this one just about takes the cake, we see it as both grotesque but also at least when the good guys wield it beautiful, love it or hate it or both it's what it is. Like when there are certain gun shots bodies get shredded or blown apart literally just a lot of crazy carnage, so word of warning don't eat or drink anything at those scenes if you can't handle it.

''Live for nothing, or die for something.''

The film relies on suspenseful build up before any action is taken. We at first see some scenes where the evil army is doing a lot of senseless awful things like any real corrupt army would. We hate these guys and that's the point, I just know these guys are just asking for it; it made me just wait at certain moments at the edge of my seat thinking Rambo's coming, he's coming any minute now, and when Rambo comes in at the right moment when the situation cuts real close to the edge, I'll just say it feels great and the bad guys get what they deserve.
I'll just say a few of my favorite scenes, one of course is that memorable moment when Rambo is making a Machete before going into action and then is giving a speech to himself sort of a post modern philosophical mantra: "war is in your blood and when your pushed killing is as easy as breathing."
A suspenseful moment when of course there are some villagers that are forced to run in rice patties and some of those evil army men play a sick game with them buy planting a few land mines in them. When the villagers get through alive, we see the bad guys trying to force them to run again. And at the right moment suddenly Rambo pops out and shoots arrows at the evil solders though the head and other vital places. I sincerely heard a bit of cheering when that happened.

''Maybe you've lost your faith in people. But you must still be faithful to something. You must still care about something. Maybe we can't change what is. But trying to save a life isn't wasting your life, is it?''

But of course my favorite moment is in the last half of the film when it leads to probably one of the longest, bloodiest, battle sequences I've ever seen, it's typically total carnage. When Rambo takes a machine gun turret and is just mowing down each and every evil army man coming his way, and I mean they come from everywhere it's literally a continuous almost never ending action.

Well, I've said enough I'll just say it was great seeing John Rambo once again for the last time fighting defending all that is good in his final war and won. I'm going to miss him but in the end of the film I'll just say he finally comes back home.

''You know what you are. What you're made of. War is in your blood. Don't fight it. You didn't kill for your country. You killed for yourself. God's never gonna make that go away. When you're pushed, killing's as easy as breathing.''

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The best action film since...ever!

Posted : 1 year, 8 months ago on 21 April 2008 04:09 (A review of Rambo)

"You know what you are. What you're made of. War is in your blood. Don't fight it. You didn't kill for your country. You killed for yourself. God's never gonna make that go away. When you're pushed, killing's as easy as breathing."

It's been a long time since the decade of the 80s concluded. This was a decade when action films were ripe and extensively successful: they were brutal, violent and entertaining. In the era of contemporary action movies, violence is commonly diluted to accomplish a docile classification appropriate for a mainstream audience. Action lovers desired more...they were sick of the childish, watered-down violence being portrayed. When an aging Sylvester Stallone announced the creation of a fourth Rambo movie, his objective was to resurrect the classic gratuitous violence merged with scenes infused with utterly incredible action. Stallone acknowledged what his fans sought after. Thus when he produced the fourth adventure for the illustrious John J. Rambo he wasn't making it for box office receipts, he wasn't making a film that would be hailed by critics...Stallone was making a movie purely and genuinely for the multitude of fans that yearned for the return of old school, over-the-top, hardcore action violence that was once so prominent in the 80s. On this guarantee he delivered. He delivered perfectly.

Stallone was commended when he wet the appetites of his fans, and the first trailer for Rambo (at that time entitled John Rambo) was distributed over the internet - this was a red-band, uncut trailer that displayed several incredible minutes of hardcore violence as graphic and realistic as Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Hordes of fans were already aching to see the final product because they distinguished that Stallone had completed his job correctly. Of course, the critics severely panned Stallone's Rambo - they labelled it as pointless, pure action porn. On the other hand, the audiences received what they had expected and applauded Stallone for his relentless images of war. The writer/director/star did not succumb to the watered down violence for juveniles, and for that he gained loads of respect. The man returned action to its roots: interesting characters, witty lines, classic formula and lots of violence. The character of Rambo is also returned to his roots: not much dialogue, instead using facial expressions to tell his story. Even more impressive is the lack of clichés. Sure, the whole film is structured using the old formula. But there is no love interest despite the presence of a female, there are no dumb characters that have little faith in the hero, and there are no futile set-ups for elaborate deaths. In fact, the action scenes are scattered sparingly across the film's running time. For a man over the age of 60, Stallone deserves nothing but commendation and admiration for his persistence and ultimate success.

The film finds legendary troubled Vietnam veteran John J. Rambo (Stallone) living a secluded, inconsolable life in Thailand. Rambo has left his past behind him, instead indulging in the undemanding career of a snake wrangler. Rambo currently resides just downriver from the appalling genocide unfolding in nearby Burma. He is approached by a group of Christian missionaries, lead by a man named Michael (Schulze). These missionaries implore him to assist in taking them upriver into Burma. Although reluctant at first, Rambo agrees to take them into the chaos that has been the site of genocide for many years. Following the apprehension and incarceration of the missionaries by the fierce Burmese military, their church are informed and become determined to save them. The pastor of the church hires a group of mercenaries to travel into Burma to extract and rescue the innocent Christian missionaries. John J. Rambo dons his head-band and comes out of retirement one last time to battle the malicious Burmese soldiers in the thick jungle...the landscape in which Rambo was trained to battle.

Screenwriter Stallone takes his time building up to the action sequences. The film's first half sets up a plot that exists before diving into a world of utter chaos and incredible action. For authenticity in its depiction of the Burma, Stallone decided to dedicate the film's opening sequence to a montage of actual newsreel footage portraying the atrocities that are occurring in that part of the world everyday. Throughout the film's first half, we are incessantly shown the genocide that continues to unfold as the military choose new target villages with each new day. Stallone announced in an interview that he wanted the fourth John Rambo film to be about something...about humanity and its current state. Thus, he dives head first into the site of the longest running war in the world. Stallone handles the material with style: his uncompromising representation of Burma is gritty, brutal and horrifying. Rambo masquerades as an action/adventure film when in fact it's also a film that spreads awareness of the Burmese situation. By portraying the area using so much graphic violence the audience therefore considers the situation with greater scrutiny. The critics that despised the film so much simply do not understand the film. It's their loss.

Even at a ripe old age of 61, classic action icon Sylvester Stallone still has it in him. I do not care for those who find ease in insulting the man due to his HGH scandal in 2007. People's judgments on actors sometimes taint their image on the certain actor's films. If you're seriously avoiding this film because you believe Stallone is on steroids then it's impossible to take your cinematic views sincerely. Julie Benz is a superb member of the supporting cast. She plays a Christian missionary named Sarah. She is not a love interest so to speak, although Rambo does jump through hoops for her. But it's not because Rambo has taken a fondness for her and is looking for a lay - Sarah has profoundly touched his soul, and has allowed him to heighten his faithfulness towards humankind. Rambo is happily oblivious to world events because he's living a life of desolation, until Sarah opens his eyes to the capability of one human life. Also in the cast there's an ideal bunch of actors portraying the mercenaries who travel into Burma. There are some great lines of dialogue for all of them to deliver.

Rambo is also equipped with homages to the previous films, including a dream sequence depicting a montage to remind the audience of Rambo's past, and music that suitably mirrors Jerry Goldsmith's original score. The music present here is astounding. When powerful atrocities are being showcased there's a profoundly, deeply moving score to accompany the visuals. Sometimes the touching music will bring you to the verge of tears. If something like that is present in a pure action movie then the filmmakers have completed their objective. Also worth noting is the film's sound mix. The ambience of the Burmese jungle is captured wonderfully...all the gunfights and explosions sound spectacular. It's easy to become engaged in the action with such amazing sound effects that all sound natural.

Overall, Rambo is a perfect way to bring the infamous action hero full circle. We find the character returning to his roots and returning to a life he once knew before experiencing an unplanned turmoil in First Blood. Stallone reminds his fans that he is still here and ready to work despite his age. After striking such triumph with Rocky Balboa, another of his characters has been brought to a wholly satisfying conclusion. Of course, this film is far from perfect. It's very formulaic, but all audiences just love cheering when they witness the bad guys getting their comeuppance in brutal, satisfying ways. The intelligence of First Blood also lacks (like Rambo setting traps and ambushes, etc); however it would be hard to imagine the character pulling off elaborately planned traps at his current age. Rambo is solid, top-notch entertainment. It's incredibly awesome, absolutely entertaining and very realistic. The gore factor is, at times, astounding! Stallone promised to dish up violence that the action genre hasn't birthed for decades. He succeeded beyond all expectations. Despite the negative reviews from the critics, I wholly enjoyed Rambo and will continue to do so with each new screening. If you're looking for a good old-fashioned action movie full of realistic violence and gore then it's time to visit the latest adventure of John Rambo. This is an action film masterpiece!

8.3/10

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Rambs to the slaughter

Posted : 1 year, 9 months ago on 16 March 2008 10:51 (A review of Rambo)

An excuse for colossal amounts of violence and gore - and I love it! If it wasn't for Stallone this film would be relegated to the depths of B-movie basements as there isn't really much in the way of plot or message.

Troubled former soldier - John Rambo - is back. After living a peaceful and modest life in an unassuming Thai village he is approached by Christian missionaries who request he take them up river to help the natives of war-torn Burma. Against his will he helps them, but gets news weeks later that they never returned. Cue a band of missionaries who are sworn in to try and rescue them, reigniting Rambo's taste for blood and forcing him to add to his mountainous kill count in spectacular style.

This film draws attention to the conflict in Burma with brutal realism and that seems to give it a poetic license to go all out with the killing sprees. Fine by me!

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[Endless bodycount]

Posted : 1 year, 9 months ago on 9 March 2008 10:25 (A review of Rambo)

From watching the overly violent trilogy, expections were high too see simular carnage. And after seeing it I can still say overkill is not in Rambos vocabulary.

After coming out the theatre my senses were bombarded with the amount of explosions, decapitated limbs, and mindless chaos. You find yourself wearing a sandwich board with the message 'i hate burma' on it, for the bad light that is shed on the brutal country.

Rambos kill ratio are just as ridiculous if not more proposterous than the last three but nostagic fun as we see 'John' helping out the 'do gooders' to help an abused village with haralious and explosive results.

I would suggest to anyone who have seen the likes of the outrageous Commando or Hardboiled to watch rambo if not for the oneliners but for counting the pints of blood he loses which is more than the average human being.


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What were you expecting?

Posted : 1 year, 10 months ago on 10 February 2008 04:45 (A review of Rambo)

Its Rambo... enough explaining! Would have been a hard job to do better than the original, that said i do like a good action flick still, but im a bit older than when i first saw the original so this latest installment just didn't do it for me.

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Rambo review

Posted : 1 year, 11 months ago on 2 February 2008 07:33 (A review of Rambo)

I cannot believe, how extremely great, this film is. John Rambo, is back, and he is bad-ass. The action, is spectacular, and some heads were even chopped off. This is such a great film. If you do not enjoy watching films, that have very gruesome scenes, then do not watch this. If you love intense action, from beginning to end, with a lot of blood and violence, then this is the film for you.

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