Rambo Movie Review

Rambo (2008)

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Written by: Art Monterastelli and Sylvester Stallone (written by), David Morrell (character)
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Graham McTavish, Matthew Marsden
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
In Thailand, 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.

Verdict
It's a solid action movie that does exactly what an action movie should do. It provides just enough story, a character for which we can root, and a near endless supply of bad guys that we don't care about when Rambo ends them. Rambo eradicates an army, nearly by himself. The only catch is that this is gory, surprisingly so. It's that level of gruesomeness that might deter some from this movie.
It depends.

Review
This is the fourth movie after a twenty year hiatus in a franchise that began in 1982. This was followed by Rambo: Last Blood. I'd rank the Rambo franchise as follows: First Blood, Rambo, Rambo III, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo: Last Blood.

A brutal opening where a Burmese regime oppresses a revolution through fear and brutality by murder. If you're thinking they need a hero, that would be John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone). Rambo captures cobras and fishes with a bow and arrow in Thailand. A group of missionaries want Rambo to take them to Burma to offer aid. Rambo refuses because it's too dangerous, but a second plea changes his mind.

Sylvester Stallone plays John Rambo

Rambo is the steely, haunted veteran that's hiding from something in Thailand. We haven't seen this level of depth from the franchise since the first movie. Not long into the trip Rambo's group encounters pirates. Stallone directed the movie, and this scene really drives the tension. Rambo is clocking the pirate's weapons as the pirates demand payment and then want to kidnap a woman. The viewer is the only one that knows Rambo's capabilities. We're waiting for him to act, and Stallone does an amazing job directing this scene.

Rambo drops off the missionaries and is later approached by mercenaries sent to rescue the hostages who, to the surprise of no one, was capture by the regime. Rambo offers to join the mercenaries and they refuse. Of course they don't know what Rambo can do, but they'll soon get to see. No doubt this movie is gory. Rambo is  a one man wrecking crew, but he does have some help from these mercenaries. I'm not sure a movie this gory would get released today without some editing. Rambo stops an army nearly be himself. Some of these kills are just brutal.

Sylvester Stallone plays John Rambo

This movie is surprisingly good, standing on its own quite well. You have these bad guys that are devoid of everything. Their only goal is to torment and terrorize. They don't say much, they only hunt and kill. For a movie like this, that's all you need, a looming threat that seems inescapable. Since the movie doesn't develop the bad guys, you don't feel bad when they get mowed down by Rambo and company. We're already on Rambo's side, and he's fighting for a just cause.