Rambo (2008)

Stallone is back as an older, wiser and bloodier John Rambo than ever before. If you can forgive the fact that he uses Burma's political tragedy as a back drop to secure an excuse for the ultra-violence which showers the screen; Rambo is an extremely well directed action flick.
Stallone adopts the same sentimental approach he did with his excellent Rocky Balboa-namely playing with his own mythology, twisting his iconic score and imagery so that the audience identify strongly with the central character. Rambo and Rocky because they are so familiar make you tap into your own sense mortality and regret for things that might have been. The feeling of time and history they both evoke is perhaps unique in cinema today.
Stallone is also clever enough to realise that the same audience wont buy Rambo defeating an entire army by himself anymore. He can still rip throats out on demand but he needs a gang of stereotypical mercenaries to help him out now. Marsden as the sniper, School Boy, proves to be very useful in this and it is to Stallones credit he makes maximum use of this character.
The violence when perpertrated between combatants is acceptable and will have many cheering in a midnight movie style. However Stallone is perhaps on dodgey ground when portraying atrocities against civilians. Some imagery evokes scenes from "The Killing Fields" and the audience must question if this in poor taste or not. One sequence which does leave a sour taste is the treatment of a quartet of Burmese women at the hands of a drugged up gang of soldiers. This is further exacebated by the cross-cutting of Rambo saving the only Western woman in the camp as they are left to their horrific fate.
Rambo is another economical exercise in direction from Stallone which is really an excuse for the formidable final battle which takes the breath away and makes you forget the politics of the first half.

For all it's splatter action in the last fifteen minutes, this really isn't a return to form. Rocky Balboa got by on goodwill, but Rambo is a much nastier piece of work that tries to say something political about Burma - however, the flying limbs could really be bursting off anywhere.

How brutal was this film it was sick but Brilliant at the same time. The 1st explosion in the film while playing dodgeball with the land mines made me jump out of my seat. The way the camera followed the action was superb. For those who wanted a great story line this film may not be for you. But if your a action junkie and love the other 3 Rambo films then you should buy this and you will not be dissapointed.

If you are a rambo fan like me then you'll REALLY love this new film, WOW! What a brilliant film, It even has the original sound track on it too, It brings back so many good memories i had as a kid when i watched the first blood and second blood films. This new film is very bloody, LOTS of people grafficly being blown apart and lots of explosions, Like you'd expect from Rambo. I seriously hope he makes another one too, This film is the best film to be made in the past 23 years... Since Rambo 2. I wasn't too keen on Rambo 3...

I was always gonna like this movie on the account of being a massive Stallone and Rambo fan.
The film is well made, tight 90 min running time and a good story, relevant to what is actually going on in Burma.
Be warned the film is very Gory and Violent in parts. Much more than the previous 3 in the series.
Performance wise, well Stallone is RAMBO, even though he is a little subdued and beaten down with time and age this time.
The last scene was brilliant - bring on Number 5.
If you are already a RAMBO fan then it is a 4/5. And if you are new in class then probably a 3/5.
P.S - check out the extras bit with the little doc-u about the Burma situation. Interesting