RAMBO
The Review
www.ramboiv.moonfruit.com
When this site opened on September 6, 2005 a fourth ‘Rambo’ movie seemed like a dream. Now, that
dream has been realized. On January 25, 2008 Rambo was released. But after all the waiting, scoop
searching, anticipating, and theorizing: did it live up to the hype?
The short answer: yes! Rambo is a good film, from start to finish.
Stallone: Stallone has done it again! He truly embodies the character in this movie. Rambo has changed over
the years. He is now living a life of solitude, losing all faith in the world around him. Stallone pulls off the
performance in a 100% believable and enjoyable way. He still feels like the same Rambo, just wiser and with
more experience. He delivers a heartfelt and meaningful performance. Plus, it's just awesome to see Stallone
kick some ass on screen again!
Not only is his performance great, but his directing is the best of his career. The cinematography in this
movie is gorgeous. He really captures the beautiful surroundings. At the same time, he shows the violence in a
way that is entirely believable and horrifying. The violence is not glorified, this is real. The decision to show
the news footage of the real life events in Burma was a wise move. It not only sheds light on the real issue
but also brings validity to the extreme violence shown.
I do feel that several things could have been better explored/developed in dealing with the character of
Rambo. However, it's a Rambo move so character development isn't number one on the list of things to
accomplish.
The Story: The story is good. It sheds light on a real life issue and also gives the audience enough emotional
draw to want Rambo to come in and take care of business. It does what it needs to do to be a great Rambo
film. While this too could have been fleshed out a little more, it is still a valiant effort.
(everyone knows the details by now so I'm not going to go into that.)
Also, throughout the movie, the story of Rambo comes full circle in a very satisfying and enjoyable way!
Other Characters: The other characters were surprisingly well down. Julie Benz does a good job with the
character of Sarah; a girl who manages to break through John Rambo's hardened shell. The missionaries
weren't as annoying as I would have imagined and I truly cared what happened to them. Same holds true for
the mercenaries. Stallone did a good job of developing a sense of brotherhood and commitment to these
characters quickly and it lasts throughout the rest of the film. They served their purpose very well. The main
villain was perfect. He is twisted and evil and does horrible things to innocent people. By the end of the film,
you want him to get what he deserves. And that's all that counts when it comes to making a good Rambo
villain.
Action: The action is top notch and thrilling. They don't make movies like this anymore. The violence is extreme
and the scenes with Rambo are iconic, classic, and yet feel totally new and exciting. The action is the best part
of this movie, so if you are worried that you won't be seeing old-school action: don't. Stallone is still number
one and he proves it in this movie. Some truly awesome, even epic, sequences. If anything, see this movie for
the action alone.
Overall: A nearly perfect action movie and a fitting end to a cinematic legend.
