Rambo (Extended Cut)

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" Even with its flaws, Rambo is an entertaining ride.

Extended Cut

APPROX. 99 MINS. - PROD. YEAR: 2008 - MPA RATING: NR

FIRST PUBLISHED Jul 26, 2010
By Ranjan Pruthee

When the first movie in the "Rambo" series, "First Blood" (1982), was released, the "Rocky" series was already in its third offering, "Rocky III" (1982). It became increasingly clear that each sequel in the two series was worse than its predecessor. Over the years, the characters of "Rambo" and "Rocky" became fodder for countless parodies. Weird Al Yankovic´s "UHF" (1989) poked fun at "Rambo" by copying Rambo´s action sequences and his dialogue delivery style that now has its own cult following. No doubt by the late Eighties: "Rambo" and "Rocky" were shunned and renounced by critics and moviegoers. Then in 2008, Stallone decided to resurrect his American Hero, John Rambo, in "Rambo," perhaps for the last time. The movie was well received by audiences and became a decent earner at the box office.

In the story, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) now lives in Thailand in an area close to the Burmese border. He makes his living by hunting snakes and selling them in a nearby local region. Soon, a missionary, Michael (Paul Schulze), approaches Rambo and asks him to take a group of missionaries to a region in Burma so they can provide the needy with food and medicines. Initially, Rambo refuses to take the job, but at the insistence of Sarah (Julie Benz), he decides to help the missionaries. Along the way, Rambo´s boat is stopped by pirates. After getting rid of the pirates, the group arrives at the destination, and Michael tells Rambo that their group will travel by road for rest of the journey.

Upon reaching the village, Michael´s group is attacked by an opposition military leader who later kidnaps the missionaries. The pastor soon comes back to Rambo and informs him that the missionaries have been missing for the last ten days. He asks Rambo to lead a group of mercenaries that will eventually rescue the missionaries. Meanwhile, Sarah and the other members are rescued, but the group is again attacked by the Burmese army. Rambo engages the entire army and saves the group.

I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed this movie in my second viewing. "Rambo: First Blood Part II" and "Rambo III" were downright miserable, and I had no hopes from "Rambo." Surprisingly, I was pleasantly entertained by Stallone´s latest Rambo movie. One thing that struck me about "Rambo" was its serious tone, which connects at an emotional level. Stallone fabricates Rambo´s character in a manner that is, in fact, a continuity of his character from the first movie. Here, Rambo is disillusioned and angry with the world just as he was in the beginning of "First Blood." He retreats to a quite village in Thailand away from his home in the U.S. All these years, he has become emotionally cold and rigid. Considering his past, Rambo´s behavior is completely understandable and realistic. In addition, "Rambo" deals with a similar theme about war and its harmful effects on the community, as seen in the previous Rambo sequels.

"Rambo" succeeds because of the prevailing on-screen tension between the characters, which was also evident in "First Blood." Sarah´s persistence in getting Rambo onboard and Michael´s disapproval of Rambo´s maverick ways inject adequate drama to the story. The action occurs much later in the film, and the buildup to the action is carefully planned and executed. The editing is superior, and the movie breezes fast in its nine-nine-minutes of duration. As an action movie, "Rambo" erases our memory of its dreadful sequels and comes very close in the entertainment value to "First Blood."

Nonetheless, "Rambo: First Blood Part II" and "Rambo III" were both criticized heavily due to the filmmakers´ propensity to show out-of-context and overextended action sequences along with sloppy stories. "Rambo" is no less in this aspect, but the action has a place in the context of the overall story. Then again, the action is overly stylized with a high body count, in which people are blown to bits, not once, but on numerous occasions.