RAMBO (2008)- A Movie Review…

Reviewed By Mark J. Derbas

Maybe I’m just getting old but it seems that the only movie characters I get excited about anymore are those that struck a chord back in my youth. First, there was the Rejuvenation of the Star Wars franchise. Next, came a remake of Halloween (my all time favorite horror film). Now, after twenty years of silence, the 80’s action film icon has returned.

Just last year, Stallone was able to bring Rocky back from retirement with a very respectable finale to the series that made him a household name. The movie was sentimental and the story played off Stallone’s age (59), which made it all the more interesting. For that venture I was able to suspend my imagination long enough to believe that a sixty-year-old man could return to the boxing ring, but would I be able to do the same for a sixty-year-old Vietnam vet reentering military combat? I was skeptical to say the least. Then came the first pics from the movie set. Seeing Stallone with the long hair and bandana just wasn’t doing it for me.

As I sat down in the theatre I wasn’t sure what to expect. The reviews hadn’t been that good and the only people who seemed to love the film were the Rambo diehards. The movie opens with a montage of “real” depictions of war torn Burma. This is nasty stuff. The kind of stuff you see on the news – victims of a third world country brutalized by the reigning army. Then we get to meet the regime as they engage in a little afternoon “entertainment” - forcing captive villagers to cross a swamp loaded with landmines. Those who make it to the other side in one piece are shot. This is one of the more minor acts of brutality depicted. Remember, all of the atrocities in this film are based off of actual events. We (the audience) are being set up to really hate these bad guys and damn does it ever work. It was Stallone’s conscious decision to make a film that brought awareness to these atrocities.

When we meet Rambo we find that he is living in Thailand catching poisonous snakes for a living. Surprisingly, Stallone was truly able to bring this stone-faced character back to the screen with dignity. Rambo is the polar opposite of Rocky. Where Rocky sees things with a sense of optimism and hope, Rambo does not. He has given the proverbial middle finger to the world. Even his first line in the film is something like, “F*** off.”

Soon he is introduced to a group of Christian missionaries who ask to rent his boat to take them to war-torn Burma to help the persecuted villagers. The contrast is incredible. You have these “pure-hearted” missionaries asking the browbeaten Rambo for help. At first he refuses knowing that they’ll all be raped and slaughtered, but the pretty girl of the bunch hits a nerve – maybe his last ounce of humanity – and he takes them. Well, as one might expect, things don’t go well for the missionaries. Soon, in an extremely graphic attack on the village, they are captured by the Burmese army. This has got to be probably one of the most intense scenes in the whole film – People are shot, women are raped, arms are chopped off, a kid gets a bayonet in the stomach, and children are thrown into fire. This kind of evil actually happens everyday in this hellhole of a country. The portrayal of this evil is intense and pours more fuel onto the fire. It helps knowing that Rambo will be giving it back to these evil bastards. After all, the movie is called Rambo.

To add a sense of realism to this film, gone is the one-man-army theme of previous installments. This time Rambo goes in with a group of mercenaries to rescue the missionaries. What follows is probably the most intense, gory, badass action film I have EVER seen. This film was most certainly Sly’s love letter to the fans. From the moment the action starts it doesn’t let up and the tension is, well, intense! Just knowing what these Burmese soldiers are capable of makes it even worse. The last half-hour of this film makes the previous installments look like Disney flicks. Can you say Saving Private Ryan x10? The violence makes the film feel all the more real.

Ever since I was a kid I have always admired Sly. The most awesome thing about him is that, in reality, Sly is nothing like the characters he portrays. He is first and foremost an artist. The characters that have made him famous were, for the most part, his own creations. He wrote their stories. As an aspiring screenwriter myself, it is fascinating to see an artist portray their alter ego on the big screen. Who hasn’t at one time or another wanted to let loose for the right cause. It’s in our blood.

Rambo is what an action movie should be – a full on, balls to the wall, adrenaline rush of an experience! There hasn’t been anything like it in a long, long time and it’s a welcomed change to the watered-down crap Hollywood’s been pushing down our throats lately. You know the type, the young stud of the week chasing after the evil computer hacker bad guy with tons of overused CGI. No thanks.

If this movie doesn’t bring action movies back to form I don’t know what will. Out of all the recent comebacks I must admit, Sly’s on top of the list and he hasn’t been on top of any lists, in a positive way at least, for over a decade. Leaving the theatre was a surreal experience. It felt like 1985 all over again. Did I just step out of a Delorean? Seeing the poster for the new Indiana Jones movie only served to further cloud my suspicions. That’s okay by me. Rambo’s back!

Verdict A-

Click HERE to visit RAMBO the movie official website.

Mark Derbas and he is the co-founder of the Common Grounds Writers’ Group. He is also a member of Got it Covered