Rambo: First Blood Part II

Directed by George P. Cosmatos

Screenplay by Sylvester Stallone & James Cameron

Story by Kevin Jarre

Starring Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Charles Napier, Steven Berkoff Julia Nickson and Julian Turner

Warning: This review contains spoilers for Rambo: First Blood Part II and First Blood

"Sir, do we get to win this time?" John Rambo

After deciding to drop the original ending to First Blood, in which Rambo is killed, a sequel was perhaps inevitable. So now it's time for First Blood Part II!

What's it about?:

Picking up where the first film left off Rambo: First Blood Part II finds our hero doing hard labour as punishment for his crimes. Luckily for Rambo his former commander Colonel Sam Trautman hasn't forgotten about him and offers him a way out of prison in exchange for carrying out one more mission. They need Rambo to go back to Vietnam and track damn some American P.O.W.s. Rambo is told by Marshal Murdock, the man in charge of the operation, that he is required to take pictures as proof that these P.O.W.s are actually there and that he must not attempt to rescue them. 

After parachuting into Vietnam and losing most of his equipment in the process Rambo joins forces with American agent and local woman Co-Bao to search for the American P.O.W.s. Once they find them all hell breaks loose and shit gets blown up again but it's even more hardcore than in the previous film with a much higher body count.

The Verdict:

The DVD of First Blood features an interview with Sylvester Stallone in which he describes the second film as more of a fantasy. That pretty much sums up the whole film. Where as the first film was largely grounded in reality First Blood Part II  is all action and over the top insanity. Perhaps America would have won the war in Vietnam if they'd been able to send John Rambo in alone with his trusty knife. First Blood Part II isn't a bad movie it just isn't in the same league as the original. But if you want to watch evil bastards get what's coming to them then it's the perfect movie for you. After only killing one person (accidentally) first time round Rambo isn't so restrained and he seems to take out half of Vietnam and the Russian army in a variety of gory ways. It's an enjoyable enough but never really reaches the quality of the original and lacks the emotional punch.

Stallone in the Spot Light:

Stallone is as watchable as ever but he's not really challenged as much this time. Rambo is not quite as well rounded this time out but Stallone brings enough to the role that you'll be rooting for him as he stabs, shoots and punches his way through Vietnam. Stallone is best known as an action movie star and that's what he excels at here. There's less room for emotion here but they manage to shoe horn in a couple of moments to let Sly flex his acting chops which he does fairly well. And they even fit in an impassioned rant about soldiers wanting their country to love them as much as they love it.