Rambo

Directed by Sylvester Stallone

Written by Sylvester Stallone

Starring Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Matthew Marsden, Graham McTavish, Reynaldo Gallegos, Jake La Botz, Tim Kang, Paul Schulze & Maung Maung Khin

Warning: Contains spoilers for the Rambo series

"Live for nothing, or die for something," John Rambo

It took twenty years but John Rambo returned to the big screen for a fourth time in 2008 and it's even bloodier than last time.

What's it about?:

Twenty years have passed since John Rambo sorted out the mess in Afghanistan and now he's living the quiet life in Thailand working as a boatman. He is approached by missionary Michael Burnett who asks Rambo to help get his party into Burma on a humanitarian mission. He refuses to help them believing that their attempts will be futile but he is later persuaded by Michael's fellow missionary Sarah Miller to take them. The trip doesn't go well and when Rambo is forced to take down some pirates Rambo style Michael isn't impressed and tells him they won't need his help getting home. How wrong he is.

The humanitarian mission doesn't go well. People are slaughtered and most of the missionaries are taken hostage by the villainous Major Tint. After they fail to return their pastor asks Rambo to guide a group of mercenaries to where he left them.  As the mercenaries look on as a village of people is forced to take part in a cruel game that involves them running across a mine field Rambo reveals himself to be more than a simple boatman as he takes out all the soldiers single handed. With Rambo finally unleashed it's time for Burma to bleed as he pretty much takes on the whole country and kills the lot of them in one bloody crusade you won't forget.

The Verdict:

It's a return to form for the series and this is the strongest installment of the series since the original First Blood. This time around it isn't personal. Rambo has little at stake here and perhaps that detracts from the value of the story a bit but Rambo is a much grittier character this time around. This is a tale of a man that has tried to suppress his true nature only to fully embrace what he's really good at and then kill a heck of a lot of nasties. The body count is higher than ever and this is not a film for the fainthearted. There's blood and guts flying everywhere and Stallone pulls no punches as he slaughters Burma's evil army. The supporting cast are all great but this is very much Stallone's show. After a few bad years Rambo was Sly's second successful franchise return after Rocky Balboa and I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say it's good to have the big man back where he belongs.

Stallone in the Spot Light: 

Stallone is excellent in this film. He plays the haunted, aging Rambo so well. He almost matches his performance from the first film in the series and the performance doesn't falter even when he's gunning down half of Burma. It's great to see Stallone back at what he does best and he makes us really care for John Rambo.