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Boiling Point: Too Early to Talk Avatar?
LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR
LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR
RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!
That's my way of saying while your review is probably spot on, I'm still seeing this opening weekend because I'm a mindless, violence obsessed male aged 18-34.
LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOOOOOOOOOOOR!
but hey..the first 3 rambos didnt get good reviews...why should I listen now?? or I guess i could go see Juno...
But also, go see Rambo and come back and let us know what you think...
On second thought, don't.
Most people left the press-screening since "Juno" screened right before and that's what they were there for. I stayed till the end credits. When something sucks it just does and there is nothing you can do about it. CGI toy slaughters are not a dignifying exit for the man they call John Rambo. Go, see and sympathize...
And that was then.
In the meantime, the action genre as we knew it, is slowly dying amongst a plethora of wussy poor excuses. There’re some films trying to revive it and all, but the ultimate period for them was the 70s-80s. Those guys kicked posterior, and I mean real bad. No one can even stand up to them, not even the supposed superheroes. There sure is one relic named Jason Bourne, but he can only do so much. These bad guys are ruling the roost making action films for toddlers, and families, with fake explosions and hoping they could get the same share of audience as the next Drew Barrymore romance.
And that is now.
Well, John Rambo is back. And with him is Sylvester Stallone, who after successfully resurrecting Rocky Balboa, has made an absolute blinder of a film. This is action as it is supposed to be, gritty and no holds barred. Not fake, no Sir. Sock em up, Rambo style, in the guts. If you pass for a Rambo fan, and an action fan, you would find yourself thanking heavens. And I don’t see the film breaking into any new fans. We, meanwhile, have grown into adults, and it feels so has John Rambo for us giving a scale of violence Saving Private Ryan would have been proud of. The body count raked up is somewhere between Rambo III and Rambo II, but wouldn’t you be surprised when I tell you that Stallone has done it again – John Rambo is the best installment since, well, First Blood. And that is something, since there were two real killers in between.
The country is Burma, and John Rambo is living for nothing out there. Meanwhile human rights atrocities are setting new world records, as the Burmese army is crushing its way through the Karen territory. A group of missionaries turn up to this stranger, John, to ride them through the river, and help them serve lives. The Burmese are as bad as any bunch of villains have been in any action flick, with snarls, and grunts, and shrieks. But little do they know their worst nightmare is down, but not out. And when Rambo is pushed, let me tell you, killing is as easy as breathing.
There’re moments scattered all over the place, where the action junkie long dormant inside of you would want to exclaim in joy, and shout. Sitting in the fourth row from the screen, and although there were a few souls around, I gave it my howl. Come on, you get action this hardboiled only once in a while, and when it is bestowed on you, you got to be wise enough to savor every moment of it. Stallone amazes me with his physique. Throw away, in the nearest dumpster bear in mind (Environment Awareness Week), all the lingering doubts that he’s feels too old for this, or doesn’t look the part. He is as capable of throwing real hurting bombs, as throwing iron-melting stares. Not that he speaks all that often, as Rambo barely as lines, but the slurred speech still works wonders and can still intimidate a whole army of fake tough-guys. Because why? Because he’s the ultimate tough guy. Period.
What did I say though – this series is much more than rocking and socking the whole world, which it is, and in a superbig way. Scratch the first film, and you’ll find one of the best dramas about the soldier in war, and what he has to face. John Rambo is much more than your average action cutout; he is as psychologically complex as Jason Bourne. Maybe that is why Bourne rocks, for he seems to be an urban version of John Rambo. He is the ultimate man of action, and at its core is Stallone who has created a character believable at first, but at the same time larger-than-life and parody proof. In that, he’s similar to Eastwood’s the man with no name. Come to think of it, what kind of a name is John Rambo anyway. The kind of name that superheroes would be proud of, and the kind of name that creates legends out of it. Rambo sure is one, and Stallone furthers that here. He understands these characters he has created, he knows them, and he hits the bull-eye.
Stallone does understand too, what makes this series of his so dear to his fans. Remember he was co-writer on the first film. Between all the action, he creates quite nice moments with the character and his inner demons. Rambo has been the best at quelling them; he’s the classic crowd pleaser for he is a killing machine yet he has guilt inside him, and he is vulnerable. Stallone is often not given his due, for he’s a sublimely excellent filmmaker. His methods aren’t loud, they do not show off, and he’s one of the best narrators. He has this knack of pulling out sequences nothing of which seem to be false, yet when we sit back and think of them, we realize how easily they could have gone laughably wrong. This is old school action, and by that I mean almost all the action is clear, comprehensible and most importantly gut wrenching. The themes he touches, under the pretext of an action film, shouldn’t be lost track of. There is a hell of a lot of violence, and blood, but the film doesn’t seem to be reveling in it. And not that it shies away from it. It is criticizing it, and at the same moment we enjoy it, and that is what makes these movies so very special.
It was almost a year back when I watched Rocky Balboa, and reviewed it. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2008. It has been made at a comparatively lesser budget of $50 million. The studios should have had more faith in Stallone, and at 93 minutes I wanted it all the more to continue. How I wish I was a child to experience it all over again, anew.
One might wonder what made the legend stay back in the jungles of Asia, within the darkest confines of the heart. I guess John Rambo was waiting for someone to tell him that the mission is over. Little did he realize, all these years that the voice was within him. What that voice required was catharsis, and in a final shootout, which could easily be overlooked as mere turkey shooting, Stallone makes Rambo enjoy what he does best. And when he looks back at it, what he has done, he realizes it is time to go home.
We couldn’t have asked for a better journey. Stallone, take a bow.
Imagine my shock when I ended up thinking it was AWESOME. I gave it 4.5/5 on Screen Rant.
Yes, it was ugly and brutal, but it FITS. This was an awesome goodbye to the series.
Vic
''Rambo'' is to the series, what ''Rocky Balboa'' did to that franchise. A fitting and satisfying end.
Go rent Mean Girls, you worthless SOB.
1) women
2) children
3) chicken shit men who were never in a fight.
4) those nerd critics who whack off to movies like "ya ya sisterhood."
5) weak politicans who were never in a fight.
Those who would love the movie are:
1) Those who appreciate how hard it is to get in and stay in peak physical condition
2) Anyone who was in the military
3) Anyone who has been in a "few" streetfights
4) Anyone who ever put their life on the line for something other than themselves.
5) Anyone who appreciates good action films.
I loved the movie and anyone who doesn't should go change their panties. If you sit close enough to the screen and speakers in the theatre, your teeth will almost rattle from the explosions!
The movie is entertainment, and not meant to "enlighten" folks or make them feel warm and fuzzy.
I have been to that region of Asia and understand what a bitch it must have been to film in that enviornment.
Go see the movie and enjoy yourselfs!
What I like about this movie is that this movie showed the human side of Rambo like the first Rambo movie, First Blood. Not only that, it showed consideration to his to the fact that he is becoming vulnerable as a person perhaps as he ages.
I like this movie. I don't care what other people say.
Its good to cheer for a hero who in the face of no one doing anything or to powerless to do anything stands against the tide of brutality. Its simplistic sure but its 93 minutes so Ben Hur style story telling is not going to do here. If anything Rambo works because it is now the anti-action of movie of Hollywood. Instead of having an action movie where everyone is resentful about having to stand up and fight for something, or sending the message the the pacifists are the real heroes, or the war is hell and soldiers are pigs message; we have Stallone's Rambo. Remember Rambo is a Green Beret, the Green Beret's motto is liberate the oppressed. It is not suck down starbucks and give your 2.50 to Amnesty International. It would good to hear audiences cheer for an American hero who wasn't stupid, villainous, arrogant, bloodthirsty as Hollywood has come to critique them as.
What critics seem not to notice is that the character Rambo does not revel in the bloodshed. He doesn't fill up a hot tube full of it and light a celebratory cigar as for all the bloodshed. Rambo is just a soldier who comes to terms in the world and his role a soldier in all those past battles. I was glad to see Stallone send Rambo off in style and unapologetic about the character's past like so many other movies do begging the audience, actually the critics forgiveness for making a movie in the first place.
Grey Fox
comments and ill-timed attempts at making yourself look better by bashing the movie. I
watched the movie just yesterday and thought it was great. The gore was incredible along
with an ending that blows away most endings I have ever seen in a movie. How much are
they paying you? This website deserves its money back. You are a joke. An F? You have to
be a failed actor.
WELL let me tell you this movie scared the living HELL out of me. It is amazing to me that in the good ol USofA, that people STILL take everything for granted. I will ask you (the person who wrote this review) have you served your country, have you laid your life on the line for this country. OUT of almost ANY movie I have every seen NOTHING and I do mean NOTHING has EVER depicted this situation as it has been portrayed. I will say I am close to 50 years of age, and I will with certainty tell you that WHOEVER helped in the depiction of gore and carnage had seen in real life what was being portrayed. I will tell you that all of the carnage and depiction is 100% accurate, I know .... I have SEEN it. I was hoping to never have to see ANY of that stuff again until after the day I died, and someone put it on the screen, it scared the Hell out of me, I am still shaking from it. I ask the reviewer and anyone else who finds this a "fake" movie to just be a little patient and understanding. I would NEVER want anyone to EVER see anything like this. I thank "Mr Stalone" for this great movie, but I will never never let my wife and kids (who are grown) to have to ever see stuff like this or a movie like this. That is why I laid my life on the line so many years ago so that they would never have to.
Fact No2: For those that identify a bit too much with their celebrity heroes... Read this, it's scarier than the crack-open-a-neck scene:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a87066/sylv...
oh wah ah ah ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, I'm glad the image of villagers being thrown into flames and limbs being hacked off make you want to laugh. People like you are the reason why America is growing weak. You have no core beliefs. You have no honor. You write what you think the Abercrombie crowd will laugh at when you should be penning a letter of resignation.
Now, before anyone question my "manliness" for rating this movie anything but remarkably great, I've got a brother in Iraq at the moment and my youngest one is in basic training right now. Myself, I was turned down from the military as a result of being deaf in my right ear from birth. As for this movie even coming close to First Blood, no. Though that doesn't mean it isn't entertaining in its own right, its everything a Rambo should be, lots of mindless killing.
Any real action fan should enjoy this movie as much as I did.
Alternate Title:
Rambo-Forearms
Ram-Bore
This film had such a weak story line it could only be strung out for an hour and a quarter. It basically concerns a group of christian missionaries being held hostage in Burma, and Rambo, along with a group of mercenaries, being contracted by a Pastor to free them.
Rambo 4 is in stark contrast to the other Rambos where he muscle posed his way to self glory. In this film, however, he must have been too self conscious of his love handles and sausage veins that the central focus of Rambo, and his character as a whole for that matter, was his forearms.
The Burmese soldiers were portrayed as verminous killing scum who feed live people to pigs, and Sly even makes further propaganda swipes at Burmese generals by portraying the one in this movie as a raper of young boys.
The killing is so gratuitous and lustful, you wonder what kind of sick, sado-masterbatory audience could enjoy this snuff movie. Rambo manages to effortlessly kill everybody in every imaginable way, and would have encountered more resistance had the Burmese army been replaced by a bunch of grannies armed with knitting needles and balls of wool. And where the hell he manages to find , in the middle of the jungle, some kind of huge, thermo-nuclear device to detonate at short notice is any one's guess.
This abomination of a movie further insult by trying to add believability to this sado-wet dream, by allowing Rambo to get a slight nick from a bullet to his shoulder in the last minutes of the film, as he's mopping up the final remaining Burmese 'skittle' soldiers.
It was a pity Rambo's Kernel is no longer alive as he was the real star of the Rambo franchise and provided the only hint of class and proper acting.
Anyone claiming this was just a bit of fun should watch again the actual footage of the suffering of the Burmese people shown at the beginning of this film, appreciate how Sly has tried to glorify himself at their expense, and then should proceed straight to the doctors and have their brains checked out for advanced syphilis.
Sure, Stallone has a face that looks like it's been chiselled from granite, but the first scene during the film when he brings the ol' trusty compound bow into action was one of the finest sub-action scenes I've seen in a film for a while, and from that point it only gets better. The Rambo theme music brought shivers running down my spine during the opening scenes, and Stallone has done a masterful job with this film.
The violence in the film equals anything that 'Apocalypto' or 'Saving Private Ryan' have to offer, but the violence is never glorified.
I give it a 9 out of 10 for sheer grit, action, simple quiet moments that Stallone chose to leave in the mix to emphasise other scenes showing brutality of what life would be like under the brutal regimes in Burma, and an understated ending that leaves you hoping Rambo will find the peace that his character deserves. If you were in a god-forsaken jungle somewhere with native soldiers after you, there's no-one else you'd rather have on your side than John R.
Here, we have Mr. Killing Machine who kills everything. Action is great past the intro. Build is up good too. This movie isnt suppose to have a thick story line. There is bad guys, and you kill the bad guys. Simple. Its just complicated because they added the stupid religious people. Which I thought was a nice touch.
Action hands down is great. Its non stop. Doesnt give a person much time to think or analyze the situation, unless your Rambo, who is the God of Death.
Anyone who doesnt like this movie should grow a pair of balls and be sent to berma.
Remember that we live in an era of globalisation in which everything seems to be fake, takin' action movies for example, they just dont possess the momentum, originality, and timelessness like many from 70's 80's and 90's (to a certain point) used to have. That's why I would give it an A+, out of sheer thrill and enjoyment and more over for watching this pearl of somehow forgotten (real and I do mean REAL) action-genre. All thanks to the complete success in depicting, visualizing and finally, evoking the genuinity of the Rambo trademark.
Yep, back then movies like Rambo, Rocky, Indiana Jones, Star Wars and many many more really had a much deeper impact on spectators. You would exit the cinema smiling and you would fo' sho never forget movies like the above-mentioned. Now just ask yourself what movie that we have all seen recently (in this action-sci-fi-and-what-not genre) has had this deep, prolonged genuine effect and timelessness impact like good "old" movies had. None, and what's worse things aint gonna be changing. It's not the (don't) know-how nor the lack of inspiration and market demand. It's the time we live in, it just passes with such rapidity for us bystanders that prety much everything loses its real value.
"Pointless" is the much sought-after word for this world and this era.
"Genuine" would be a word for Rambo saga.
the average working man doest go to movies looking for meanings and messages from filmmakers that is what we go to church for. i sick of hollywood -we dont even have a descent action heroes from the USA anymore.
You d be surprised to know the average american male just loves violent escapism. Hollywood is so out of touch with the real men in america it isnt even funny. kudos to stallone!!! if he does another Rambo ill be there for that one too.