It appears once a killing machine, always a killing machine. Even old age hasn't diminished John Rambo's murderous tendencies. Twenty years on and the one-time Green Beret is swimming in red blood again. Always more prepared to let his weapons do the talking, Rambo's return is so violent that there are more people killed than words of dialogue. But, as he grunts, "When you're pushed, killing's as easy as breathing." Though, during those times when the sexagenarian Rambo finds himself having to run through the Burmese jungle, killing seems a whole lot easier than breathing.
Proving more than just an exercise in nostalgia, there were enough good things about Rocky Balboa to justify Stallone's resurrection of his old character. And in Rambo there is sufficient evidence of why the gnarly Vietnam vet became such a popular figure in the first place. There will always be a place in filmgoers' hearts for larger than life heroes and, as crude and charmless as John Rambo is, there's no denying his base appeal.
When we meet up with him again he's enjoying a quiet life in Thailand, catching and selling snakes for a living. But this peaceful existence comes to an abrupt end when his services and boat are requested by a religious-based group of American doctors. They need him to take them into neighboring war-torn Burma so they can administer first aid to civilians suffering at the hands of the ruthless military regime. Following the army's massacre of one village's entire population, the Americans, which include the idealistic Sarah (Julie Benz), are taken hostage. So, guess who is asked to go and rescue them?
With the aid of a small group of mercenaries, led by the tightly wound Lewis (Graham McTavish), Rambo heads back into the Burmese jungle. The odds aren't in their favour. Half a dozen guys against more than a 100 heavily armed soldiers, but then that has taken into account the wrathful might of the man whose ethos is, "Live for nothing or die for something."
The graphic violence, with bodies exploding and limbs, intestines, and blood continually splattering across the screen, is stomach churning and not recommended for the feint of heart or anyone's who's just eaten, but for fans of Rambo, it's presumably why they came. And they, certainly more than the Burmese army, will be glad he's back.
Kevin Murphy
