John Rambo

Rambo is without question a sick action movie and Stallone has proved himself again as an intense actor and as a solid director. This installment combines elements from all three previous movies but this one had a much more realistic feel. Yes some dialog is questionable and there are a few, albeit brief, scenes that don't quite work, but make no mistake, this movie takes no prisoners. Stallone slips back into the role with ease and his supporting players do an admirable job. Critics will whine as they always do about the excessive violence, gore and lack of story. (Stick to giving awful movies like The Skeleton Key thumbs up guys). The ironic thing is that Rambo actually gives a vivid and some would say accurate portrayal of war. It has a similar feel to Black Hawk Down and borrows its chaotic action. Rambo pulls no punches...It's brutality, violence and gore are rooted in reality. Gone is the "fun" action of 2 and 3. It is replaced with realism which amounts to some of the best and most intense action sequences I've ever seen. My only real gripe with the film was scenes that were sped up in post. (No big deal)

Finally, the integrity of the series as a whole has been kept in tact. Everything from the music, to the action to the character to the final scene. An extremely well crafted movie. Rambo/action fans will not be disappointed...And neither will the critics who rave about The Princess Diaries

A straight action film only Stallone could deliver. Nobody else could direct such an uncompromising pursuit of battle. The battle sequences of this movie are glorious and violent in a way that is special, a new extreme level of tension was achieved in my opinion and I don't say this in blind excitement.

This movie delivers a movie-high that is not often attempted. Movies usually hold back or simply fail at achieving visceral action and instead try to balance themselves between action, plot, drama, comedy, etc, and in many cases in modern films this only lowers the quality of the experience. The downfall of Rambo you could say is its small concern for character drama, indeed the scenes looking at the female lead and the mercenary group are pretty poorly acted (though this allows the scenes to focus on Stallone's disregard for their antics, it can get annoying to sit through).

The mercenary group's character were so over the top in acting however it came off like farce to me which was actually really entertaining, seeing their macho lines fall dead in the air, Stallone giving them no respect.

The battles were glorious even if the film has flaws, but it focuses on the battle as it should, and achieves glorious cinematic victory. Great experience.

I saw this at an advance screening in Oslo, and going in, I didn't expect it to be any more than a cheesy and somewhat gory tribute to eighties actioners by a star/director/producer/writer who was desperate to relive past glory. That latter may or may not be true, but my former assessment was plain wrong. This movie is authentic, shocking and unlike any other comparable movie.

Given its genre, the movie is a masterpiece. The story is simple but solid, and works on several levels. The action scenes are unparalleled, more intense than "Black Hawk Down", "Saving Private Ryan" and "Stalingrad" put together. The level of brutality and gore will shock and fascinate, and no doubt cause some level of controversy.

Stallone proves himself to be an excellent director, as well as in excellent shape for his age. I had little faith in him going in, and I stand corrected.

This is a Rambo who has come to terms with who and what he is, in a movie that holds up when compared with the original "First Blood". Well done, Sly. Well done indeed.

Just watch it, words don't justify it! People didn't believe Sly still had it, but they were so wrong. After the the great performance at Rocky Balboa I expected another great performance for him. But this was even better than I imagined. You don't have to be an Stallone fan to enjoy this movie. If you like action movies, this one is for you. A word of caution though, this isn't for the light hearted, there are some serious violence in this movie. I am gonna say this is one of the best action movies I have seen in a long time. But you don't have to take my word for it, just watch it. It's better than the previous Rambo films. Expcept for about 15 minutes in the middle, the whole film is action packed. You can't possibly be bored. If you hate action movie or if you have something against violence, this isn't for you. But if you are not, than sit back and enjoy the legend that is Rambo for one last time.

There isn't a dull second in this film. It is full of memorable & cinematic "moments" and packed with insane carnage, all with tourniquet-tight editing (Extended Cut only hits the end credits at just over 90 minutes). Even the slow start is almost serene, using the Apocalypse Now ever-flowing, insidiously slow but constant stream to lure us into a deeper part of our own selves. To deliver us, along with a group of believers, into a true hell on earth.

"Nothing does change. It's what is."

As my first viewing now since having seen the first three, I can appreciate the way this film mythologizes the character. This is done in part through School Boy's reverence, which adds a great counterbalance to the chemistry of the cast. We also revisit the human core of the first installment, from the dialogue scene in the rain to the close up of his knife sinking with the boat-symbolizing the indefinite struggle of a PTSD veteran who has to live with the heavy soul of his past. And the St. Francis prayer recited in the backdrop of the weapon-welding montage: a prayer of opposites, of contradictions, of embracing humility and forgiveness in the face of evil. A prayer of philosophical inquisition-an appeal directly to God to help one understand and navigate the world around us with greater wisdom and clarity. It is a fitting theme for John Rambo.

"Where there is darkness, light."

Granted, the film is not a cerebral one, but it has some fitting choices for mood and set up. The peaceful stream to doom is abruptly juxtaposed by a sheer brutality that is so extreme, it can really only be matched by the unrestrained amount of violence onscreen throughout the last act. Could Stallone have capitalized on this earlier mood and went with more stealth à la First Blood? Sure, but given how perfect the pacing is and the pointed catharsis of the film's setup & violent delivery, I find it quite forgivable how shamelessly the film forgoes drama and suspense, all without betraying character. In this way, Rambo truly is a staple barebones action film. A fitting peak in the series as a manifestation of his inner war.

The baddies are paper thin and one-dimensional, but the Tatmadaw Burmese militia being a real entity and perpetrators of genocide gives the antagonists weight. The solid score from Brian Tyler is built around Jerry Goldsmith's classic theme from the earlier installments, yet polished free of the 80s vibe (Battle Adagio stands out as John Rambo's new theme). Visually, the post-production CGI blood is poor and detracting. I don't know how much of that can be attributed to the feature's comparatively lower budget having been independently made by Stallone. Nonetheless, I admire the man's passion for the legacy that his films leave for his fans.

David Morrell, the writer of the original novel "First Blood", has said this is the closest in tone he has seen any of the movies get to the character he wrote. Personally, I think Rambo 4 has the best of both worlds: a sincere depiction of an aged Rambo and the over-the-top action, brutality, and thrills of Rambo II & III. I'd even say it is the best of all the Rambo movies.