John Rambo

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.

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.

Take the first 20 minutes of "Saving Private Ryan" - with soldiers limbs being shot off at the D-Day landing at Omaha Beach, add some magnificent jungle scenery and action a la "Tears Of The Sun, and put it all in " Blackhawk Down" mode with gunfire dominating the film....and you have the latest Rambo movie.

Hey, I knew it was going to be a tough, adventure story but this was a shock. I've never seen so many heads blown off, limbs blasted away with blood spurting out and holes blasted in the middle of chests and stomachs in one movie in my life.....and it's only 81 minutes long! (The last dozen minutes are ending credits.) Man, this is almost non-stop action and suspense/ Yeah, a bunch of it is overdone but overall, it still was an entertaining movie.

I know it sounds like some dumb Texas Chainsaw Massacre-type thing, but it wasn't despite the mayhem. There actually was a small story with a decent message about making your life stand for something. "Rambo Gets A Conscience" could be another title to this movie.

However, if you are the least bit squeamish about bloody violence, you better skip this movie. If you enjoy a good action movie and don't care if it gets a little gross in spots, this is your cup of tea......in spades. If you have any hostility in you, after 80 minutes of watching this, it should be gone.

After an absence of 20 years, Sylvester Stallone's "John Rambo" comes back to the screen. Rambo is the kind of guy you don't want on your college debate team but he's a number one draft choice on the field of battle. He's a man of few words and a lot of testosterone. With veins popping out of his arms like a 25-year-old bodybuilder, Stallone looks more juiced than Barry Bonds but at least it makes him look the part, even if he does have bags under his eyes. I liked Stallone's comeback in the recent "Rocky Balboa" better, but this was still an entertaining flick.

The middle-aged John Rambo was more realistic than the male missionary, "Michael Burnett," who was a bit obnoxious for who he was playing. I've met a number of missionaries and none of them act or sound like this guy, but that's the film world for you. The guy with the Australian accent who was the "leaders" of the mercenary group was a bit over-the-top and cartoon-like with the profanity. With him, and the Burmese rebel leader, you had no probably identifying who the a-holes were in this movie, and who were the good guys. They weren't too subtle about that. Then again, the action scenes weren't too subtle, either - but it was entertaining, in a sick sort of way.

One last thing that everyone should agree with: this was nicely filmed, with fantastic jungle scenery. Kudos for cinematographer Glen MacPherson and director Stallone for some incredible shots. I cannot imagine how good this must look on a high-definition disc.

Rambo is an 80s-style action movie with modern sensibilities. Stallone is not a one-man army as in previous movies but rather a dogged old soldier that comes to terms with what he actually is while racking up a body count that would make Tarintino proud. In many ways, this movie parallels Rocky Balboa as a mature ending to a series of sometimes over-the-top but fun action movies. John Rambo in this movie is an aging but potent killing machine that for the first time since First Blood accomplishes his mission in a very believable manner. The action is visceral and downright gory at times surpassing the hard-core scenes of Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan. The film pulls no punches when showing exactly what a Barret .50 caliber sniper rifle can do to a human body. Stallone mutters only a very few lines of dialog in this movie... there's no speeches or patriotic flag waving going on here but there is a clear lesson on how well liberal idealism holds up under barbaric realities amid genocide and war.

A must see but not one for the kiddies.

This movie was significantly more gorey than the previous ones and I like that a lot! After a long pause of Rambo films, John Rambo is back and better than ever. It had great action scenes and nice overall directing. This part is my favorite of the 3 before this one for sure, and I recommend it.