# John Rambo



## SteveCallas (Apr 29, 2006)

After the boring letdown that Rocky Balboa (and I'm a HUGE Rocky fan) turned out to be, and finding out that the fourth Rambo installment would take place in Burma instead of dealing with Muslim extremists, my expectations were quite low for this film. Then I watched the trailer.

HOLY ****!!! :rubeyes::hail::bigsmile::demon::jump:

He cuts off a guy's head, disintegrates another guy at point blank range with multiple 50 caiber rounds, rips a guy's adams apple out, drops a guy with his bow and arrow right onto a land mine, and cuts open another guy's stomach......and this is just what's shown in the trailer :clap: The sheer ultra violence from the trailer is actually quite refreshing in a strange sort of way, as you don't really see stuff like this anymore, not since 80's action films. He looks to be taking this film pretty seriously, harkening to the huge worldwide success that was First Blood Part II in which he heads back to Vietnam and methodically racks up a killcount just under triple digits. Stallone has just redeemed himself in my eyes from Rocky Balboa, and I haven't even seen this movie yet. 

As a side note, the last film I actually went to a theater to see before Rocky Balboa was White Noise, as I had decided after that that home theater was much more enjoyable. This film -John Rambo - will be the absolute last film I ever go to a movie theater to see. 

Oh, the link :R

John Rambo
(viewer discretion is advised)


----------



## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

Wow!

Yeah... quite gory, but it's one I'll have to watch. Rambo was always one of my favorites.


----------



## SteveCallas (Apr 29, 2006)

Here's to hoping the studio doesn't fold under the pressure as this gets closer to relase and tone down the violence. With what is shown just in that trailer, I can already see several news reports, talking heads, columnists, and "concerned parents" coming down hard on this film. Whadd'ya say John?


----------



## Jerm357 (May 23, 2006)

This movie looks awesome. I have been looking forward to it for a while. Your right they realy dont make movies like this any more, what a shame. I loved 80's movies, they were the best. I realy hope they dont dumb down the violence, but hey if they do Im sure we will be offered a uncut DVD version. So when is the bad boy's release date?


----------



## MrPorterhouse (Jul 29, 2006)

That's the Rambo that "First Blood" hinted at. I loved First Blood, so I hope this one is even better.


----------



## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

Stallone said in an interview that looking back he realizes that the '80s was a decade of excess and that in several ways he sold out to the big money and Hollywood machine.

There was a time when Stallone was talked about and compared with the likes of De Niro and Pacino. Now looking back he has realized his career in some ways is almost a parody of himself and the action genre.

He said that he wanted to end Rocky right and with the same feel as the first movie. Although I don't think it is anywhere near the caliber of Rocky, admittedly I did feel it was a better entry and movie than the previous three, and I really enjoyed Rocky Balboa.

Rambo- Unlike Rocky, Stallone did not create the original story and character. He was initially brought in to rewrite the screen play (at one time he really was taken that seriously and respected in Hollywood). They also offered him the part but he said he wasn't interested but said he would do the rewrite. The more he rewrote the screenplay the more he began to like the character, and decided to take the role.

Rambo was very different in the book and original screen play than what we ended up seeing on the big screen. Just as Rocky was originally a nasty guy and actually did break bones for Gazzo, Rambo was a very violent individual once set off. The original script had him not only shooting up the town, but sniping police and town people as they ran for cover. In the end of the book and original screen play when the police kill Rambo, it's almost a sigh of relief.

Stallone knew as he did with the rewrite of Rocky that he needed to humanize the character and make people want to sympathize with him. As in the first Rocky movie, First Blood worked. The subsequent sequels for both franchises became cartoonish and almost super hero myth.

In the same interview Stallone talked about Rambo, and I have to admit I was skeptical about a 60 year old playing Rocky and Rambo again. Stallone may not have created the character or wrote the original novel, but he did write the screen play for all three movies, so he has a personal attachment to Rambo just as he does towards Rocky. He stated that this time around he is taking it back to the source and to expect a much more brutal Rambo. He also said the look and feel of the movie will (his hopes) be like Apocalypse Now than the two preceding movies.

I really like Stallone, actually I think I like him as a writer best, but like De Niro, there were roles that only Stallone could have pulled off. I think both Stallone and De Niro are best at playing certain character types, but they do it well. I see Stallone as a person that is doing a lot of self reflection right now and regrets some of the path he chose. More than anything I believe he wanted to be a respected actor and writer. Looking back on his body of work there's excess and commercialism in the 80's, and as mentioned even an almost self parody of the genre he helped create. He's 60 now and wants to reclaim some glory and in a way I'm sure apologize for some of the mistakes he has made when money took over as the driving factor in his career. (Over the Top and Stop or My Mom will Shoot anyone, and don't forget Rhinestone as well as others) 

I think he knows that he will probably won't become a world class director like Eastwood has matured into, and Rocky Balboa as well as John Rambo are his last chance to try and regain some respect and bring those two character's and stories back to their roots. 

Personally, I think he is a bit late to be rethinking and redoing these characters, and he will go back to writing and directing (he directed Rocky II, Rocky Balboa, and John Rambo among his better efforts). Although I don't see him as another Eastwood, I think this is where he will gain the respect that always seemed to allude him. I don't mean that disrespectful, he certain is a Hollywood legend, I just think he got type cast and people don't know about his writing ability.

He went from a minor bit part in The Lords of Flatbush and a dead end career that he almost quit, to winning an Academy Award for Rocky in 1976. When a person does something like that right out of the gate, it is always hard to live up to that expectation. Just ask Affleck and M. Knight about that... I for one hope he does pull this off and now since his two defining characters are finally given closure, he can move on and start writing new characters and stories- perhaps even writing a screenplay and finding an actor that will become the next mega action star.


----------



## Wayde (Jun 5, 2006)

RAMBO!!! I love it!

Rambo: “If I’m going into Burma there’s one thing you better bring. Plenty of body bags.”

I actually liked Rocky Balboa. I liked the first Rambo and it was cheesy but the sequels were too much, I don’t know if I even saw them all.

Stalone is a great actor though! Ever see Cop Land? He could have been up there with DiNiro easy with that performance. 

Although I really liked your post about Stalone, wbassett … I don’t know how I feel about that interview you describe. It seems somehow wrong for Stalone to harbor regrets about his career. I suppose he can have whatever he wants, he’s the one who has to live with himself. But I don’t think he has the power to regret it. 

I would think one can only regret what one controls. Roles we get in movies are hardly something that have so many other considerations than how they’ll look to us in 20 years that it’s a bit … something not good … to stand at the twilight of your career and look back and say you regret these specific things. But I suppose people do it all the time. 

Stalone could have easily been forgotten at any point in his career. How many talented actors are out there languishing in the wings waiting to be discovered but never will? How many mediocre talents will continue to flourish because they have the right backing somewhere or are willing to collect future regrets.

I find it difficult to feel sorry for Stalone. I think he’s had an amazing career. Sure he did some forgettable movies but he’s a talent and always able to carry a scene.


----------



## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

Wayde said:


> Although I really liked your post about Stalone, wbassett … I don’t know how I feel about that interview you describe. It seems somehow wrong for Stalone to harbor regrets about his career. I suppose he can have whatever he wants, he’s the one who has to live with himself. But I don’t think he has the power to regret it.


Stallone has become rather candid as he ages. He has done several interviews where he would poke fun at some of his stinker money days flicks and he did even say that sometimes he regretted getting all caught up in the whole Hollywood commercialism.

He did an extended interview/Questions&Answers on AinitCool.com where he started with a very candid interview, and then for twenty days he answered ten questions a day, on any topic. Harry over at AintitCool sorted through the questions first and then sent them to Sly, who surprisingly had responses to all of them usually the next day. They weren't all softball questions either, and Stallone showed a great sense of humor as well as a lot of insight into writing and making movies. He did express some regrets at some of the things he has done and wished he would have done a few things differently.

I didn't mean to sound like he regretted his entire career, he is very proud of Rocky and has an almost equal amount of endearment for Rambo. 

I actually ended up liking him even more after reading his Q&A session and some subsequent interviews where he was very open and seemed honest about acting, writing, and life in general.



 Wayde said:


> Stalone could have easily been forgotten at any point in his career. How many talented actors are out there languishing in the wings waiting to be discovered but never will? How many mediocre talents will continue to flourish because they have the right backing somewhere or are willing to collect future regrets.
> 
> I find it difficult to feel sorry for Stalone. I think he’s had an amazing career. Sure he did some forgettable movies but he’s a talent and always able to carry a scene.


I agree, he has had a long career and he also writes a lot of his movies, or has direct say in script rewrites. Driven for instance, why Indy cars? Well Stallone is huge over seas and Indy racing is the big thing over there not Nascar. He knew what was more marketable.

I don't feel sorry for him, and I didn't take it that he felt sorry for himself either. He did sound like he had some regrets about certain things, but other things he was very proud of. Rhinestone and Stop or my Mom will Shoot are two that he really jokes about and tears himself apart with "What was I thinking?!" humor.

He seems genuine and relaxed now too. I think what he says he means, and I think we will see some very good movies from him as a mature writer and probably Producer/Director. 

My Point/Counter Point is yes I do think he was sincere and regretted some of his movies, but others he is not ashamed of in the least. I think it takes a very mature person to reflect on things and say "You know what? I should never have done that movie!"

I'll check out the John Rambo trailer after work, and I hope he does pull this off and it's in the style of Apocalypse Now.

I did say


> I think he knows that he will never become a world class director like Eastwood has matured into, and Rocky Balboa as well as John Rambo are his last chance to try and regain some respect.


and that was my personal opinion. Certainly Stallone is a respected Hollywood commodity, but he seems to miss the feeling he had early on in his career when he first started. That was one reason he took the role in CopLand and put on the weight, he wanted to show he wasn't just a one dimensional actor like so many like to label him as. Few people even know that he is a very accomplished writer, and when you take that into consideration, it does add another depth to his career.


----------



## SteveCallas (Apr 29, 2006)

Over the Top a mistake? Them is fighting words :R Seriously, I love that movie - I was waiting for years for that to finally make it to dvd (now if only No Retreat No Surrender would follow suit raying.

He did make some poor films, but the great ones *far* overshadow them in my opinion. The training scenes from Rocky IV permanently burned themselves in my head as a kid and provide a constant source of motivation for my own training. First Blood II is the epitome of a kick booty action movie - it's been 22 years and nobody has come anywhere close to touching it. If not for Jason Statham, all action movies would stink nowadays. Stallone's got nothing to be ashamed of and a whole **** of a lot to be proud of. ****, he's temporarily broken my vow not to go to theaters again - twice. That's something to be proud of right there


----------



## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

Steve I loved Tango and Cash, Sly wasn't too fond of that one either during his Q&A session. He also joked and made some comments about Oscar, which I also liked... didn't love it, but certainly didn't hate it.



> Stallone's got nothing to be ashamed of and a whole **** of a lot to be proud of. ****, he's temporarily broken my vow not to go to theaters again - twice. That's something to be proud of right there


Same here, my wife and I went to see Rocky Balboa, and I can't remember the last movie I went to see, I think it was Spiderman 2, before that... I can't remember, maybe Highlander Endgame. So in the course of a year he'll have gotten me out to the movies two times when I go see John Rambo. 

After this, I hope he starts doing more stuff like CopLand.


----------



## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

Would you guys (particularly Steve) like me to take post #11 forward and start a thread titled "Movie Theaters vs. Home Theater" ... :huh: It's actually pretty good conversation to me, but it's off the topic of John Rambo for others who might want to chime in.


----------



## SteveCallas (Apr 29, 2006)

That would be fine with me.


----------



## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

Here we go... for those interested.

Let's keep this one on the topic of John Rambo... :T


----------



## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

My wife and I watched the teaser trailer in the first post, and I was surprised when she said "That looks pretty good." She's not an action fan by any means so that came from left field for sure.

After watching it I am definitely going to be going to the theater when it comes out, but I wouldn't say this is going to be another 'Apocalypse Now' like Sly made a reference to. 

Was it me or did anyone else get the vibe that Rambo might not make it through this one? I'm not sure why but I just got a vibe that he rescues the people but dies in the end. In a way that would be the most fitting ending to the saga and a very smart move on Stallone's part. Going out in a blaze of glory like Sailor and Blaster did in Uncommon Valor. In fact, maybe I'll do that one for my next review.


----------



## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

Wow, I still remember seeing First Blood part II. I was probably about 7 or 8 years old, and saw it at a birthday party I think. That was near the height of my "I want to be a commando" phase, and it blew me away. Plus the knife is one of those movie icons that you'll always recognize. I will see this one in the theatre for sure.


----------



## SteveCallas (Apr 29, 2006)

I've got a replica of the knife from First Blood Part II and I always keep it on my nighstand while I sleep.....just in case addle:


----------



## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

Well I just got the movie, and all I can say is this is a movie that shows war and inhumanity down and dirty and real. No gloss and glitz like Rambo II and III. 

Also age really has nothing to do with this movie. Rambo is a lost sole and in some ways barely even human anymore. He still has some compasion left in him, which is the only thing that keeps him in the human race, but he is war plain and simple... it's all he knows and he realized a long time ago he could never fit back into our society.

Some say the volience is too graphic, true this is a volient movie but it's not totally volience for the sake of volience- it is graphically real and disgusting, just like it really is. Some say there was no plot, but this kind of movie isn't a character piece, it's a statement about Burma and what is going on there for real. 

In the special features they said Stallone wanted to watch the movie without music to see how it played on its own. The conclusion by everyone was it wasn't a movie, it was disgusting and too realistic so they actually toned it down a little, re-edit some scenes, and added the composition to make it more 'movie like'.

The ending... I'm still debating on whether it was good/realistic or just playing on familiar themes from the first movie, but overall Stallone did what he promised in his candid online interviews, he took the character and feel back to the roots of the first movie.

I would be interested to see what the author of the book, which ultimately became the first Rambo movie had to say about this, but I think he would be pleased with it, especially after the last two Hollywood bloated messes. Don't get me wrong, Rambo II was a rush and a great popcorn flick, but it, as well as III forgot what this character really was and it was more about stunts and bare chested flexing. 

Rambo is bloody alright, but what would anyone expect it really would have been like going into that Burma camp? The mercs kept it realistic in the sense he wasn't all alone, and this time it was only 100 'soldiers' not an entire army like Rambo II and III. Also, half the soldiers were probably hung over from the night before, and none of them would really have been trained like our soldiers. As graphic as this movie was, they ommitted something but I can understand why. In real life, Julie Benz's character Sarah would have had unspeakable things done to her, and it probably was best to just leave that aspect out.

This movies definitely isn't for everyone, but it also isn't just for the die hard Rambo fans either.


----------



## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

OK, I'll have to make sure I see this one now, because somehow it slipped through while it was in theatres and I didn't make it out to watch it. I think it will probably make a good rental though, especially if the disc has a good sound mix, because war movies have a lot of potential to sound great in HT.


----------



## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

Owen Bartley said:


> OK, I'll have to make sure I see this one now, because somehow it slipped through while it was in theatres and I didn't make it out to watch it. I think it will probably make a good rental though, especially if the disc has a good sound mix, because war movies have a lot of potential to sound great in HT.


I watched this the other day and I have to say it is the most war graphic film I have seen since Saving private Ryan..........:unbelievable:


----------



## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

tcarcio said:


> I watched this the other day and I have to say it is the most war graphic film I have seen since Saving private Ryan..........:unbelievable:


It's been awhile since I've seen Private Ryan, but from what I recall, the beginning was brutal, and at the end when the German ruthlessly knifes the American solder- that was extremely intense. Other than those scenes, it wasn't non-stop like Rambo was.

Stallone said he wanted to take it 'back to the roots', and even stated this would be more like Apocolypse Now than the last two Rambo movies. From reading his interviews I got the impression that he also wanted to depict war as war and show how horrific it really is. In that sense he accomplished his job and then some.

Many military members have commented on how realistic this movie portrays the weapons and exactly what type of damage they actually inflict.

For anyone that blew this movie off because 1 It is a Stallone flick, and 2 It's another Rambo flick, and 3 Stallone's age... this definitely is nothing like the last two movies, especially the comic book mess that Rambo III was. Give it a chance, but only if you don't mind seeing carnage at its most realistic. 

Also check out the special features, it really gives some more insight as to what's going on over there. Maung Maung Khin who plays Major Pa Tee Tint was actually one of the rebel fighters in Burma and said by doing the movie his life was actually put in jeapordy. I have read where some people felt the 'bad guys' were a bit too vicious and too easy to hate. Seeing that Khin was actually part of things in real life it gives a little more insight into things and how nasty the Burma military is. Just something to think about while watching the movie.


----------



## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

I just picked up the Bluray version. 

They 'almost' got this one right as far as format goes. By that I mean the two disc special SDVD edition is $22.95 and the Bluray version, which has all the same special features as the two disc SDVD version was $24.95... $2 difference. That enticed me to buy the BD version since the price was so close. I originally rented this flick and knew I wanted to buy it, the question was in what format.

HD DVD was (and still is) an easy decision because I have an HD DVD player down stairs as well as in my bedroom. Down it's connected to a 1080p HTDV, up to a 26" 720p HDTV. Any HD DVD I can watch downstairs I can also watch upstairs in the bedroom, and on the smaller screen it looks just fine (not quite as good, but better than SDVD). With Bluray I don't have that flexibility because I only have a BD player downstairs.

One thing that attracted me to the BD version over the SDVD was not just the close cost, but the Bluray package included a second disc that contains a digital copy of the movie that can be played on a PC through media player as well as another even more compressed copy for an Ipod.

Has anyone else checked out the digital copy yet?

It is 1.5MB in size and in wmv format. There is a serial number included that you have to enter before it will copy to your hard drive.

Bluray really missed the boat if you asked me. HD DVD was offering dual disc format a long time ago (HD DVD on one side and SDVD on the other for some movies) and it is far superior to this method.

The video isn't bad, probably along the lines of what I would call a brand new pristine VHS movie, but certainly not even close to DVD quality. The movie itself doesn't look too bad, but any text and the title sequences have a lot of artifacting and jitter in the text, as does any scenes with hard lines in them.

I'm not trying to re-ignite any format frenzy here, just saying this isn't as much of a big deal as the studios make it sound. Sure they are 'letting' us watch a movie we paid for in another room in our house as long as it is on a MAC or PC and has the right software. Really though, what would have been the harm to have put just an SDVD copy of the movie on the second disc? They went to all the trouble of putting two discs in the set, why not just put it in a format that anyone could play in any room in their house that has a DVD player?

This is where I feel Sony and the BD consortium just doesn't get it. They want to reinvent the wheel at every turn and the round wheel we have is just fine. They would do better at winning people over with a dual format (BD on one side SDVD on the other) like HD DVD was doing... or if they go to the trouble of two discs... just put the movie on the second disc, no need for menus or special features.

I'm not totally upset because I can at least watch it upstairs now too, but honestly... when Block Buster has it for a 2 for $20 sale I'll probably pick up an SDVD copy too. This is okay at best, but not what I am used to watching on DVD.

I'll give the pricing scheme an 'A' for making the two close enough that I bought the BD version- I'll give the concept a 'B' only because it restricts you to watching it in a room with a computer, and finally the execution a 'D' because there really is no reason for us to have to watch something less than DVD quality. Honestly... I probably would have paid upwards of $29 for a BD version that also had an SDVD version included as well...


----------



## muzz (Nov 30, 2006)

I was at Target the other day, and the price of this one was reasonable (24.95 I think), but it was OOS.
I usually look through all the discs when I go to these stores, and buy the interesting ones that are marked down only.
I could easily order discs online, but don't really feel like it, as I like to watch them right when I get home...
Stupid, I know......

I will be going back there to see if it is available later on today.

Prices of the average BD are still way to high IMO.


----------

