A recent report shows that 236 total people are seen dying on screen in writer/actor/director Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo, the fourth film in the John Rambo franchise and the first time he has been seen on screen in 20 years following 1988’s Rambo III. The kill count of 236 is 104 more people than you see dying in Rambo III, 167 more than Rambo II and 235 more people than we saw killed in the first Rambo. Unfortunately I don’t have a count on how many people died by having their head completely blown to pieces, because if there is any one thing to point out about this fourth Rambo it is the head shots and I don’t say that as a complaint.
Rambo is for one kind of moviegoer and one kind of moviegoer only. If you enjoy a simple storyline that is held together by a thread and completely overshadowed by the amount of violence then buy your ticket now because that is what you get and nothing more. Rambo is an absolute balls out assault featuring an aging Stallone as our lead character and an effort by the co-writer, director and star to also raise awareness of the atrocities going on in Burma and it doesn’t hold anything back.
Following about a three minute introduction depicting real life events and goings on in Burma featuring decomposing bodies, kids being killed and just about anything you could possibly imagine we are thrown into the jungle and introduced to Rambo living a life of seclusion in the jungle as a boat man for hire. His services are called upon by a group of human rights workers hoping to head directly into Burma using the river since the roads and pathways are too dangerous thanks to the threat of land mines and the nasty Burmese military who isn’t against killing folks, something you are reminded of constantly. Of course, things go awry, and soon Rambo, along with a group of mercenaries, is forced to head back into the jungle to save the captured missionaries.
Stallone’s approach to Rambo was an attempt to find an actual place where real life and death situations were being played out on a day-to-day basis and media coverage was at a minimum and bring light to the atrocities and hopefully increase awareness of the situation. While the film certainly lets you know things aren’t good over there I am not sure it fully realizes its enemies as much as it simply paints them as assholes that need to die.
The film is listed at 93 minutes long, but about 10 minutes of that is end credits and the first 15 minutes or so are nothing but tedious and boring. The setup for this film is an exercise in stick-to-itiveness, a word I enjoy using when I know something worthwhile is on the horizon, and once you get passed the montage of the three previous Rambo films this film doesn’t slow down. Once the missionaries are captured the film becomes an endless bloodbath and for fans of violent action films this one couldn’t be any better as it delivers on every level. Whether Rambo is ripping throats out, shooting people from close range with a gun that actually cuts down trees or if you are treated to long sniper rifle shots and close combat gut slashing you are certain to get your fill of blood, guts and violence.
A lot of the violence is the entertaining hard-R Hollywood goodness; some of it is the actual portrayal of the killing of kids and the raping of children. Stallone doesn’t shy away from a certain level of reality in this film as he once again mixes the fun of Hollywood movie magic with a message of “help the people”. I enjoyed myself for the most part, but if any of what I said sounds like it will bother you then I suggest you think twice because none of it is done lightly. If you are a fan of kick ass jungle warfare violence you will be cheering and smiling like I was, otherwise you will be hiding your face.
*Here is the source of those kill stats I mentioned.
