Action Movie Review: Rambo (2008)
Sly Stallone Revamp of the Campy Vietnam/Apartheid Films of the 80's
Sylvestor Stallone reprises his role as John Rambo; a reluctant action hero with a penchant for violence. Julie Benz costars.
“Rambo” is Sylvester Stallone’s second attempt to revitalize a dying film career through recycling his successes in younger years. Perhaps a sequel to “Stop, or my Mom will Shoot” is in the cards. This comeback film will mostly be successful as a result of the camp value associated with a modern sequel to the visceral Vietnam and Apartheid movies of the 80’s. It’s unlikely that this entry will reinvent the genre, or even keep Stallone on the map for more than his additional fifteen minutes, but it should please fans of the original and those looking for some unintentional laughs.
A Rambo Plot?
The plot is simple. War Veteran John Rambo (Stallone) reluctantly assists and seeks out missing missionaries in Myanmar.
The Larger Than Life Action Hero Icon
John Rambo symbolizes the action hero of yesteryear. Men who existed in the shadows of unrealistic male Heroes constructed by Walt Whitman and John Wayne mythologies. These men are larger than life, tortured by the pain of the world, unaffected by emotional misgivings, and willing to risk their own life for the good of mankind. They clearly have a lot of time to dedicate to the gym, and invest a lot of money in baby oil for their chests.
As this mythic male image has long since died in a post "Fight Club"/ Marky Mark world, it makes the resurgence of this form of hero amusing and campy. As such, the film should succeed in amusing an educated audience, and likely placating the mechanic/tattoo artist crowd.
Amusing Character Development
We're treated to some very thinly painted characters with diametrically opposed political views in order to set up a very basic conflict not dissimilar to the ones set up in the “Anaconda” films. The symbolism of traveling down the river towards a murky ideology altering fate is likely lost on no one.
Stoicism is Rarely This Funny
The dialogue is typically male, and in attempting to be meaningful, comes across as laughably bad. It is ultimately the stoic Sylvester Stallone dialogue you've come to expect. "When pushed far enough, killing people becomes just as easy as breathing". Really Sly? Really?
Fans of Gratuitous Violence Should be Pleased
The violence is gratuitous, which is essentially what a Rambo audience would expect. There are slow motion explosions, limbs getting blown off, people blowing up into chunks, small children getting shot, closeups of people getting shot through the head with arrows. It's all there, and unrelenting.
Looks Much Like its Source Material
It would be difficult to argue that the direction and cinematography were unsuccessful in their efforts. Every frame of this movie is like a love-letter to the superior action films of two decades ago. However, suggesting that a film looks dated is rarely a compliment.
It's What One Would Expect From a Rambo Film
Audience members tired of the typical CGI-laden action films of late (Jumper) should enjoy this visceral retreat to war movies of the 80's. That said, Rambo is not a good movie. It is however successful in being exactly what it attempts to be. A Rambo movie. And as such, it should please a Rambo fan.
