“Rambo” is an extremely gory movie with body parts flying in all directions as people are shot or blown up by landmines. So I wonder at its R rating. Is the graphic violence supposed to replace the physical stunts Sylvester Stallone can no longer do at 61? The script, which Stallone co-wrote, calls for Rambo to do a lot of running through the jungle, sneaking around in the rain and shooting a very big machine gun. He does not, for example, fight crocodiles, leap from cliffs or get into any fistfights. However, we do get to see him outrun the blast from a claymore mine that appears to have the explosive power of a small nuclear bomb. Stallone steps easily into the role of John Rambo, pulling the mantle of a man comfortable with killing over his shoulders as easily as putting on a pair of old shoes.
This time around, the story takes place in Burma and director Stallone takes great care to illustrate the violence and genocide that has kept this country embroiled in civil war for 58 years. A group of missionaries, including Sarah (Julie Benz) persuades Rambo to take them upriver from Thailand to a Burman village. After they arrive, the village is attacked by a sadistic colonel and his army and the missionaries are captured. Soon Rambo and a group of mercenaries are off on a rescue mission. Rambo has not changed in the last 20 years, but he has come to terms with his killer instinct. And for those Rambo fans, this movie will not disappoint. (1/29/08)
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