Rambo (2008)
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Matthew Marsden
Synopsis:
After delivering a group of missionaries to a Karen village in Burma, John Rambo must guide a team of mercenaries hired to recover them after the village is attacked by the military.
Impressions:
It's rather impressive how Sylvester Stallone was able to turn his career around by reviving the two franchises that made him a household name. The Rambo series, much like the Rocky series, started out with grounded initial entries that became almost parodies of themselves over the course of the sequels, but this movie, much like 2006's Rocky Balboa, returns to a more grounded narrative. While the Rambo series is known for its violence, it's particularly gritty and visceral here. If you were curious what a .50-cal does to a human body at close range, get ready to find out. It's an unflinching look at what's sadly an understatement of some of the stuff that goes on in that part of the world. Interestingly enough, while you can imagine the Burmese government isn't a fan of the movie, it's apparently rather popular with the Karen people. I think it's well worth watching, but if you're in any way squeamish when it comes to graphic violence, you may want to steer clear.
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