Plot
John Rambo now lives a peaceful life in Thailand, having received his pardon for assisting the retrieval of the POW’s in Vietnam.
He is approached by Sam Trautman and a government official to assist the Mujahideen tribe in Afghanistan – as the Soviet/Afghan war has intensified. He declines, rather spending his days in harmony.
When he discovers that Trautman has been taken hostage while on the mission, Rambo decides to venture into war once again to free his friend.
Direction
Directed by Peter MacDonald – which this is his directorial debut.
Cast
Returning to the franchise are Sylvester Stallone and Richard Crenna as Rocky and Trautman.
New cast member is Kurtwood Smith in a brief role at the start.
Late actor Marc de Jonge played Zaysen – the primary antagonist,
Breakdown
This film once again finds John Rambo “at peace” albeit this time he has his freedom, living in solitude in Thailand, and competing in the occasional fight so he can help give funds to the monastery he lives at. It is also a starting example of Stallone showing off his incredible physique that continues through almost 100% of the film.
Trautman once again comes to Rambo, and requests his help. This time it is to assist the US in getting supplies to the Mujahideen peoples in Afghanistan – (as the film was set during the tense Afghan/Soviet war). Rambo declines, and not long after Trautman himself is captured by the Russians, and held hostage by big bad Zaysen.
Once John discovers Trautman is being held captive, that’s when he changes his mind. This is where the film gets slightly repetitive, and it is all about John’s ‘one man’ army.
I did enjoy the heart that the film had, especially John’s time with the Mujahideen tribe, who tell him of the wars that they have been subject to thanks to the Soviets, and his slowly being accepted by them, playing games etc (only for the horrors of the war to be shown to him first hand immediately after!).
I also loved the banter between Rambo and Trautman, as we have seen the two in three films together now – we really see them as good friends, and it is heartwarming to read that Stallone and the late Crenna were good friends too.
One thing I found disappointing was the lack of Zaysen/Rambo tension – as the bulk of the animosity and antagonism from Zaysen was directed at Trautman. In one brief encounter between them towards the end of the film where the two speak on the phone Zaysen doesn’t even know who he is talking to.
One of the final attacks on Zaysen’s compound is very well orchestrated, as the set up is shown in both the dark and silence, before all of Rambo’s explosives… go off! The final attack in the closing minutes of the film feel “one too many” and probably could have been excluded.
Overall
Despite it’s critical failure – I found this to have just the right amount of heart and soul.
The friendship between Rambo and Trautman has solidified during the three film franchise, that we are familiar with them now, and enjoy the camaraderie between them.
The primary villain is a little weak, and it doesn’t help that there is no real conflict between him and Rambo. It also doesn’t really know when to end, which weakens it slightly too.
A strong pass is my book.
3.5/5
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