RAMBO

Incredible!

Well I was expecting this film to be pretty good, based on some early kick ass trailers and word of mouth, but no way in hell did I think it was going to be this awesome!

I will confess I’ve only seen the first Rambo completely and bits and pieces of the other two, but from my understanding Rambo: First Blood is the more realistic film, where as the other two went a bit cartoony and over the top with the action, and the fact Rambo inadvertently helped Osama Bin Laden in Part 3 we’ll have to ignore!

Even so, I still had so much fun with this movie it is unbelievable, it’s the sort of action film that makes you want to be ten years old again, where you and you’re mates rush outside and start re-enacting the action, playing war, diving and rolling for cover as you shoot at each other.

Slight predicament though as the film is pretty hard hitting and really quite horrible in places, no ten year old should probably see it, and the fact it’s based on events that actually are taking place in the world, it raises a bit of a conundrum as to whether you should enjoy it.

But viewed as a purely movie going experience, it is one hell of a ride. Paced and set-up to absolute perfection, it’s edge of your seat stuff from beginning to end. It starts with some disturbing footage of Burma news reports and then another unsettling scene which helps to establish the “bad guys” as real evil pieces of work. From there we move to setting up Rambo and the story, whilst cutting back to the Burmese army to keep the tension building. Once events occur and the full story is set in motion it just doesn’t let up.

From a stealthy entry and rescue into the enemy base (which is so well directed Stallone should almost definitely direct the Metal Gear Solid movie!) to the final shoot out in the jungle. Everything is just handled expertly. It is all shot so well, you feel like you’re there, hiding in the shadows and sneaking to save a hostage and later diving for cover dodging bullets and explosions. It really is amazing!

I must say the film is absolutely brutal in its depiction of violence, and a lot of it will make your jaw drop in disbelief, sometimes for being sheer awe-struck and other times for thinking they didn’t just show that! Limbs fly, even women and children get mutilated, it sure isn’t nice but it holds you firmly on the edge of your seat.

The action sequences are filmed in such a precise way that they feel completely realistic yet over the top at the same time! Not once did I catch myself thinking anything looked fake or was a special effect, yet at the same time so much hell is going on its insane.

Sly looks and performs incredibly throughout, there isn’t one part where you don’t think he’s capable of what he’s doing (Harrison Ford will be hard pressed to pull off the same feat in Indy 4).

The only thing I didn’t feel was necessarily the right choice to make was using the real news footage at the beginning, this makes the film have quite an unnerving edge as it informs the audience of the horrors of war, but then to have a film which is built more as a product of entertainment then a real message follow it just feels wrong. I don’t think the footage was appropriate as it brings a film that is really an all out cowboy and Indian style action adventure, where the violence is almost celebrated, being preceded by something that essentially says this is really happening and its devastating. The two messages conflict and don’t fit together.

As a film on it’s own though, pure awesomeness in a bag! I actually said to my friend “contender for best film of 2008?” as we left, I really thought it was that good! And bare in mind Indy 4, Dark Knight, Wall-E and a new Bond film are also coming out this year!

9/10