Rambo (2008)

Director:

Sylvester Stallone

Writers (WGA):

Art Monterastelli (written by) and
Sylvester Stallone (written by) ...

Release Date:

25 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

Heroes never die.... They just reload.

Plot:

In Thailand, John Rambo joins a group of mercenaries to venture into war-torn Burma, and rescue a group of Christian aid workers who were kidnapped by the ruthless local infantry unit.

Plot Keywords:

Rambo | Missionary | Burma | Boat | Mercenary

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Sylvester Stallone	...	John Rambo
Julie Benz	...	Sarah
Matthew Marsden	...	School Boy
Graham McTavish	...	Lewis
Reynaldo Gallegos	...	Diaz (as Rey Gallegos)
Jake La Botz	...	Reese
Tim Kang	...	En-Joo
Maung Maung Khin	...	Tint
Paul Schulze	...	Michael Burnett
Cameron Pearson	...	Missionary #4 (Jeff)
Thomas Peterson	...	Missionary #2 (Dentist)
Tony Skarberg	...	Missionary #3 (Videographer)
James With	...	Missionary #5 (Preacher) (as James Wearing Smith)
Kasikorn Niyompattana	...	Snake Hunter #2
Shaliew 'Lek' Bamrungbun	...	Snake Hunter #1

Also Known As:

John Rambo (Germany) (USA) (working title)
Rambo 4 (India: English title) (Singapore: English title)
Rambo 4: John Rambo (Singapore: English title)
Rambo IV (USA) (working title)
Rambo IV: End of Peace (USA) (working title)
Rambo IV: In the Serpent's Eye (USA) (working title)
Rambo IV: Pearl of the Cobra (USA) (working title)
Rambo: First Blood Part IV (USA) (fake working title)
Rambo: To Hell and Back (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic bloody violence, sexual assaults, grisly images and language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Burmese | Thai

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Sweden:15 | Norway:18 | Denmark:15 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Malaysia:18SG | India:A (cinema release) | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Brazil:18 | UK:18 | Canada:14A | Ireland:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Germany:18 (cut) (theatrical version) | Australia:R | France:-12 | South Korea:18 | Finland:K-18 | Italy:T | New Zealand:R18 | USA:R (certificate #42649) | Argentina:16 | Israel:16 | Netherlands:16 | Mexico:C | Taiwan:R-18 | Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | Peru:PT | Austria:16 | South Africa:16LV | Germany:16 (heavily cut) (video version) | Argentina:13 (original rating) | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Company:

Lionsgate

Trivia:

During its long development process, 'Rambo' went through a number of story premises. One un-produced script featured Rambo living a quiet life with wife and child, until white supremacists kidnap his family. Another script found Rambo trying to stop a hostage situation at the United Nations, where he is working as a diplomat, when terrorists (including Rambo's adopted son) take hold of the UN headquarters in New York.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Rambo is using the .50 caliber machine gun in the final action scene, it runs out of bullets and makes several clicking sounds to indicate it is empty. The gun would only click empty once since the gun's action only operates by firing, thus cycling the round and cocking the action. Only an electric gun like an air soft AEG could cycle in a manner that it would click repeatedly.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Sarah: Michael!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Meet the Spartans (2008)

Soundtrack:

Long Mae Ping

tag line says all, the year's first great action movie.

A straight action film only Stallone could deliver. Nobody else could direct such an uncompromising pursuit of battle. The battle sequences of this movie are glorious and violent in a way that is special, a new extreme level of tension was achieved in my opinion and I don't say this in blind excitement.

This movie delivers a movie-high that is not often attempted. Movies usually hold back or simply fail at achieving visceral action and instead try to balance themselves between action, plot, drama, comedy, etc, and in many cases in modern films this only lowers the quality of the experience. The downfall of Rambo you could say is its small concern for character drama, indeed the scenes looking at the female lead and the mercenary group are pretty poorly acted (though this allows the scenes to focus on Stallone's disregard for their antics, it can get annoying to sit through).

The mercenary group's character were so over the top in acting however it came off like farce to me which was actually really entertaining, seeing their macho lines fall dead in the air, Stallone giving them no respect.

The battles were glorious even if the film has flaws, but it focuses on the battle as it should, and achieves glorious cinematic victory. Great experience.