Rambo: Last Blood

[El Director]

Rambo is back, and I'm trying to figure out how I feel about it. I was born in 1985, so by the time I was in grade school, I had three Rambo movies to enjoy from a franchise that was still new enough that people talked about it. I swear that without fail, everytime I stayed home from school sick, the Rambo trilogy was showing on USA Network. When I heard they were making a fourth film, of course I was excited. Then the trailer dropped and I was really amped. It was looking to be the best Rambo of all time. I was in my early twenties, and I took my dad to see it as he was a fan of the character too. I remember leaving the theater just feeling "eh" about it, the movie didn't do the trailer justice. Sure, it was bloody, but that final fight was just Rambo standing in the back of a hummer with a machine gun. I wanted to see Rambo being Rambo. I actually enjoyed part 4 up until that third act, and then they blew it, which basically ruined the entire movie for me (although I did like the final shot of Rambo returning to his father's property as the theme song played).

Now I've just seen the trailer for Rambo: Last Blood. I love the title, and I love the trailer. I feel like, this is what Rambo should be now. However, I still remember the sting of the last movie, how the trailer got me excited, but then I was let down. So I'm hesitant to fully voice my support just yet. A lot of people have said this new one looks like Logan meets Home Alone. I'm not entirely sure that's fair, comparing this film with Home Alone. If you think back to First Blood, there was a kill montage were Rambo used all sorts of improvised booby traps to take out the cops and National Guard. Maybe Chris Columbus stole the idea from Rambo? :2vrolijk_08:

In any case, I'm hopefully optimistic. They've got the knife, the bow and traps. I hope there's a good story (I'm intrigued based on what I've heard) and that we get to see Rambo be Rambo again. I'd also like to see them bring back a little of the American pride. The line in part two still gives me goosebumps: "I want what they want... For our country to love us as much as we love it!" This dude loves America, and we don't see that much anymore. Bring back that love.

 

[Grug]

I hope Sly manages to go out with a bang with this one. I thought he'd done that just fine with the last one though. This trailer doesn't make me hopeful, it looks very 'generic' (for lack of a better term).

 

[OldCorpse]

A lot of effort and resources spent making a sequel. What if instead, all that was put into making something new, original and vibrant instead of yet another sequel in a tired franchise. I understand that it's a money grab, that's the business, but boy can it get tiresome when you look to what's coming out and it's almost all sequels and more sequels. That's how originality dies. Without anything new, how can cinema progress? No wonder creative folks are moving on to TV.

I'm not opposed to sequels in principle. If a sequel brings in something new to the table in a truly big way, it can expand the horizons and be a welcome exploration - take the example of Alien and then Aliens. That was a big leap and something very innovative. But then more and more Aliens sequels - what did that bring to the table? A sequel should be something transformative, not just a re-tread or minor wrinkle derivative stuff.

What is this Rambo bringing? I would be much happier seeing Sly do something new, not just retreads of Rocky, Rambo and Expendables.

So I personally - one person vote only, mind you - am NOT looking forward to the new Rambo. I'd be looking forward to original work from Sly. Of course that's just me, and everyone has a different view, just as valid.