Charming and brutal

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Sly made a strong comeback previous to this with his latest Rocky installment. However with Rambo, he blew all my expectations out of the water and is a gigantic improvement to the really lame Rambo 3. Rambo is a return to form for the character and is the most like the 1st installment (First Blood). Rambo is totally gritty, ultra violent and dark character piece for Stallone and he gives a tremendous performance, which brings to mind my all time favorite movie Unforgiven. John Rambo is living in Thailand and working as a snake handler. He returns to action when Julie Benz and her group of christians are not heard from when they went to Burma to provide aid and christian propoganda. This brings to light the reality of genocide and civil war that is still ongoing in Burma. Sly pulls no punches in his depiction of these events in this film and showcases extreme brutality by turning the bad guys to spaghetti. Rambo is easily the bloodiest and goriest non horror film out there and delivers in bloodsoaked ultra violence. This is the best installment since the 1st film and I can't wait to check out Rambo 5!

As hard-hitting as a sucker punch to the jaw, Sylvester Stallone powerhouses his way back into the modern consciousness with this, the fourth in the successful Rambo series. It's been twenty long years since his hero appeared in the cheesy, tacky RAMBO III and the good news is that Stallone has learned a few things by then. With the star returning in a dual role as both actor and director, it really rests on his rather broad shoulders as to whether this is any cop. The good news is that it is: some have complained that Rambo takes a sideline in this outing, but that's not the case. John Rambo, when we meet him, is an older, wiser, more experienced warrior, but one who remains just as vicious as he was in the past. And viciousness is the key when it comes to RAMBO, because this is one of the most savage films you'll ever witness.Stallone pulls no punches when depicting the brutal military regime in Burma. Innocents are shot and killed on a routine basis; rape and torture are commonplace occurrences, and even children and babies aren't safe from the soldiers. One particular sequence sees a hideous 'game' in which they Burmese soldiers innocent villagers to run through booby-trapped paddy fields where they inevitably get blown to shreds. Of course, this violence simmers and burns as the film goes on, until the last half sees Rambo hitting back, and boy does he snap. The climax is a visceral ride of revenge and retribution, where the bloodshed really goes overboard. If you thought the opening of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN was gruesome, you ain't seen nothing yet. Aided by a mercenary buddy with a super-power rifle, Stallone tears out throats, knocks off heads, and goes berserk with an anti-aircraft gun in his bid to rid the world of these evil soldiers. What happens is best left a surprise, but I'll guarantee that it doesn't disappoint. I haven't been this pumped at a film's climax since I saw HOSTEL.Of course, the directing is perfect, and Stallone's acting is the best yet, reaching new levels of subtlety. He's supported by a varied bunch of characters, including an unlikeable Christian, a token female, a stereotyped Cockney, and some fun mercenaries. The director of photography deserves mention for his excellent camera-work, recalling the glory days of the 1980s jungle-set war epics, but with a grittier, more modern edge. Of course, the action is fantastic, but what's equally amazing is that the non-action bits are just as riveting. One of those films you'll want to watch over and over, RAMBO's a masterpiece of a movie, a non-stop thrill ride that never lets up.

Believe me when I say, you will feel what a single bullet can do to human body and how devastatingly chaotic war is, all while watching this movie.From a evil military general portrayal of Burma and his merciless soldiers to a group of determined Christian aid workers willing to walk right into death (well until they're in awe and it's too late), to the equally shrouded rage pumping through the so-called 'boatman', every single moment in this movie will give you qualms.This pure adrenaline action watch would unleash raw blood fight, the likes of which are rare to find in even the most brutal action films.**you'd be surprised when you realize Stallone himself directed this momentum masterpiece**

With a gap of 20 years between "Rambo III" from 1988 and "Rambo" from 2008, then expectations were quite high for me towards this movie. And having grown up as a teenager with the likes of the "Rambo" trilogy, then the 2008 "Rambo" movie was long awaited.And now having seen "Rambo" a couple of times, I can with all sincerity claim that this 2008 movie was great. It is a good addition to the "Rambo" franchise, and it is right back in track and in tune with the old movies, although a hint of political correctness can be seen throughout the movie. But wanting to add a new layer to the "Rambo" movies, was an okay change of pace for director Sylvester Stallone (also starring in this 2008 movie).In this 2008 movie the story takes place in war-torn Burma. Vietnam veteran John Rambo is living a reclusive life in Thailand, away from his past and the life of a soldier. But trouble always has a way to slither back, and manages to do so again when Rambo is tracked down and asked to help a group of mercenaries trek into Burma.The story in "Rambo" was good, as it has been in the previous movies. But it is not the story which is the main attraction here, it is the abundance of action, of course. And "Rambo" offers more than enough action to satisfy us old fans of the franchise, as well as catering to a whole new audience.The acting in "Rambo" is what you would and could expect from a movie of this type. You know exactly what you get here, and people do not disappoint. Sylvester Stallone does what he does best here in this 2008 movie, and he proved that he was more than up for the task of bringing new life to the "Rambo" franchise."Rambo" was missing Col. Samuel Trautman (played by Richard Crenna in the previous three movies). But given his death in 2003, it was of course not possible. I just think that the Trautman character was almost as much a part of the "Rambo" franchise as John Rambo himself. But of course, it is a matter of personal preference.I thoroughly enjoyed this 2008 movie, and it is right at home next to the other "Rambo" movies in any movie collection.