I can remember being a fresh-faced nine year old when ‘First Blood Part 2′ came out, and at school one of those horrible kids who looked about five years older than what they were said that he’d seen it, and Rambo shoots someone in the face, cuts another guy’s head off, etc. Obviously, when I got round to seeing this movie, it wasn’t as bad as had been described. Now finally, twenty three years later, Stallone has made the movie that was promised to me back in ‘85.

‘Rambo’ starts off with real-life news footage of atrocities in Burma, which segues into the actions of the now-fictional Burmese army – already Stallone has set the tone of the movie, and frankly, if there were no named actors in this movie, you could be forgiven for thinking this was all real footage. One thing that’s been great about action and horror films for the last five years is the use of grainy film and lack of colour filters.

Plot rundown is pointless, as you already know if you’re going to want to watch it or not. Some people have criticized the movie for showing violence against children. Obviously this will upset some people, but as far as the movie goes, it was necessary to show the brutality of the soldiers and their actions. These things do go on in the real world and by cutting them out, you are diluting the impact of the movie. It’s there, on the screen, and if you don’t like it – don’t watch it. As for the rest, there’s beheadings, people getting cut in half, flying limbs, disembowelment’s – and it’s all shown in full, with no cuts or hints of suggestions.

All that’s left to say is – ‘Thank you Mr.Stallone – you redeemed yourself with ‘Rocky Balboa’ and you surpassed yourself with ‘Rambo’. You’ve made this lifelong fan believe again.’

For one thing, some of the scenes showing the brutality of the Burmese junta over the Karen people was so shocking and so well presented that I had tears in my eyes.. something I was not expecting. Very brutal, and very necessary to give a real background to the film and to what is actually happening right now.

Of course, this is still an action film, and in that regard it does not disappoint doing all his own stunts and showing up many people half his age (me included). I don’t care if Sly is over 60, and I don’t care if the critics want to give him a bit of a bashing, he is great in this film. Such presence without the need to say very much.

Anyone who thinks that Stallone is showing signs of ageing, you couldn’t be more wrong. Just watch this Rambo film for example. Finally I got to watch it and I loved it. The story was thought provoking and has Rambo now retired from his tours of duty and living the life of a simple boatman on the rivers of Thailand. He also does a bit of side work providing snakes for daredevil in a Thailand betting house. He’s living a relatively quiet life until he is asked to provide transport to dangerous Burma. Of course nothing goes to plan and a few are brutally murdered and Rambo knows what he must do to get back the ones still surviving and the one way he can do that is release his now dormant retribution side.

Good to see that even though Stallone and Rambo have gotten older, the power they both have still burns deep. Stallone does a great job as both Rambo and Director, he capture the action sequences beautifully and keeps them fresh and exciting. Possibly after starring in the first three RAMBO movies he has obviously picked up tips from his fellow directors on how to make action scenes and war moments memorable and shocking. The action scenes are tightly done, Stallone captures exactly what he wants to put up there on the screen and displays it with plenty of firepower. There’s explosions, plenty of gunfights, brutal violence and human drama which actually does shines through the violence.

Stallone does exceptionally well in depicting the pure horror of Burma. These people are just pure evil. There were several times in this that I winced at some of the things that they did. They were truly vile and barbaric and I couldn’t wait until Rambo got hold of them. Rambo shows no emotion during the fight scenes and that sums up the person who Rambo really is; a one man killing machine that executes with no mercy, just like how the Burma soldiers were with their pray. Well you know the old saying *What comes around, goes around* and that what Rambo gives them, a taste of their own medicine.

There is also a nod in this towards the people idea that Rambo is old and worn-out when the Mercs who have been organised to rescue the workers see Rambo wanting to join in the fight and tell him to stay with this boat as they think he is a simple minded boatman, boy they couldn’t be more wrong. Rambo shows them exactly what he is capable of in spades. Stallone’s Rambo is backed up by some great performances from his carefully chosen cast. Julie Benz does a great job in her role as Sarah, a Christian aid worker who befriends Rambo to help them achieve their mission. Matthew Marsden is great as Schoolboy, a merc with a powerful sniper rifle (and I mean powerful) Graham McTavish as the lairy cockney SAS SGT who I felt give Londoners a bad name by the way that he treats Rambo. The extras were exceptional as the nasty Burmese soldiers. They depict the right amount of malice that the real soldiers still have in Burma and make you really hate them so much so we love it when they die for their horrible crimes. Everyone is going on about the violence in this movie.

Yes it’s is shocking because it’s suppose to be, unlike other Hollywood films, the violence is depicted in it’s rawest form to show you the viewer what horrors happen in that country. It’s not sugar coated popcorn violence, it’s real and that’s how it is portrayed. During some scenes with the innocent townsfolk being tortured, raped and murdered by these Burmese soldiers did get me so enraged that I had my fists clenched so tight in anguish that my knuckles went bone white. They were just pure evil and I relished even ended up cheering when Rambo appeared and eliminated them in the only way he knows how….with extreme force. I didn’t find the violence excessive like everyone says it is. Maybe I’m becoming desensitised to violence in movies as I have seen it many times. The violence in this film is necessary, Stallone wants the people of the world to see just what is going on over there right now as they sit in the cinema eating their popcorn. The violence and horrific acts are vile, vicious and vindictive so the violence that Rambo reciprocates back to them is entirely justified. Them soldiers deserved everything they got (and they got plenty). RAMBO also has some scenes reminiscent to the first two Rambo movies, the infiltration of the camp and the siege in the forest for example. Stallone takes every aspect of what of the fans love about the Rambo films and gives it fresh blood.

RAMBO is a pure adrenaline thrill ride from beginning to end. It doesn’t lag or get boring and the action is in your face and comes thick and fast. The only thing I didn’t like about this film was it didn’t seem very long and I felt sad when it ended. I think that Stallone still has a few more Rambos in him, although I’m not sure that he will be able to beat this one but I welcome another sequel. “Shoot me again, I ain’t dead yet”

Let’s genuflect. Let’s pay tribute to a man who has portrayed the best Action Hero ever. John J Rambo. “Don’t Argue-Destroy”. Sometimes destruction has to be seen from a positive perspective. When you face intolerable cruelty, you have to mete out horror. When you are pushed “Killing is as easy as Breathing”. The Gore is the movie is not glorified, it is true to the context. Stallone, at 62, exudes such extreme rage, such messianic intensity, you stare transfixed. And the brutality which Rambo perpetrates is exactly what is required for the troops of the Warlord in a Uniform, who treat human flesh and limbs as Chicken wings, Claw and Tear and Rape Women as if they are made of Rubber, and put bullets in the head of a Child. They get paid back with interest. Shredded into bits by close range HMG, Head Chopped Off by Chopper, Throats slit open by Nails, Rambo pardons them for their sins by delivering them to the Lord:By giving they received, By dying they would wake to Eternal Life. The Rambo Saga cannot be over as yet. Rocky can bid Goodbye, but Rambo must reload again. Live for Rambo or Die for Stallone.

Added to all this is the wonderful music score by Brian Tyler is simply wonderful and adds to the powerful background story as well as the action scenes perfectly.