RAMBO
US, 2008, 95 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz.
Directed by Sylvester Stallone.
Sylvester Stallone proved that at age 60 he could revive his iconic creation, Rocky Balboa, after five movies over a thirty year period. He adjusted the character of Rocky to his late 50s and made an agreeably emotional fight film.
At age 61, he resurrects his other iconic character, John Rambo, after three films over a 25 year period, still doing battle but not nearly so genial as Rocky.
Both characters are instantly recognisable world-wide – Rocky the emblem of underdog success (along with Bill Conti’s theme music), Rambo the emblem of fierce aggression, fighting for the underdog and, with the exception of the initial film, First Blood, amassing a huge body count.
For his final Rambo actioner, Stallone has Rambo working anonymously in Thailand. He is approached by a group of US evangelical missionaries (whose need to do good seems more important than the needs of the people) to take them into Burma with medicines and religious books. We know it will be a fraught journey because we have already been exposed to the ruthless Burmese army attacking the Karen rebels (which has been going on for sixty years and has been called a genocide), massacring, burning and looting and taking the young men for military service.
When the village where the missionaries are working is attacked, Rambo goes back with a group of tough mercenaries to rescue them. This happens in the rain and in the dark – and then they are pursued by a huge number of soldiers. All might seem lost until Rambo finds a machine gun nest and it is almost no contest.
This is where the violence becomes fierce and then brutal as the blood lust, no matter what the justification, takes over the characters – and, probably, the emotions of many in the audience. Stallone has his heart in the right place in supporting the Karens against the government and military, but his trigger finger is…
1.Stallone and the image of Rambo, an icon? In world vocabulary, its meaning?
2.Stallone at sixty-one, Rambo for the 21st century, the 20th century heritage, his Vietnam experience, American rejection, in Afghanistan in the 80s, Burma in the 21st century?
3.The ethos of the Rambo films: war, genocide, military aid, humanitarian aid, defence of the innocence, world opinion, influence, violence begetting violence? Anger and vengeance?
4.The issues of violence, the contrast with brutality and ferocity? The culmination of the film?
5.The Thai locations, Thailand, the river, Burma, the mountains, the terrain, the heavily orchestrated score?
6.Rambo as a relic, living in Thailand, working with the snakes, supplying them, the bosses? The approach of the missionaries? Refusing Michael, agreeing with Sarah? His motives for going, the gift of the cross? Rambo changing or not?
7.The dialogue, the various aphorisms about the world, aid, the church, needs, killing?
8.Travelling up the river, the missionaries as a group, encountering the pirates, the attack, the threatened rape, killing the pirates, blowing up the ship?
9.The missionaries and their arrival, helping the people, the dentist, the doctor, the religious help, the effect?
10.The film’s introduction to Burma, the military, the Karen tribes, the sixty years of persecution, their history, as Christians? Attacked by the military, the brutality, the killing, the rape, taking the young men for military service?
11.The missionary and his approach to Rambo, getting the mercenaries, Lewis and the eyeball clash with Rambo, the other members of the group? The slow boat up the river? Defying Rambo, outstaring him? Rambo in charge?
12.The strategy, the attack, the missionaries in the cages, the pigs feeding on the missionary? The officer in charge and the young boy? The soldiers, the girls, their drinking, their behaviour?
13.The commandos’ style, killing the guards, the release of the prisoners, the escape, running through the jungle, the pursuit, the dogs? The weapons?
14.Ramo and Sarah and their running, Rambo finding the machine gun, the boat coming? The attack with the machine gun, the body count?
15.Survival? The purpose of the film? The military action, adrenaline-pumping? Americana?
16.The missionaries, the value of their going to Burma, not living with the people, going in briefly and coming out again? Rambo’s critique of their needs rather than the needs of the people?
17.The theme of Rambo being away from America, America changing, the final scenes and Rambo going home?
