KCR: Rambo III (movie)

Image via WikipediaRambo III is logical extension of Rambo 2... what war is there to fight besides Vietnam? In that time, the obvious answer is Afghanistan. Rather ironic isn't it that decades later, the American army is fighting in Afghanistan?

Premise: Colonel Trautman and a team was trying to sneak in some supplies for the mujahadeen (Afghani freedom fighters) when their convoy was intercepted by Soviet forces and taken prisoner. Rambo felt responsible because he had turned down Trautman earlier, so he is going in alone. On the way, Rambo befriends Afghani fighters, infiltrate the fortress held by the sadistic commander, steals and chopper, rescues a bunch of prisoners, plays hide and seek with Spetnatz commandos, rescues Trautman, fight their way out, and have a big fight at the end against the camp commander.

What's REALLY hilarious is the movie's actually filmed in Israel. However, it's not important. The idea is the action is better than ever. Rambo will of course, get wounded a bit, kill lots and lots of bad guys, get bombed almost by napalm (just like the previous movie!) do some arrow hunting, and so on and so forth. It's formulaic, but it works.

You may as well complete the collection. Available in combo packs.

Related articles

• KCR: Rambo, First Blood Part II (movie, war, Vietnam) (crankyreviews.blogspot.com)
• KCR: First Blood (movie) (crankyreviews.blogspot.com)

KCR: Rambo, First Blood Part II (movie, war, Vietnam)

Image via WikipediaFirst Blood (reviewed earlier) was a social commentary about warrior's psychic wounds and how they have a hard time fitting back into society. The sequel, on the other hand, is a pure revenge fantasy, about how Vietnam can be "won". Indeed, one of the bonus features on the DVD was "We get to win it this time!"

The Setup: John Rambo, in prison, was rescued by Col. Trautman... a CIA guy, Murdoch, wants Rambo to go into Vietnam to find evidence of American POWs. It'll be a completely clandestine mission, with just help of one Vietnamese agent. It's supposed to be quiet, just in and out. However, when Rambo lost the camera equipment due to mis-jump, he changed the mission to rescue. When he reached the rendezvous point with one POW, Murdoch ordered the choppered turned around, leaving him behind. He was captured by the Vietnamese, now in concert with the Russians, and tortured. Instead of cracking, he escaped with help of the Vietnamese agent. When the agent was killed by ambush, he declared war on the prison camp, the Russians, the Vietnamese, and tries to rescue the POWs...

The setup is pretty atrocious, but there's enough action going through the movie to keep you on the edge. The initial insertion into Vietnam was interesting, and the escape from prison camp also interesting. The point right up to the betrayal was great, and subsequent second escape and big showdown is just awesome for its time. Nowadays, you see all the flaws and problems, but back then, it's like heck, yeah! Go USA! USA! It's cathartic.

You don't watch Rambo movies for characters. You see it to see bad guys killed, and good guys win.

KCR: First Blood (movie)

Image via WikipediaI never read the book written by David Morrell that the movie was based on, and I doubt few have.

The setup: a Vietnam vet, John Rambo (Stallone) was drifting across the US, looking for a friend, only to be told he had died months ago upon arrival. He drifted through a town, and the local sheriff Teasle (Brian Dennehey) was basically not very nice to him, and shipped him out of town. When Rambo decided head back into town, the sheriff slapped Rambo with some "vagrancy" charge and arrested him. In the prison, Rambo was abused, which triggered a violent flashback to his days as a POW, forcing him to escape. Sheriff Teasle and his deputies, embarrassed, started a manhunt, only to find that they are no match in their own woods against a master of jungle warfare who hunting VC for a living... when Teasle called out state police and national guard with orders to shoot first and ask questions later, the only one who can save the town of Hope and Rambo himself may be his old commander, Colonel Trautman...

The movie got a reputation for being bloody that it never deserved. The ONLY confirmed death in the movie was... ONE... the ONE deputy that tried to kill Rambo with the rifle from the chopper. Lots of people were wounded, some in very nasty fashion. But there were no deaths. Rambo was restrained in his response when he could have easily killed a ton of people around him. This is one guy who was pushed over the edge.

The action really did speak louder than words in this movie. The last half of the movie is virtually all action, non-stop. And they had to redo the movie many times, trying to decide whether Rambo lives or dies. In the book Rambo dies at the hands of Trautman. In the movie, he lived in repentance for the sequels that will surely follow (and it sure did, 3 more movies).

In fact, Stallone seem to be marketing a clothing line based on the John Rambo and Rocky Balboa look.

The movie is worth watching at least once, and in fact, several times, as it's a classic in pacing and tension.