*(CableGuy)*

I'm not one for straight-to-DVD fare, and this reminded me why. I'll say first off, Ruffalo and Hawke are both excellent in this, but honestly, what's the point? You've basically got another crime-doesn't-pay vicious-circle yadda yadda movie about crappy people living crappy crime-ridden lives. The movie tries to make Amanda Peet trashy by giving her horrible bangs. We know that handsome, chiseled Ethan Hawke is on the wrong side of the law because he has a silver tooth. Mark Ruffalo basically goes from just a thug to a level-10 crack addict in about two scenes.

This is a nicely shot, nicely cut, nicely acted movie that just doesn't have a purpose. There's no themes explored here we haven't seen covered before, and better, down to the Boston setting. It's just two hours of depression, ended by a really cheesy ending with text telling us what happened to the characters afterwards. You don't get to do that with fiction! It's pointless! Telling us with two lines of text that Mark Ruffalo became a good dad? You can tell us Ethan Hawke flew out of jail and became king of the Moon Men, because it's fiction! The whole point is to leave that up to the viewer, leave them with something to think about.

Sorry if you liked this one, but there's just better ways to spend two hours of your life.

I have to say, this exceeded any expectations I had for a Rambo film. This is no sad comeback farce, this is the real deal. Sylvester Stallone plays to his strengths, using his age (and mileage) to his advantage as a haunted old bulwark. There's no oiled-up posturing or sad old man-boobs on display. The drama's quick and to the point. Rambo maybe speaks 50 words throughout.

Gone is the ridiculous action hero of Rambo 2 or 3, gunning down hundreds of bad guys alone atop a hill without cover. This Rambo sticks to stealth and surprise, and he has allies that are both memorable and competent, which is nice for a change.

I will also say Rambo has the most consistent and realistic gore you've ever seen. You could call it over-the-top, but really I think it's just as close to real as you'll get. Limbs get blown off, heads get sheared, children are killed on-camera. It's all in your face, not as exploitation, but simply illustrating what it really means to rain lead upon a human being.

Let's not kid ourselves, this isn't the film to end war, and in the end, it's a kick-ass action movie. It does exhibit some conscience without hitting you over the head with it. Burma really is one of the prime shames of the human race, and I'm glad to see this movie bring attention to it.

I feel so happy that Stallone could pull of such a great movie. He really does care about this character and this movie, and it shows. If you don't like heap big explodo, this ain't your flick. But if you like action, it's a can't-miss. Seriously!

Those were the words whispered to me by a friend in the theater, by far the most entertaining part of seeing this travesty. You can read 26 pages of other reviews, I don't need to elaborate. However, I must ask, am I the only one who thinks the opening credits feel like a 70's TV movie? The awful stills, the terrible music of a completely wrong mood, I feel like I'm about to see Roots! I remember the trailer was basically nothing but cuts from the wire-fu swordfights. A deceptive, but wise choice to mask the true horrible nature of this "film." Heck, the Disney one with Kiefer and the Sheenerator is far better, even with Chris O'Donnell shoved in. Avoid this and see Richard Lester's WONDERFUL 70's Musketeer flicks instead.