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Rambo

  • 2008
  • R
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
253K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,769
853
Sylvester Stallone in Rambo (2008)
Rambo Trailer
Play trailer0:59
10 Videos
99+ Photos
Jungle AdventureOne-Person Army ActionTragedyActionThriller

In Thailand, John Rambo joins a group of mercenaries to venture into war-torn Burma, and rescue a group of Christian aid workers who were kidnapped by the ruthless local infantry unit.In Thailand, John Rambo joins a group of mercenaries to venture into war-torn Burma, and rescue a group of Christian aid workers who were kidnapped by the ruthless local infantry unit.In Thailand, John Rambo joins a group of mercenaries to venture into war-torn Burma, and rescue a group of Christian aid workers who were kidnapped by the ruthless local infantry unit.

  • Director
    • Sylvester Stallone
  • Writers
    • Art Monterastelli
    • Sylvester Stallone
    • David Morrell
  • Stars
    • Sylvester Stallone
    • Julie Benz
    • Matthew Marsden
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    253K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,769
    853
    • Director
      • Sylvester Stallone
    • Writers
      • Art Monterastelli
      • Sylvester Stallone
      • David Morrell
    • Stars
      • Sylvester Stallone
      • Julie Benz
      • Matthew Marsden
    • 848User reviews
    • 202Critic reviews
    • 46Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Videos10

    Rambo
    Trailer 0:59
    Rambo
    Rambo
    Clip 1:10
    Rambo
    Rambo
    Clip 1:10
    Rambo
    Rambo
    Clip 1:00
    Rambo
    Rambo
    Clip 1:08
    Rambo
    Rambo
    Clip 1:01
    Rambo
    Rambo: Scene 2
    Clip 1:08
    Rambo: Scene 2

    Photos169

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    Top cast44

    Edit
    Sylvester Stallone
    Sylvester Stallone
    • John Rambo
    Julie Benz
    Julie Benz
    • Sarah
    Matthew Marsden
    Matthew Marsden
    • School Boy
    Graham McTavish
    Graham McTavish
    • Lewis
    Reynaldo Gallegos
    Reynaldo Gallegos
    • Diaz
    • (as Rey Gallegos)
    Jake La Botz
    • Reese
    Tim Kang
    Tim Kang
    • En-Joo
    Maung Maung Khin
    • Tint
    Paul Schulze
    Paul Schulze
    • Michael Burnett
    Cameron Pearson
    Cameron Pearson
    • Missionary #4 (Jeff)
    Thomas Peterson
    • Missionary #2 (Dentist)
    Tony Skarberg
    • Missionary #3 (Videographer)
    James With
    James With
    • Missionary #5 (Preacher)
    • (as James Wearing Smith)
    Kasikorn Niyompattana
    • Snake Hunter #2
    Shaliew 'Lek' Bamrungbun
    • Snake Hunter #1
    Supakorn Kitsuwon
    • Myint
    • (as Suparkorn 'Tok' Kijsuwan)
    Aung Aay Noi
    • Lt. Aye
    Ken Howard
    Ken Howard
    • Arthur Marsh
    • Director
      • Sylvester Stallone
    • Writers
      • Art Monterastelli
      • Sylvester Stallone
      • David Morrell
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews848

    7.0253.1K
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    Featured reviews

    9SpikeFortress

    tag line says all, the year's first great action movie.

    A straight action film only Stallone could deliver. Nobody else could direct such an uncompromising pursuit of battle. The battle sequences of this movie are glorious and violent in a way that is special, a new extreme level of tension was achieved in my opinion and I don't say this in blind excitement.

    This movie delivers a movie-high that is not often attempted. Movies usually hold back or simply fail at achieving visceral action and instead try to balance themselves between action, plot, drama, comedy, etc, and in many cases in modern films this only lowers the quality of the experience. The downfall of Rambo you could say is its small concern for character drama, indeed the scenes looking at the female lead and the mercenary group are pretty poorly acted (though this allows the scenes to focus on Stallone's disregard for their antics, it can get annoying to sit through).

    The mercenary group's character were so over the top in acting however it came off like farce to me which was actually really entertaining, seeing their macho lines fall dead in the air, Stallone giving them no respect.

    The battles were glorious even if the film has flaws, but it focuses on the battle as it should, and achieves glorious cinematic victory. Great experience.
    7ma-cortes

    Last entry directed by Stallone with lots of frenetic action and plenty of blood and violence

    Thrilling and moving Rambo episode in which he returns to war and to rescue American prisoners . The famous trilogy has been completed by this recent ¨ John Rambo¨ , a definitive improvement and directed by Stallone himself , in which Rambo fights enemies in Thailand ; nevertheless , the best considered is the original . Violent movie with Rambo character who started in ¨First Blood¨, it launched Stallone career and going on his successful Rambo episodes . Sylvester Stallone as brawny hero Rambo is top-notch , he was a previous Green Beret , now retired and living a pacific existence in Thailand . He has retreated to a easy life in a rural Thai village next to the Burmese frontier , capturing snakes for local entertainers , and transporting visitors on his old 109 PT boat . Then John Rambo joins a group of mercenaries (Graham McTavish, Matthew Mardsen) to venture into war-torn Burma, and rescue a group of Christian aid workers (Julie Benz , Paul Schulze) who were abducted by the ruthless local infantry who carries out a brutal massacre . After that , Rambo frees the unfortunate prisoners , but cruel soldiers set off in pursuit and he leads his pursuers into all kinds of booby snares , as he puts dangerous traps in the jungle woods and mountains . Rambo appears threatening , lurking, harassing to his enemies and pursuers , escaping numberless risks and dangers .

    From start to finish the comic-book action-packed and extreme violence are continued and it's fast movement ; that's why the picture is pretty amusing ; furthermore, containing lots of explosions and some of the best action scenes ever made , including an impressive machine-gun attack . Stallone is enormous as the two-fisted and rebel one army man and excellent Julie Benz as suffering missionary ; in addition , the veteran Ken Howard and paying tribute to recently deceased Richard Crenna in an enjoyable homage by means of some flashbacks . The outdoors are really spectacular , the landscapes have been filmed on location in Arizona, USA , Chiang Mai , Thailand and Mexico . Awesome and exceptional cinematography by cameraman Glen MacPherson . Splendid and rousing musical score by composer Brian Tyler. This nail-biting film was well played , produced and stunningly directed by the great Silvester Stallone .

    This motion picture Rambo (2008) was preceded by the original ¨First blood¨ by Ted Kotcheff with Richard Crenna , David Caruso and Brian Dennehy , in which Rambo is falsely accused as vagrant and wrongfully imprisoned and he pulls off the break-out ; Rambo II by George Pan Cosmatos with Martin Kove , Steven Berkoff and Julia Nickson, in which he's forced to go Cambodia in search of American POWs , and followed by ¨Rambo III¨ with Kurtwood Smith and Spiros Focas and of course Richard Crenna , in which Rambo against the Russians who control a particular sector of Afghanistan and he goes behind Russian-dominated enemy lines to rescue his former colonel from jail . The film will appeal to action enthusiast and Stallone fans . It's a movie for adrenaline lovers and frantic thrillers buffs . Rating : Good, entertaining but violent , two thumbs up . Although the movie has some aspects a little tough to take , this exciting film still has its magnificent moments. This large-scale and lavishly produced pic attempts a peculiar atmosphere with spectacular results . Rating : Better than average , well worth seeing .
    7Norse_Sage

    Rambo is back and better than ever!

    I saw this at an advance screening in Oslo, and going in, I didn't expect it to be any more than a cheesy and somewhat gory tribute to eighties actioners by a star/director/producer/writer who was desperate to relive past glory. That latter may or may not be true, but my former assessment was plain wrong. This movie is authentic, shocking and unlike any other comparable movie.

    Given its genre, the movie is a masterpiece. The story is simple but solid, and works on several levels. The action scenes are unparalleled, more intense than "Black Hawk Down", "Saving Private Ryan" and "Stalingrad" put together. The level of brutality and gore will shock and fascinate, and no doubt cause some level of controversy.

    Stallone proves himself to be an excellent director, as well as in excellent shape for his age. I had little faith in him going in, and I stand corrected.

    This is a Rambo who has come to terms with who and what he is, in a movie that holds up when compared with the original "First Blood". Well done, Sly. Well done indeed.
    9Lepidopterous_

    I Just Watched All 5 Movies, & This Is Definitely The Best Rambo

    There isn't a dull second in this film. It is full of memorable & cinematic "moments" and packed with insane carnage, all with tourniquet-tight editing (Extended Cut only hits the end credits at just over 90 minutes). Even the slow start is almost serene, using the Apocalypse Now ever-flowing, insidiously slow but constant stream to lure us into a deeper part of our own selves. To deliver us, along with a group of believers, into a true hell on earth.

    "Nothing does change. It's what is."

    As my first viewing now since having seen the first three, I can appreciate the way this film mythologizes the character. This is done in part through School Boy's reverence, which adds a great counterbalance to the chemistry of the cast. We also revisit the human core of the first installment, from the dialogue scene in the rain to the close up of his knife sinking with the boat-symbolizing the indefinite struggle of a PTSD veteran who has to live with the heavy soul of his past. And the St. Francis prayer recited in the backdrop of the weapon-welding montage: a prayer of opposites, of contradictions, of embracing humility and forgiveness in the face of evil. A prayer of philosophical inquisition-an appeal directly to God to help one understand and navigate the world around us with greater wisdom and clarity. It is a fitting theme for John Rambo.

    "Where there is darkness, light."

    Granted, the film is not a cerebral one, but it has some fitting choices for mood and set up. The peaceful stream to doom is abruptly juxtaposed by a sheer brutality that is so extreme, it can really only be matched by the unrestrained amount of violence onscreen throughout the last act. Could Stallone have capitalized on this earlier mood and went with more stealth à la First Blood? Sure, but given how perfect the pacing is and the pointed catharsis of the film's setup & violent delivery, I find it quite forgivable how shamelessly the film forgoes drama and suspense, all without betraying character. In this way, Rambo truly is a staple barebones action film. A fitting peak in the series as a manifestation of his inner war.

    The baddies are paper thin and one-dimensional, but the Tatmadaw Burmese militia being a real entity and perpetrators of genocide gives the antagonists weight. The solid score from Brian Tyler is built around Jerry Goldsmith's classic theme from the earlier installments, yet polished free of the 80s vibe (Battle Adagio stands out as John Rambo's new theme). Visually, the post-production CGI blood is poor and detracting. I don't know how much of that can be attributed to the feature's comparatively lower budget having been independently made by Stallone. Nonetheless, I admire the man's passion for the legacy that his films leave for his fans.

    David Morrell, the writer of the original novel "First Blood", has said this is the closest in tone he has seen any of the movies get to the character he wrote. Personally, I think Rambo 4 has the best of both worlds: a sincere depiction of an aged Rambo and the over-the-top action, brutality, and thrills of Rambo II & III. I'd even say it is the best of all the Rambo movies.
    7paul_m_haakonsen

    Live for nothing, or die for something...

    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.

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    Related interests

    Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, and Karen Gillan in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
    Jungle Adventure
    Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
    One-Person Army Action
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Rambo was banned in Myanmar (formally Burma), and bootlegs are a hot item. Burmese Freedom Fighters have even adopted dialogue from the movie as battle cries, most notably "Live for nothing, or die for something." Sylvester Stallone said "That, to me, is one of the proudest moments I've ever had in film."
    • Goofs
      The large bomb found in the jungle is not a Tallboy as previously suggested, but a "Grand Slam", the successor to the Tallboy bomb. The key indicator is the overall size of the larger 22,000 pound bomb, and the aerofoil shape of the stabilizing fins, versus the relatively flat fins of the tallboy. It's perfectly plausible that such a bomb could sympathetically detonate after 60 years in the jungle. The explosive filler is a cast RDX/TNT based explosive (torpex) which is more or less impervious to the elements. While it's entirely possible, and quite likely that the secondary booster explosives would have deteriorated, and indeed the very fact that the bomb did not explode when dropped would suggest that the fuses were damaged or misused, it's entirely possible that a very large container of torpex could be sympathetically detonated with a C4-based claymore. The implausible aspect of the bomb is that, indeed, they were only used in Germany, were extremely rare and expensive, and could only be dropped from a fairly specialized Lancaster bomber.
    • Quotes

      John Rambo: [while aiming an arrow at Lewis' eye] Any of you boys want to shoot, now's the time. There isn't one of us that doesn't want to be someplace else. But this is what we do, who we are. Live for nothing, or die for something. Your call.

    • Crazy credits
      Sandwich Makers - Permpoon Penjan and Parichat U-Tama
    • Alternate versions
      To secure a "Not under 18" rating from the FSK, the German theatrical version was cut by ca. 1 minute. To achieve this rating for the DVD, one additional minute was cut. For the German sell-through version (rated "Not under 16"), almost every violent bit was removed. The uncut version was released with a SPIO/JK certificate. 15 years later, the movie was eventually removed from the index list and shortly afterwards the FSK finally granted the uncensored version a "Not under 18" rating.
    • Connections
      Edited into Rambo: Deleted Scenes (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Rambo: First Blood Theme
      Written by Jerry Goldsmith (BMI)

      Published by Universal Music Publishing o/b/o El Cajo Music Company (BMI)

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    FAQ30

    • How long is Rambo?Powered by Alexa
    • The leading missionary claims that he has gone into Burma five times. How could a man who has been in a country with this much violence in it possibly be *this* naïve?
    • What is 'Rambo' about?
    • Is 'Rambo' based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 25, 2008 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
    • Languages
      • English
      • Burmese
      • Thai
    • Also known as
      • Rambo 4: Regreso al Infierno
    • Filming locations
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
    • Production companies
      • Lionsgate
      • The Weinstein Company
      • Millennium Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $50,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $42,754,105
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $18,203,876
      • Jan 27, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $113,244,290
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 32m(92 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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