Sylvester Stallone has always taken a beating from critics, but not this one. He’s been the brunt of bad jokes for the better part of 30 years but he does try hard and his brand of action is popular. Plus, since he’s been on a downward slide for the last 10 or 15 years, it’s easy to root for him to make a strong comeback. Stallone garnered a lot of goodwill with the sweetly sentimental release of "Rocky Balboa" in late 2006. It was comfort food for the action lover’s soul and it was a great way to say goodbye to a character people really love. Along the way, Stallone realized that people still love him. Well, there’s no better way to continue the comeback than by resurrecting your other franchise character, John Rambo.

People always make fun of Stallone’s portrayal of Rocky, so you know they have a laugh riot over Rambo. He’s become the international symbol of American aggression and stupidity. That might not be fair, but that’s the way it is. What comedians miss is that Stallone is always trying to make a point with the character and it’s easy to overlook. With that in mind, our lonely hero is back for his fourth adventure in "Rambo" and once again, Stallone has a message to get off his chest.

The movie starts off with a very graphic montage of news footage detailing the genocide and humanitarian crisis going on in Myanmar. It’s a little heavy-handed, but Sly isn’t subtle and as writer, director and star, he can do what he wants.

We find Rambo in Thailand, making a living as a snake handler. He’s fled from the world but finds himself still tortured by his demons. Rambo’s life becomes complicated when Christian missionaries try to hire him to ferry them upriver into war-torn Myanmar. The group is persistent despite his warnings and he reluctantly agrees to take them. Weeks later, others have need of his boat but this time it’s a team of thuggish mercenaries hired by the missionaries’ church for a rescue mission. Again, Rambo finds himself pulled into conflict and combat.

"Rambo" really has a simple story and while Stallone uses current events to frame his film, he never goes too deeply into politics. Just know that there are some very bad people in Myanmar committing terrible atrocities. As a result, "Rambo" might be the most brutal mainstream film since "Saving Private Ryan." Stallone takes the viewers faces and shoves them right into the most heinous and graphic of human atrocities. When you see the military attack on the village, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

The film features beheadings, rapes, dismemberment, torture, exploding bodies and yes, even children thrown into a fire. When you get done watching it you’ll swear you’re standing knee deep in a pool of blood. I had heard how graphic this film is, but you can’t imagine it until you actually witness it. Nothing quite drives the point home like violence and in this, Sly has totally succeeded.

This level of violence will repel some and attract others to this film. It is shocking, but in a strange way "Rambo" is as comforting as "Rocky Balboa." Stallone is in his 60’s now, but he looks as bulky and brutish as ever. "The Incredible Hulk" hits theaters in a few weeks, but Stallone has become a living, human hulk with his growth-hormone enhanced physique. It’s very impressive and manages to both dehumanize the character while giving him a sincerely forlorn look. You can actually believe this guy has experienced the worst of the human race whether it is in Vietnam, Myanmar, Afghanistan or even the United States ("First Blood").

It’s fairly standard stuff, but the film’s short running time means it’s lean and mean and gets straight to the point. The villains are so evil that you want to see violence inflicted upon them, once again enhancing Rambo’s heroism. Stallone confidently directs the film with flair and he knows how to pump up the excitement. The fights are thrilling and as I said before, he’s not afraid to use liberal amounts of the red stuff.

Sylvester Stallone really is an underrated filmmaker and doesn’t get the credit he deserves. "Rambo" is a surprisingly slick and exciting piece of entertainment and it’s great to see Stallone enjoying a career revival. If you’re a Rambo fan, you’ll be well served to run out and buy the DVD. If you just like action films, give it a look. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised (and shocked) and will probably enjoy seeing an old-school action icon getting the job done one more time. Maybe Arnold has one more movie left in him.

Movie rating
4 out of 5

"Rambo"
Rated R

The Disc

Along with the standard theatrical trailer and deleted scenes, "Rambo" comes with several featurettes thoroughly detailing the filmmaking process as well as the decision to even make another film. There is also a very detailed and graphic look at the real-life crisis and atrocities being committed in Myanmar, including interviews with people who have experienced the horror firsthand.

The documentaries are well produced and entertaining and this is a very good DVD package.

DVD rating
5 out of 5