I finally saw this movie tonight. You all probably have read my rants about remakes and sequels, like this, that are made like 20 years later. I'm very vocal about it. I've also said they don't always fail. Just usually. This is why I never think it should be attempted unless the film makers are sure about it. Let this movie be a template on how to do it the right way.

On to the movie.

This movie was fucking so unbelievably awesome. I think Murder really nailed it in the OP. I actually thought it did a better job in capturing and combining the elements from First Blood and Rambo III better than Rambo: First Blood Part II. What I mean is that First Blood had lots of emotion. It was deep without really having to say a whole lot. You just knew. By Rambo III, it was nothing more than a high body count, one man army, insane shoot 'em up action movie. Don't get me wrong, I loved it. But it was polar opposite of First Blood.

The second movie, Rambo: First Blood Part II was the perfect segue, not only in style, but in name. This was like a metamorphosis from First Blood to Rambo for the series. IMO, Rambo (the new one) still had the action of Rambo III, but completed the circle by taking us back to the feel and emotion of First Blood. Even the last scene in the movie was symbolic of completing the circle. I also really liked the darkness this movie had to it.

I also wanted to point out that I like the way it highlights the problems in Burma without feeling like a feature length PSA. When movies start out the way this one did, you never can tell until it gets farther into the movie.

I read that Sly is in the process of writing Rambo V. I hope he really thinks long and hard about whether or not its worth it. If he decides it is, I hope it is done with the same passion as this one was. After seeing this, I have faith that it can be done.

Burt Reynolds wrote:

I read somewhere that a lot of the cast were survivors of said villages and had trouble acting out some of the parts as soldiers because it was too similar to what actually had gone down. EDIT: I forgot I am dumb, so I more likely saw it on TV somewhere than read it.

In one of the featurettes on the DVD, they said that the guy who played Major Tint (the bad guy leader) fought with the Karen Freedom Fighters ("If crime fighters fight crime, and fire fighters fight fires, what do freedom fighters fight?" - George Carlin). They said that by just being in the movie (buying, selling, and viewing of this movie in Burma will get you jail time), he not only put himself in danger, but also there was the risk of his family most likely being sent to prison. But he insisted on being a part of it anyways.