RAMBO: LAST BLOOD (2019)

Directed By: Adrian Grunberg 
Written By: Matthew Cirulnick & Sylvester Stallone 
Story By: Dan Gordon & Sylvester Stallone 
Based on Original Characters created by: David Morrell 
Cinematography: Brendan Galvin 
Editor: Carsten Kurpanek & Todd E. Miller 

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Oscar Jaenada 


Rambo must confront his past and unearth his ruthless combat skills to exact revenge in a final mission.

Didn’t necessarily go into this movie with high hopes. Was hoping it would be as ridiculously fun as the previous film in this series. What you get here. Even i didn’t expect.

The film feels like a standard action movie plot where any action hero could be made or dropped in. Though if this film must have been made it should have been introducing a new action hero. As it feels a disservice to an already established one. Especially one who is known to take on whole armies internationally.

Here he does step foot on foreign soil, but brings the fight to his turf on American soil. So that it becomes more of a domestic fight rather then so much a war in the jungles or desert.

Because it had such a basic action movie plot kidnapping a girl and then crazy relative who happens to be a bad ass saves her and gets revenge. Which is a story we have seen time and again, look at the TAKEN movies.

The villains while vicious don’t really come off a memorable or even that concerning. Though they get the drop on him early. This film suffers from THE EQUALIZER syndrome of knowing the hero can easily take out the villains who barely pose a true threat. The only reason they make a difference is they manage to hurt Rambo emotionally and physically only once.

The film does Takes a sour turn Instead of being successful in his rescue mission. Though keeps up the tradition of losing all those close to him.

The ending and excessive violence are the only Rambo elements that the film possesses other then the character. As the film feels lightweight or at least the story does for a Rambo film.

The sad part is after all those international missions here the film wants us to believe he can be done in maybe by a small Cartel. The film even for an action film is so sad and downtrodden. Which ends up being the most surprising factor of the movie. As this film seems to either want to bury the character or be exciting enough to see how the audience reacts before maybe being able to make another one. Usually the character is haunted but the films are usually balls to the wall action. Here though it has stabs of drama that don’t really register. It is pretty cut and dry.

After all these years it’s amazing how the series went from a frantic story of a Vietnam vet who seeks revenge after being picked on by cops after a mental break to a one man war machine in the 1980’s to a man haunted by his past now and being challenged by a cartel after again being in another country as a tour guide and taking out a whole army on his own really. Yup have to remember in the 1980’s this character became an icon of the times. Supposedly a hero to emulate. The ultimate super soldier.

The film plays out like a horror film towards the end. With all the brutal violence and elements of surprise.

The film is also so short and gets right to the action even as it seems to want to be more dramatic as far as character and kind of goes for a LOGAN feel.

Don’t know if it’s the worst sequel as I don’t really remember much about the the third film except it felt standard and was another adventure on non us soil a rescue mission saving trautman in Afghanistan fighting soviet forces

Grade: C-