Monday, September 23, 2019

Short Attention Span Review - Rambo: Last Blood (2019)


Short Attention Span Review - Rambo: Last Blood (2019)

Rambo: Last Blood deftly combines the darkness and brutality of the last entry with the utter silliness of the second one.  Gorier than many horror movies, grim as hell, and slickly produced, this is a ferocious action flick that should satisfy fans of this iconic character.  Stallone could play this part in his sleep, and he never misses the mark in what will stand as an appropiate farewell for John J. Rambo--should Hollywood allow him to hang up his bow.  The story is simplistic, and while that is often seen as a slight, it becomes a strength in this lean mean killing machine of a motion picture.  Playing somewhat like a grimy 70s revenge yarn, it simmers for a while, then throttles up for a guns-blazing conclusion that is as thrilling as it is implausible.  I'm awarding bonus points for what may have been the best song placement in the history of the cinema.  Rambo: First Blood is incredibly dark, exceptionally violent, and it does showcase the depth and emotional heft that went AWOL to this franchise's detriment in the second and third installments.  It is a far cry from First Blood, a film I hold in the highest regard, and I didn't like it quite as much as I liked 2008's Rambo.  I did enjoy it a lot, though, and if this is indeed Rambo's parting shot, this movie served a character I treasure well.  Mission accomplished, Sly.

Final Grade: B+


Stallone shouldn't be able to do this at his age, but he can still get down and dirty with the best of them.

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