"Movie Review — Rambo: Last Blood"
Post on: September 26, 2019
In 1982, I watched the first of the Rambo sequel as a 13- year-old schoolboy. About 40 years since he drew “First Blood”, John Rambo has cemented his status as one of the greatest action heroes. I am glad to have watched “Last Blood” in its premiere launch, a treat for every Stallone fans.
The movie initially showcased Rambo living a quiet life as opposed to his combating days. He had inherited his late dad’s sprawling ranch in Arizona where he whiled away his time training and whispering to horses — being immersed in the idyllic lifestyle it offered. But hold your horses…
He considered his friend, Maria (who helped manage the ranch) and her grand-daughter, Gabriela as his family. The humdrum setting was disrupted when Gabriela got wind of her dad from a friend. Her mom was inflicted with cancer and had passed on while her abusive dad had abandoned them, leaving for Mexico.
Determined to renew ties with her dad, she stealthily drove to Mexico to meet him despite the consternation of Maria and Rambo.
While in Mexico, her dad refused to accept her and in her distraught state, she went to a club to unwind. This was where her agony began – she was drugged and dragged into a brothel where an organised drug syndicate was running like clockwork precision, ensnaring unsuspecting young girls into its fold.
Rambo went on a mission to rescue her and managed to do so after going through an ordeal. Finally, when all seemed well, Gabriela died in Rambo’s custody from forced drug overdose so viciously fed by her captors, piloted by Hugo and Victor.
This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Rambo had taken all the beatings in his first attempt in locating Gabriela. He took it in his stride. But this time though, he exacted revenge. He morphed into the killing machine he once was — barging into their den and mutilated the captors. And as a final onslaught, he decapitated Victor, the ringleader.
This called for tit-for-tat. The crestfallen syndicate, led by Hugo wanted to avenge their lost co-leader and pride. They came searching for Rambo in his turf — the ranch in Arizona.
Rambo has fought wars – taking on battalions while saving POWs, decimated an entire army’s military machine, rescued his commanding officer from a legion of soldiers. With such credentials, taking on civilians in modern attire and ravishing cars seems like a piece of cake! Yes, in the Last Blood, Rambo enticed the baddies into his backyard and waited in anticipation….
His secret weapon? A bunker with a labyrinth of tunnels underneath his ranch. Having the home-ground advantage, he laid booby traps and stockpiled guns, knives, arrows and ammunition at every nook and cranny – a skill honed by the ex-green beret cum war veteran.
The movie has mixed reviews and some critics have espoused that it’s a far cry from its earlier sequels. Neither did it do justice for a movie with such an iconic image. However, the ageing but fearless Rambo is still worth watching – you will be riveted to your seat, I’m sure.
As the title suggests, there’s speculation that this is the final chapter of the celebrated series. The end of the show montaged sequences of all the episodes… it was truly nostalgic as I walked down memory lane reliving the earlier sequels. Finally, Rambo saddled up his horse and journeyed into the sunset – a ray of hope for the die-hard Rambo fans that it may not be the end….
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Photo: Pixabay.com
