John Rambo, My childhood action hero...

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After watching the hard hitting film "Expendables", as a fan of action films it brings me memories of the action reel "First blood 2" or Rambo 2. The movie "Expendables is somehow to relive the glory days of 80's action stars but rather than reviving them or their careers the movie demonstrates how action reels have evolved over the years.

There's still a lot that nostalgic Sylvester Stallone can offer, that he still lives up to his title as the pinnacle of Hollywood machismo. In his latest flick, its simply for fans raised during Commando and Rambo heydays! The excessive/monotonous violence, guns blazing, countless deaths, and recycled plot. A throwback days when our wise cracked heroes blows-up a thousand of faceless foes.

How about recounting the movie that for me is the zenith of the action film genre. "Rambo 2", the sequel to the movie "First Blood". The protagonist, who else, 80's action icon figure Sylvester Stallone reprising his role in this second installment as a hard core crazed veteran out to save the POW. The movie is based on David Morrell's 1972 novel.

This time John Rambo gets a crack to destroy Vietnam. This just is pure muscle bound action packed movie, all with brute strength, no choreographic fight scenes no kung fu no martial arts. A perfect killing machine, one-man wrecking crew with a perversely imaginative killing prowess — name it, shooting, weaponry, stabbing, strangling, hand to hand combat, survival tactics, guerrilla warfare etc. while at the same time being chased by a battalion of soldiers he remained unscathed by machine guns, grenades mortars. This guy is just a pain in the ass, remember the torture scenes? Electrocution is supposed to cause him a massive electric shock or could have at least slowed him down but to no avail. And have you noticed the latter part of the movie? there is scarcely a villager left standing nor even a tree. He's just completely unstoppable, body count? I could barely count, why count it anyway.

John Rambo is simply hardcore, started out his mission in Thailand absolutely nothing with, no luggage, no toothbrush, no underwear, bringing along is simply his mission order (if he does have on aside from kill them all) his talents in survival and combat. Such a fitting epitome of hardcore machismo.

In one scene, some soldier attempts to squeeze some information from Rambo by cutting him across his cheek with a glazing hot knife, man I cannot recall if he even blinked between his dagger looks! If some guy pointed a knife on me I'll just sing any song they wanted me to sing, it should scared out the shit on me and I'll cry like a baby. 



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In the movie not once Stallone's character resembled a human emotion, his masculinity was not deflected by a  need, a desire. God forbid if he took a leak or shit. He's all business. Well he did showcase some emotion when he took a machine gun from the Huey helicopter after rescuing the POWs and endlessly fire wherever he points it - well it could have been endless if not due to the round limits of a 50 caliber machine gun. Now that's anger from a mad man.
                                  
Now I've read and seen the struggles of GIs in Nam Magazines and documentaries post delivered by my grandpa who was a war veteran .  The struggles to survive the filthy jungle, keeping themselves dry and out of cold during the monsoon rains while uncomfortably trying to sleep in sand bags and rice paddies. How the young recruits cried while being ambushed by Vietcong's, sniped far afar, mortared. These scenes can be vividly seen in another epic movie "The Platoon". How they prayed for the medivac helicopter to arrive and evacuate them from such hellish world, those who were wounded and the dreadful tourniquet, & the use of morphine to suppress the pain.

For John Rambo all this discomfort is only pettiness. No expression of wariness and concern on his part. He doesn't worry about staying dry and definitely will not fret on mosquitoes or repulsive jungle creatures. There this scene when a viper slits out from a bamboo advancing to him nah he just catches it in bare hand and chokes it.  He just runs, evades enemies bare naked showcasing  is muscled torso. The war in Nam could have ended differently if all Jarheads are like Rambo.

Of course, who would miss Stallone's Italian accent, grunting like a lion with a sore throat, such unique ability in delivering dialogues. Well this what somehow made most action stars distinct from one another, it's their ability to carry out their famous quotable lines. In one of the most memorable passages in the movie, Rambo explains the word "expendable" to a Vietnamese woman: which of course became the title of his latest flick. The line goes "It's like when you're invited to a party and you don't go and nobody cares" It's one moving scene, from the most stone-hearted cynic, such simple profundity. Here Stallone shows his multi-talented ability, not only as an actor but as screenwriter as well.



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Now recently there's been a rumor of Rambo V, gladly though Stallone press released that he conceded on developing the 5th installment and he just plans to work on the sequel of "Expendables". It's a relief, I grew up with this film and considered this a cult classic. I don't expect another Rambo film to get the same kind of replay value as the last Rambo did nor it will have a deeper plot or different theme(now since when this movie franchise had a plot, just kidding). If remakes and franchise extensions rely only from pre-built recognition of it predecessors, with no fresh theme and new substance that its solely for commercial purposes, I suggest then to leave the classics and not try not to relive it.

It's great to see John back....but at this modern age, the audience would likely to root for a new hero that's more sensible and if its not too much ask nowadays,  A real life hero.