Pros:
1.) While I wish they did more with the antagonists (more on that later), I do like how much impact they did with their sex slaves when it comes to fear. It was brief, but when Rambo tries to free them, they refuse to leave, because they fear if they escape and get caught again, the Mexican cartel will kill them. A small moment, but it just shows how serious the cartel is with their slavery.
2.) There is one emotional scene that just shows how much John Rambo has been through, and how he appreciates the peace he has thanks to his niece, Gabrielle. No spoilers on what happens, but Rambo pours out his heart so much, what happens next makes it heartbreaking. While there is one thing that needs improvement to make the impact better, that scene is the most emotional moment of the entire movie.
3.) The action is really brutal. Picking up the brutality that Rambo left off, this movie goes all-out with the violence, especially on the final act. There is so much blood, guts, bones, and internal organs shown that I firmly believe that John Rambo should be in Mortal Kombat 11 as DLC. While it may not be as intense as the last movie, the action has such a violent impact, it makes me wonder how the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie reboot will beat this movie in terms of gore.
Cons:
1.) While the antagonists are intimidating in terms of putting fear into the sex slaves, they are the most two-dimensional villains you would ever see. They are the Mexican cartel who sell sex slaves, and that is it. They barely put much of a challenge for Rambo, so you can easily tell they were created just to be cannon fodder. There is only one time that they give Rambo a hard time, and that is because Rambo made a dumb move. They might as well be the antagonists for the Taken movies, because there is hardly any difference.
2.) Rambo’s niece, Gabrielle is not the most interesting character in the movie. Not a good sign when she is the person that Rambo is supposed to save. The reason why she gets kidnapped makes it hard to like her, because anyone watching will know that it is going to get her into trouble. She is not unlikable, but she made a dumb move that everyone will see coming (kind of reminds me of Kim Mills from the Taken movies). Also, it does not help that the actress, Yvette Monreal gives a below average performance. I did hope that the character will be fine, but how she got into this mess makes me dislike her a bit.
3.) One character is not needed in this movie is Carmen. She barely contributes, and with some rewrites, she can easily be removed from the movie. Carmen does have a backstory of why she commits to her actions, but it does not mean that makes her interesting. The only thing that I will remember about her the most is the fact that she almost looks like Winona Ryder.
Overall:
If there is another character that Sylvester Stallone is known for other than Rocky Balboa, it would be John Rambo. Though the first film is the best of the series, its sequels are just as good despite certain flaws. This movie is no exception. While I can see why some people might see it as the worst of the Rambo movies (especially since the trailer makes it look like it belongs in a straight-to-DVD bin), there are plenty of things that is enjoyable about this movie. The action is just as brutal as the last movie, Rambo is still a man trying to find peace after his time in war (even if it is not as strong as the other movies), and Sylvester Stallone still acts like a hardcore violent veteran that should not be messed around in the slightest. The story may not be amazing nor are the antagonists and even some of the side characters, the movie does what is set out to do: a good action movie that is slow at the start, but makes up for it by the end. If you like Rambo and action (especially in the same level as Mortal Kombat), this movie will not disappoint you. If you wanted a deep action film, I can recommend the first film: First Blood. John Rambo still remains to be one most iconic action characters.
6/10
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