Shame that it gets so ridiculous in the finale - Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) Discussion

[–] Times_Up 11 years ago

I love this movie, but I agree it would have been cool to see what something more like First Blood would have been like in this movie. I wish they'd have filmed Cameron's script as well so there could be an alternate Rambo II.

Tell me something... are you fellas really with the Internal Revenue Service? - The Omega Man

reply

[–] !!!deleted!!! (14789810) 11 years ago

I concur good sir

http://www.imdb.com/list/rJuB9UoASlQ/

reply

[–] Hendry_William_French 11 years ago

But then instead of an emotional ending, we get an explosion-filled video game complete with a silly boss battle

I think that was the idea. For its time, Rambo II was pushing the envelope far beyond what audiences had ever experienced until then (action hero wise) and that's probably why the film became such a phenomenon in 85. People just weren't used to that style of film making especially the idea of layering one action set piece onto the other (each one bigger than the last) until the movie's climax. We take it for granted having all grown up on T2 etc but that was unheard of at that time. Basically no one noticed that it wasn't overly emotional since it was conceived as a big budget summer blockbuster that people thus went to see in order to have a good time (also I did think Rambo's end speech to trautman was pretty intense and heartfelt and the movie ends on a sombre note).

Remember, if you look at the Rambo trilogy in context the first movie is the base - it established the character, his skills and his past. The sequel merely removed the psychological aspect of Rambo and focues on the heroic side. It was something different as another first blood wouldn't have worked. First Blood Part II worked as a comic book meets western movie. It's the 80s in a nutshell, all the glorious excesses of it.

Smoke if you got em

reply

[–] Times_Up 11 years ago

Good points, I somewhat disagree with your assertion that it is First Blood that established his skills and past. Rambo is the film that shows what the character can do in a combat situation since the original had him on the run against cops and honor bound not to kill unless absolutely necessary. Here, we see him in the environment that he blossomed as a warrior and returning to the very camp he was traumatized in. Even though it isn't dwelt upon, this one covers his past (experience wise) and skills that First Blood only teases at. The original established the character, as is typical, and the sequel set loose the action, as you said. Probably became the template for franchises like this.

Tell me something... are you fellas really with the Internal Revenue Service? - The Omega Man

reply

[–] Hendry_William_French 11 years ago

Rambo is the film that shows what the character can do in a combat situation since the original had him on the run against cops and honor bound not to kill unless absolutely necessary

Hmmm gotta disagree with you there, dude.

The scene where Rambo takes out the cops in the mountains - all with ingeniously hand built traps or expert stealth and precision tactics is exactly what Rambo was doing with Trautman and his special forces team in Nam. The only difference here is that Rambo never delivered the final blow - he let them live because he merely wanted to show Teasle what he was capable of and thus give him a warning that if he came back he'd take him out for good. "I could've killed them all".

You saw Rambo in combat sitations throughout FB and I think it was meant to mirror everything he went through in Nam - escaping from a cavernous mine and the police station (remember they said he escaped from a prison camp in nam), surviving off the land, taking the fight to the enemy despite being outmanned and outgunned, pulling off incredible feats in the eyes of death or capture (jumping from a cliff into a tree - probably sky dived a lot in nam or was forced to do something similar at one time).

I reckon First Blood showed you the ins and outs of the character and his capabilities, the most important being his background thus making him out to be this kind of a mythic, last-of-a-kind warrior. Rambo II just jacked up the heroic aspect ten fold at the expense of the grittier side of FB .

Smoke if you got em

reply

[–] Times_Up 11 years ago

I agree with you. First Blood did do that, but Rambo actually showed it: that is the difference.

Tell me something... are you fellas really with the Internal Revenue Service? - The Omega Man

reply

[–] Hendry_William_French 11 years ago

True, I know what you're saying Kronos. I guess, for me, First Blood did a better job of executing the action. Stallone was in his prime and he looked more convincing pulling off all those moves and stunts.

Also, they purposefully set First Blood in the Pacific Northwest because the terrain was meant to mirror that of Vietnam. What you were seeing in First Blood was essentially the war being transported over to US soil, and thus everything you saw is exactly what happened over there in regards to seeing Rambo kick ass and take names. Rambo (IV) was essentially repeating what had already been clearly alluded to in First Blood (minus the body count, which is immaterial).

Rambo (IV) showed the graphic and brutal nature of war but lacked the heroic imagery, convincing stylization and storytelling aspect which made First Blood's action so much more memorable.

Smoke if you got em

reply

[–] bluerevenge 10 years ago

But then instead of an emotional ending, we get an explosion-filled video game complete with a silly boss battle.

Um, doesn't this describe the first three Rambo films?

In First Blood I guess it is emotional at the very end but otherwise yeah they[think] they blow him up with the rocket launcher but then he comes back, mows through the cops at the bridge, blows up the whole place like a hooligan and gets to Teasle. So last level is like "Return to Hope" and final boss Teasle.

In the second one, well we know the story 'cause it's the subject.

In Rambo III, the last level is like "Desert Valley before border"--seeing a whole army in front of you, saying *beep* 'em" and starting the battle. The boss is Russian dude bad guy in the chopper.

Even the 4th film you could kinda say the same but he does go back home finally at the very end, making it a little more heartfelt.

reply

[–] Hendry_William_French 10 years ago

So last level is like "Return to Hope" and final boss Teasle.

In Rambo III, the last level is like "Desert Valley before border"--seeing a whole army in front of you, saying *beep* 'em" and starting the battle. The boss is Russian dude bad guy in the chopper

Exactly. All three Rambos had a heart and soul but were still comic book actioners to the bitter end.

Water, my ass! Bring this guy some Pepto Bismol!

reply