The Legend & His War Comes Home

Kaleidoscope's newest is on Lionsgate's, Balboa Productions, & Millennium Media's production of "Rambo: Last Blood".  Directed by Adrian Greenberg, the movie stars Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega, Adrianna Barraza, & Yvette Monreal.  Rated 'R', it has a running time of 1 hr., 29 min.

The film begins 11 years after the events in the 4th "Rambo" film.  John Rambo (Stallone) has inherited his father's ranch in Arizona and runs it with his longtime friend Maria Beltran (Barraza) & her granddaughter, Gabrielle (Monreal).  The 3 are very close; Gabrielle even calls Rambo, Uncle John.  One day, Gabrielle tells Rambo that a friend of hers who has moved to Mexico, Jezel, has located Gabrielle's estranged father in that country; Maria & Rambo both know that Jezel is a troubled young lady & plead with Gabrielle not to go.  Although she initially acquiesces to their request, her eyes reveal that she truly wants to go to her father to confront him about why he left her & her mother.  Soon thereafter, Gabrielle informs Rambo & her grandmother that she is going into town.  Halfway there, Gabrielle turns around & begins her journey into Mexico.  When she does not return that evening, John & Maria realize that Gabrielle has defied them & has gone to seek Jezel & her father.  Act I ends here as Rambo informs Maria that he will journey south of the border to find Gabrielle & bring her back.

Director Grunberg has created a fast-paced conclusion to the "Rambo" saga.  As with the first 2 films, "Last Blood" adheres to the 'revenge' archetype; this one engages in blood-thirsty gore with a 3rd act that wallows in it.  Grunberg tries to leaven the mayhem by depicting Rambo in some tender moments; unfortunately, Stallone's 73-year old face has become rather immobilized with age.  The film's momentum allows one to overlook this flaw; that, & the fact that one does not look for tenderness in a Rambo saga--sentimentality was left behind after 1982's "First Blood".  Stallone's & Matthew Cirulnick's screenplay focuses on action, reasons for revenge, & more action.  There is little room for character development amid the vengeance & payback that dominates the script.  Stallone is--Stallone!  While the 8 installments of the "Rocky" franchise demonstrated that Stallone can emote effectively as the character has evolved through the years; such is not the case here.  Rambo is as the name implies--a ramrod for action, violence, & retribution.  Is there actually a need for anything more in this character?  For this critic, the answer is, 'no'.  Rambo/Stallone is what he is--and, that is fine.  Vega is similarly one-note as an independent journalist that Rambo encounters in Mexico; she is merely a vehicle at a key plot point.  Beltran is the loyal friend who provides a counterpoint for Rambo's stoicism--definitely, a stock-type persona.  The only somewhat-rounded character is provided by Monreal who portrays a teenager torn between her love for her grandma & 'uncle' and her need to seek out her father's truth.  I look forward to seeing her in future roles.  Brian Tyler's derivative score is action mode friendly if, ultimately, forgettable.  Brendan Galvin's poignant, at times, cinematography and Carsten Kurpanek's & Todd E. Miller's super-sharp editing provide a wonderful template to support & make believable the propulsive drive of the film.

I give a two-fold recommendation for "Rambo: Last Blood".  If you are a fan of the "Rambo" franchise, and, of revenge films in general:  I give "Last Blood" 8 nuggets.  If you are not a fan: a low 7.  For those who are Rambo/revenge fans, head to your local multiplex to catch it on the big screen!