Review of Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) by Harry W — 21 Jan 2014

Rambo: First Blood Part II has a major pro and a major con to it. They are both exactly the same thing.

To put it in the negative perspective, Rambo: First Blood Part II brings the psychologically tortured character John Rambo down to the level of a simple mindless action hero. It's no longer about letting sleeping dogs lie and leaving a man like John Rambo to live out his life in peace after suffering through the torture of the Vietnam war and the sadistic pursuit of Sheriff Will Teasle. Instead, it relies on the characteristics of him as a cold blooded killer of a soldier in a significantly more action focused context. It's like sending Rocky to fight Predator years after retirement. Even though it's more sensible since John Rambo has unmatchable battle skills and resourcefulness, but it just proves how everyone ignores the humane side of him except for Col. Samuel Trautman. The military does, but the filmmakers do too and it's kind of disrespectful to him as a person and a character.

There's that, and plus for a while Rambo: First Blood Part II is kind of boring. It's mostly a slow foray into Vietnam with appealing scenery at the start which doesn't really match the pacing of the first film. Once it kicks off, it's good. But it can be a little boring and feel a little bit long, even when it isn't, and also the motivations for the character Marshall Murdock prove somewhat confusing and even pretty stupid when you try to figure out why he left men to die and be tortured, particularly since the American public discovering that is a lot worse than them discovering American POWs being kept in Vietnam. It's all pretty dull writing.

Also, Julia Nickson-Soul fails to give a good performance, because she's an American actress attempting to act stereotypically Vietnamese but only in the manner of not having a strong articulation of language.

Now, to explain the pro of the film, Rambo: First Blood Part II turns the titular character John Rambo into a history-changing action hero. The original lone wolf.

John Rambo proves what a killer he is with better resources in Rambo: First Blood Part II, and his killer instincts are legendary. The instant he changes from John Rambo into the true warrior of war Rambo is the moment that history changed. To simplify it, Rambo: First Blood Part II benefits from an awesome action hero and some great action on good scenery which is shot well, edited nicely and has plenty of explosions at an energetic pace.

And although Sylvester Stallone's acting abilities take a back seat to his trigger happiness in Rambo: First Blood Part II, it doesn't stop him from giving a good performance as the iconic man himself, John Rambo. His performance doesn't require much acting, but he does a good enough job.

And the cinematography is great, because it always takes an atmospheric perspective to either show the claustrophobic mood of a killing sequence or to show the threat of several enemies in perspective. And the musical score is pretty good, being intense and hectic for just the right moments.

And the supporting cast proves to do a mostly good job.

Richard Crenna returns to the role of Col. Samuel Trautman, and despite having little screen time he still manages to prove his talents as an actor and his care for the character John Rambo which nobody else shares.

Even though Charles Napier falls in Brian Dennehey's shadow by having an inferior character and performance to the antagonist of First Blood.

Martin Kove is a pretty nostalgic presence too, considering his fame as the villainous Sensei John Kreese in Karate Kid.

So Rambo: First Blood Part II is devoid of the substance or intense experience of its predecessor, but it's a mean and powerful action film with more than enough explosions and gunfire to its name.