Review of Rambo III (1988) by Gav G — 18 Apr 2008

After Rambo's heroics in Part II he has been given a full pardon for his actions he committed in Part I. It's been three years and John is tying to live the quiet life, still just wanting to be - ". . .left alone". It's his curse that he can never be left in peace. But this time it's his friend and former commander that is in trouble - Rambo goes it alone one more time to save the colonel.

Part III was the most expensive movie ever made at the time but it didn't do as well at the US box office as hoped however that was more than made up for in its returns internationally.

The movie had its problems, a replacement director who came in last minute and it does show slightly however the cinematography and location shooting more than make up for that.

We've heard little about the past of Rambo and but now we get a glimpse of what it must have been like when he and the Colonel fought side by side, its great to watch and a shame at the same time because this would be the first and last time we see it.

Setting the record straight: A lot of people prove how ignorant they are of the Soviet - Afghan war by confusing the Mujahedeen with the Taliban. The Mujahedeen (Translated "The soldiers of God") and the Taliban (Translated "The students of God") are entirely separate things. The Taliban were created in Pakistan in the early 1990s, took over Afghanistan in 1995 and were led by Mullah Omar. The Mujahedeen were split into several different groups and were led by different leaders (None of them called Bin Laden) most of them forming a coalition against the Taliban called the Northern Alliance in 1995/96. Their overall leader was the legendary guerrilla leader Ahmad Shah Massoud who was murdered in a suicide bombing by Al Qai'da terrorists in September 2001. It was the Northern Alliance who fought side by side with the Western coalition during their campaign to overthrow the Taliban government in 2001 to the present day.

Everything you want and expect is present and correct, Vietnam reverences, headband, and crossbow. This is Rambo trying finally to cope with who he is, with what he is, as the Colonel says, ". . .come full circle John". Ironically it was only the beginning of Rambo's self-acceptance. It would take a further twenty years before he finally accepts - and with the Colonel's voice ringing in his ears - the man he truly is.