Movie Review - Rambo (2008) Starring Sylvester Stallone

Rambo is a 2008 action film starring Sylvester Stallone as Vietnam expert John Rambo. Stallone also co-wrote and directed the picture. It is the fourth chapter of the Rambo series. This film is devoted to the remembrance of Richard Crenna, who played Col. Sam Trautman.

Burma is under the iron-fisted regulation of Than Shwe and takes harsh stances against the nation's pro-democracy movement. Rebels are thrown into a mine-infected bog and then fired down by the Tatmadaw.

Former U.S. warrior John Rambo resides in a village near the Burmese border line. He makes a living capturing snakes and selling them in a nearby village. He also transports roamers in his boat. A missionary, Michael Burnett (Paul Schulze), asks Rambo to take him and his associates up the Salween River to Burma on a humanitarian mission to give aid to Karen tribals. Rambo is reluctant but is persuaded by Sarah Miller (Julie Benz) to take them.

The boat is stopped by pirates who want Sarah in exchange for passage, which Rambo knows will lead to her molest, torture and most likely death of all on the boat. After negotiations fail, Rambo kills them all. Although his motives save the missionaries, it greatly hurts them. Upon arrival, Michael says that they will travel by road and do not want Rambo's aid for returning back. The venture goes well until the Tatmadaw, led by Major Tint, attack. They slaughter most of the villagers and two missionaries and abduct the rest, including Michael and Sarah. When the missionaries fail to come back after ten days, their pastor (Ken Howard) comes to ask Rambo's support in guiding hired armed force to the village where the missionaries were last seen.

Rambo agrees to accompany the soldiers. After seeing the shattered village, they plan to rescue the hostages at a camp. The Tatmadaw group finds the hostages missing and organizes a massive manhunt. Everyone except for Rambo, Sarah, and the mercenary School Boy is abducted. Just as the group is to be executed, Rambo hijacks a truck-mounted with arms and ammunitions. Karen rebels join Rambo and the mercenaries to win. Encouraged by Sarah's words, Rambo comes back to the United States.

It was released on January 25, 2008. It was the second highest grossing movie for the weekend in the U.S. and Canada behind Meet the Spartans. It earned a 37% rating on movie review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes.