Rambo: First Blood Part II

Even though Rambo: First Blood Part II, with its mission to rescue America’s self-confidence after the debacle of the Vietnam War, seems rather ridiculous from today’s perspective, it has two strengths that cannot be denied. The first of these is the outrageously honest craftsmanship of the action sequences. Though the film’s anti-choreography and concept of guerrilla spec-ops combat come across as quite laughable, all of these drawbacks are offset by the precise topography of the action, the dynamic editing and, mainly, the superb camerawork, which ceaselessly emphasises the real physical dimension of every shot (the composition with the view to the protagonist from inside the helicopter cabin with the landscape in motion in the second plane behind the glass was definitely copied by Tom Cruise’s team in Mission: Impossible – Fallout). The film’s other strength is its indisputable status as a pop-culture phenomenon, which is based on rare, inimitable harmonisation of the work’s ethos with the audience’s mood at the time. Though critics on both sides of the Iron Curtain slammed the film, it set box-office records in the West (both in the US and in Europe) and it enjoyed even greater success in cultural terms in the Eastern Bloc through illegal underground distribution, though of course without the financial gains. The bellowing hulk with a strip of cloth tied around his head, armed with a bow and explosive arrows, and killing cartoonishly depicted commies became the embodiment of the ideal of America at the height of the Cold War. Rambo wasn’t Superman or any other particular hero with specific traits and virtues, but like the Berlin Wall, the film concentrated within itself the mood of the decaying Soviet system and a society that had grown tired of the stalemate and the status quo. Whereas in America the film soothed the ego of conservatives and licked their wounds after losing a war, in both Western and Eastern Europe it represented an energising fantastical pressure valve for a frustrated society. Rambo: First Blood Part II became both an icon of and a synonym for its era and it remains embedded in society’s memory even in the new millennium. But everything written here refers solely to this particular film. Because of that and despite all of Stallone’s misguided attempts, none of the sequels can build on that legacy with all of its meanings, nor can they repeat its box-office success. (09/30/2023)

Not nearly as good as the first one, Rambo II is a typical example of the sequel syndrome: a bigger budget, more action, more visual effects, less story, less atmosphere. The beginning is still quite interesting, as it practically starts right where the first part ended, but then it goes downhill. (07/05/2005)

Unlike the first First Blood, the creators didn't let the viewer discover the movie's message on their own. Instead, they continuously hammered it home, which, in my eyes, somewhat devalued the entire experience. In contrast to the previous film, this time, it was all about action, and as such, I suppose I should forgive it for many things. The movie was filled with clichés, which I can't fault because these films were the birthplace of such clichés. My critique is directed at the creators who persist in using them today. I get that Soviet technology might not have been accessible during the Cold War, but if an Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma could stand in for a Mil Mi-24, why not use another machine produced in Europe instead of the overused Bell 212? The action itself was well-executed and satisfying, but I couldn't overlook the mishandled details. The sound accompanying the firing of each arrow was so loud that Rambo could have been running with an AK. Artillery mines fired from mortars would probably have to hit someone directly because the creators purposefully omitted their terrifying fragmenting effect. And here's a piece of advice: never, I repeat, never use any rocket launcher in a small enclosed space. Aside from these issues, it was a typical 80s action fairy tale, which I sometimes find laughable, but I enjoy it nevertheless. / Lesson learned: If you're too young to remember 80s movies, go for something more recent. (11/15/2022)

It's all here - action, corpses, Rambo's stone expressions, blood, of which there is much more than in the first one. Unfortunately, however, there is noticeably less quality filmmaking. The producers tested the audience's reaction with the first film and found that a significant part of moviegoers fall into the category of teenage boys, for whom this is simply enough. The film also had a strong propaganda dimension in the mid-80s, which today can only evoke an indulgent smile. Overall impression: 20%. (05/25/2009)

The second installment is clearly the most cerebral work about John Rambo. On the other hand, it is so beautifully crystal clear in its humor ("Rambo, you made good choice") that it has an irreplaceable place within the series. It's never going to be the best Rambo film (that's still the luxurious fourth Rambo for me), but the honestly acknowledged comedic parts and its indelible imprint on pop culture are what make the second one the second one. "What you choose to call ‘hell’, he calls home." (09/21/2019)