Rambo : Last Blood

Un film de série B, qui fonctionne grâce à la nostalgie du personnage de John Rambo et de Sly. Et aussi grâce à un travail suffisant avec les émotions (bien que les plus élémentaires), où l'on ne se précipite pas et où, dans une histoire simple, il y a suffisamment d'espace pour l'ensemble des personnages peu nombreux. C'est pourquoi on est ensuite désagréablement surpris par le dénouement précipité auquel manque l'énergie accumulée graduellement et la catharsis suffisante vers lesquelles le film se dirigeait et qui auraient dû être nettement plus intenses. (08/01/2020)

Quatre-vingts minutes de mélancolie autour d’un vieillard grisonnant sans la moindre once d’action et quinze minutes d’une espèce de Maman, j’ai raté l’avion ! à l’accéléré. C’est, en gros, ce à quoi on a droit avec le dernier Rambo. Mais qui voudrait de ça ? Après une quatrième partie réussie, remplie d’action et qui vous coupait le souffle, la série aurait mieux fait d’en rester là. Ce film n’est pratiquement qu’une berceuse injustifiée basée sur un scénario banal et des émotions préfabriquées pour un rôle féminin secondaire que l’on impose à la série sans crier gare – et on voudrait que le public s’émeuve ?! Une suite qui s’oublie vite et s’affuble d’effets spéciaux numériques disgracieux ; un film indigne face à l’engagement (quel qu’il soit) du personnage de John Rambo. (13/01/2021)

The trailers didn't promise a fundamentally accomplished film, but I still believed I would get one in the cinema. Well, I didn't. The Fifth Rambo is not very good , but not because of the craftsmanship, lack of action or cheapness. Rather, it's because it's not really Rambo. It's more like Emo-Rambo. Sylvester Stallone spends an hour and a quarter trying to look like a man struggling with his inner demons and a past of violence, but appreciating that something good has finally come into his life. And it takes him a hell of a long time to turn into the Rambo we know and love (or at least I do). We don't really see any action until the last half hour and it's extremely brutal and for a while I felt like I was watching a crossover of Saw and Friday the 13th rather than Rambo, but I didn't mind. What bothered me was the hour and a quarter before that, in which they completely nonsensically devote space to new characters and try to explore the inner workings of a cinematic warrior. Regardless of the fact that there's not really much there, and we already saw the little there is in the fourth outing. If it weren't called Rambo, I'd probably be more forgiving of this whiny B movie and the wait for the finale. But as a conclusion to a classic action franchise, it's unnecessary at best. And quite sad at times. (19/09/2019)

The story is simple as a Justin Bieber fan, but surprisingly it does makes sense. Like the previous episodes, this is a prime Republican flick, where even the Bulgarian production background doesn't matter. And Stallone, even though he's over seventy, is still badass, he doesn't come across as over-the-top in his iconic position, and it never occurred to me while watching that he should call it a day. And many thanks for the lack of political correctness, Sly never gave a toss about that. (20/09/2019)

A solid farewell to Rambo, and even though the critics are grumbling I'm almost excited. Sylvester Stallone still has it, and he's as respected as an angry bull. Story-wise the film brings nothing new and follows the revenge template, but thankfully it takes place in the unpleasant setting of Mexico, which I simply enjoy, and the ubiquitous filth is portrayed quite solidly. The biggest asset though is of course the final half hour, which takes the best of Home Alone and Saw and is literally a parade of gore scenes that will have you drooling and sweating. In the finale, Rambo: Last Blood becomes an exploitation horror film, and there hasn't been a bigger carnage since Evil Dead. I felt physically uncomfortable as I haven't in a long time when he breaks that collarbone. Those who want to find faults will find them, and those who want a great 90 minutes will enjoy the film. 85%! (25/09/2019)