Stallone Sports Aggrandized Violence, Weak Storyline in ‘Rambo’ Revival

CHICAGO – The best quality about the fourth “Rambo” is its “Rambo” authenticity. The worst quality about the fourth “Rambo” is its “Rambo” authenticity.

Unlike the previous three, which released every three years in the 1980s (“First Blood” in 1982, “Rambo: First Blood Part II” in 1985 and “Rambo III” in 1988), “Rambo” exactly two decades later featured some commonalties and also broke some new ground.

Sylvester Stallone – who’s now 61 years old, and though he shows it, still looks the buff part – of course starred in all of them as John Rambo. In addition to starring in the films in 1982, 1985 and 1988, Stallone was also a scribe. The films were all directed by other talents (Ted Kotcheff, George Cosmatos, Peter MacDonald, respectively).