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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 01-25-2008, 06:54 AM:
 
I took the chance to watch this tonight as it was the only time it was going to be shown in the Capri. Seeing Rambo on a 70/30' screen with over 30,000 watts of sound. Couldn't pass it up.

I liked Rocky last year, thought Sly went back to the basics of what made the first ones great, He hit the nail on the head again with this one.

John Rambo is a snake wrangling bad ass in the Thiland jungle. I didn't see so much as a BowFlex in his Jungle pad, but he looks like hes been working out non stop since we last saw him 20 years ago.

Everyone was saying how in Cloverfield thats how guns were supposed to sound in the movies. Sorry the M16s in Cloverfield have nothing on the 50cal sniper rifle and every other weapon in this movie. I've been next to 50 cal machine guns when they've been fired and I've fired them before. This is the closest thing I've ever heard. After the last 20 minutes of the movie my ears were ringing from the bombardment my ears took.

I really liked this one and think it will do really well with the 18-30 age group. Way to go Sly!!!

4/5
 

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Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 01-25-2008, 01:34 PM:
 

quote: Kurt Zupin

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John Rambo is a snake wrangling bad ass in the Thiland jungle. I didn't see so much as a BowFlex in his Jungle pad, but he looks like hes been working out non stop since we last saw him 20 years ago.

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quote: Kurt Zupin

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thats how guns were supposed to sound in the movies

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quote: Joe Redifer

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I have seen absolutely no promotion for this movie anywhere.

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quote: Kurt Zupin

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Everyone was saying how in Cloverfield thats how guns were supposed to sound in the movies. Sorry the M16s in Cloverfield have nothing on the 50cal sniper rifle and every other weapon in this movie.

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Are you just comparing loudness?

Most gunfire sound effects are noticeably different from how the same gun sounds when fired in real life. Even well recorded gunshot sounds are often altered and overlayed with other effects. This is especially true for handgun sound effects. Real handgun fire sounds very different from movie handgun fire. Even the sound effects of suppressors in movies are different from how they sound when fired in person.

If you're into gunfire sound effects that will make your ears ring and feel filled with cotton, try firing a SigSauer P226 chambered in .357 Sig without any hearing protection. Fire just one shot and you'll be reaching for those goofy looking ear muffs.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-25-2008, 08:01 PM:
 


Awesome! We need more violence in our movies. Enough with this pansie-assed PG-13 nonsense. R-rated movies for the win!
 

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 01-25-2008, 11:38 PM:
 
I love the stat that 2.59 people were killed per minute. I have a hard time believeing the stat of only 236 people being killed. I think it was a lot higher then that.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-26-2008, 01:53 AM:
 
AWESOME! I can't wait to rent this on DVD or Blu-Ray.
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-26-2008, 01:59 AM:
 
Ultra blood-and-guts violence. Appendages severed, heads sliced in half/blown off, bodies bisected, big-ass shells turning flesh to pulp... 'bout time some solid entertainment hit the screen again!

Seriously, although shallow, the Rambo character did evoke empathy.
 

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Posted by Kyle Anderson (Member # 3504) on 01-26-2008, 02:42 AM:
 
Doing what it clearly intends to do:
10/10
Doing it with loads of loud guns and spectacular body hits:
10/10
Visceral "wow, did you see THAT?!" factor:
10/10
Academy Award material criteria:
1/10
 

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Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 01-26-2008, 09:46 AM:
 

quote: Kyle Anderson

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Academy Award material criteria: 1/10

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So you're saying it has a chance? Awesome!
 

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Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 01-26-2008, 11:27 AM:
 
"Rambo III" was released in 1988. Since this is entitled simply "Rambo," shouldn't it be a prequel?
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-26-2008, 12:06 PM:
 
Only if time travel is written into the story.

Apparently Rambo wasn't shooting anybody while shirtless this time. Probably a good thing. The recoil from automatic weapons would likely make Rambo's old sagging man tits jiggle in a not very visually pleasing way.
 

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Posted by Kyle Anderson (Member # 3504) on 01-26-2008, 02:59 PM:
 
"The recoil from automatic weapons would likely make Rambo's old sagging man tits jiggle in a not very visually pleasing way. "

You didn't see Rocky Balboa, did you?
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-26-2008, 04:47 PM:
 

quote: Kyle Anderson

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You didn't see Rocky Balboa, did you?

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I thought that was all CGI.

 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-27-2008, 06:39 PM:
 
A nice, violent movie for the guys (and gals who like action movies). It's a nice change from the typical movies with "feeling" and "meaning" that they keep trying to dish out these days. This movie would have been even better if Diane Keaton happened to be in it for a brief amount of time, just long enough to get her face blown apart Rambo style. [spoiler]I like how the do-gooders realized that violence is the one true way. The guy who said that killing was wrong in all instances finally killed himself once he saw how reality is. Awesome. We need more movies like this.[/spoiler] Reel 3 was green as was reel 4. In fact the change from 2 to 3 reminded me of that super crappy reel change in every 35mm print of Titanic I've seen. I think it was reel 5 where it changed back to pink or some such shit. Film labs rule.

The cap code in reel 2 was insanely annoying... more so than usual. I guess the old stuff wasn't working very well. Does digital cinema have cap code?
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-27-2008, 10:26 PM:
 
Strangely, I have not seen any of the red, chicken pox dots of "crap code" in any d-cinema shows.
 

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Posted by Kyle Anderson (Member # 3504) on 01-27-2008, 10:48 PM:
 

quote: Bobby Henderson

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Strangely, I have not seen any of the red, chicken pox dots of "crap code" in any d-cinema shows.

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I saw it on AVP2 (digital) during one of the random forest scenes, but I think that's about it.
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 01-28-2008, 12:03 PM:
 
I thought this was a pretty good movie. The aggressive soundtrack sounded great even in our crappy theater #1 - which has been sporting some bad cross-overs or something for about the last nine years. I'm not sure why the name of this movie was changed from "John Rambo" to just "Rambo". I guess having a "Rocky Balboa" movie and a "John Rambo" movie just seemed too obviously unimaginative. Or maybe the "John Rambo" labels on my trailers were using a code name to throw people off or something. I know a friend of mine came in and saw the "Rambo" sign and thought we were showing the original.

Anyway, I recommend this movie. There is a lot of over the top violence, so if that sort of thing bothers you, you might want to close your eyes during those scenes. I understand that the atrocities depicted in this movie are very real, and happening right now every day in that part of the world. So, setting the fictional story line aside, the environment portrayed in this movie can also be considered an important geo-political current affairs lesson.
 

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Posted by Blaine Young (Member # 3992) on 01-28-2008, 01:03 PM:
 
I didn't much care for this - they are all awful by comparison to the first one.

Of course, we sold more tickets to "Juno" and "27 Dresses" this week than we did for this thing....and now we're stuck with 2 prints of it for another week...
 

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Posted by Peter David Bruce (Member # 4447) on 01-28-2008, 01:59 PM:
 
i think it will be a hit in the UK when we get it. theres a big rambo fanbase in the british people. alot of people grew up on the films, as did I. I loved rocky balboa (although the final fight was rather short lived with no victory at the end like i hoped!!!) and im sure ill like this new rambo. its a good character... plus stallones directing skills seem to be growing to be a powerful 'moving force' in the industry.
 

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Posted by Blaine Young (Member # 3992) on 01-28-2008, 02:01 PM:
 
Clearly the film has regional pockets where it plays better than others. But as an example, on we had 10 shows on Saturday, and none of them had over 90 people.
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 01-28-2008, 05:33 PM:
 
I can't wait until the new shift keys arrive in the UK.


 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-28-2008, 05:44 PM:
 

quote: Blaine Young

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we sold more tickets to "Juno" and "27 Dresses" this week than we did for this thing

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quote:

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Sylvester Stallone says he used human growth hormone to get buff for the new "Rambo" movie, and defends its use.

"HGH (human growth hormone) is nothing," the 61-year-old actor tells Time magazine in its Feb. 4 issue. "Anyone who calls it a steroid is grossly misinformed."

Because it is nearly undetectable, HGH has become a substance of great concern in major league baseball and other sports battling allegations of rampant doping.

"Testosterone to me is so important for a sense of well-being when you get older," he says. "Everyone over 40 years old would be wise to investigate it because it increases the quality of your life. Mark my words. In 10 years it will be over the counter."

Stallone directed and co-wrote the new "Rambo" movie, which arrived in theaters Friday

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quote: Joe Redifer

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[spoiler]I like how the do-gooders realized that violence is the one true way.

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quote: Mark J. Marshall

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I'm not sure why the name of this movie was changed from "John Rambo" to just "Rambo". I guess having a "Rocky Balboa" movie and a "John Rambo" movie just seemed too obviously unimaginative.

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quote: Kurt Zupin

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Stallone says HGH is good for everybody

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quote: Joe Redifer

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The movie's message is "Violence should be considered a viable solution to any problem" which is perfect for movies.

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It did seem like Sly was trying to send a bit of a political message. I loved it!

One question - [spoiler] I know nothing about Burma, but what would it be about that river that would cause him to need a new prop on the boat motor every trip [/spoiler]?

HGH can be very beneficial in aging males, but research is inconclusive in younger males and not much has been done at all in women. Diamond Dallas Page swears by it.

Was this not at one point called Rambo: To Hell and Back ?
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-31-2008, 07:31 PM:
 
Lionsgate called it To Hell 'n Back or something like that and that pissed of Stallone. He doesn't necessarily want this to be the final Rambo movie. I think the next movie should be him fighting off the police guerrilla style in that small Arizona town.

Stallone apparently has a penchant for political themes. Almost all of the Rambo movies have some sort of political subset woven in there, usually added by Mr. Sly himself.
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-31-2008, 10:12 PM:
 
I think the last sequel of Rambo could involve a 80 year old Stallone sitting in a chair on his porch. He uses a shotgun to tell punks to get the hell out of his yard. Maybe the full title could be Rambo: Geezer War.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 02-01-2008, 02:26 AM:
 
Hmmm, so 3+ people per minute get killed for two hours, not to mention the number of people who get body parts ripped apart and dismembered. blood spewing everywhere and the audience will sit there unbothered, and from what any observer could tell, taking quite a bit of vicarious delight in the carnage. Now throw up a scene on that screen of a couple having joyous, unbridled sex (or maybe even with a bridle), and people would go running from the theatre in rage, anger and disqust.

We are truly a weird species.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-01-2008, 03:32 AM:
 
Violence is more fun to watch onscreen than sex. Sure, porn is fantastic and I recommend it to everyone without exception, but watching violence with a crowd is definitely less awkward than watching sex with a crowd. Watching sex should be done either alone or with one other person (or a group of people if you swing that way). Sex is much more personal than violence. I really don't see why people compare the two. Also sex scenes are very rarely filmed/edited well.

Do you think actors should really "do it" for the scene?
 

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 02-01-2008, 04:28 AM:
 
Watch Brown Bunny. They really "did it" for that movie. Horrible movie, then one hardcore scene at the end of the movie.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-02-2008, 10:10 PM:
 
Today 4:55PM, Regal 15 in Eugene, #1. Looked and sounded about as good as this print probably could.

I was over at rottentomatoes.com and one of the reviewers (Bill Clark) said this:

quote:

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Who’s going to this movie looking for deep messages? This flick is about Rambo confronting and cutting down evil in his own specialized, one-man-army way. In that respect, Rambo delivers big-time and simultaneously gives a big, blood-covered middle finger to all the neutered action movies of late.

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Well that sums it up exactly. This is a fairly well-made action movie with a message, featuring a body count like you may have never seen before. Really, I don't know how anyone could accurately count all the bodies without doing an intensive frame-by-frame analysis. Whoever came up with those numbers must have a screener DVD and a lot of time on their hands.

Oh, and Stallone also points his big bloody middle finger at people who naively believe the world would be a better place if we would all just try to get along.

For what it is, I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Play it LOUD!
 

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Posted by Blaine Young (Member # 3992) on 02-03-2008, 12:56 PM:
 
Play it LOUD and in DTS. Holy cow that's an agressive soundtrack.
 

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Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 02-18-2008, 03:04 AM:
 

quote: Bobby Henderson

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Strangely, I have not seen any of the red, chicken pox dots of "crap code" in any d-cinema shows.

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quote: Stu Jamieson

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What are those red dots which turn up so frequently, anyway?

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Search for "crap code" as he alluded to.

It's CAP code or a security measure. If the pattern shows up in a pirate movie they can figure out what theater it happened to.
 

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Posted by Peter David Bruce (Member # 4447) on 02-18-2008, 10:36 AM:
 
its the same in all 35mm too. they always (in my experience) have some kind of code 'dots' printed on some frame in the film. means any film pirated can be found with that code image and then linked back to whatever cinema that print went to.

do i make sense. doubt it.
 

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Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 02-19-2008, 03:58 AM:
 
I always thought that those dots were the result of poor quality control at the film processor (and I've been thinking that the quality has been especially shit of late) but, no, you guys say that the studios are ruining their prints on purpose? What madness is this?
 

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Posted by Peter David Bruce (Member # 4447) on 02-23-2008, 06:43 AM:
 
Ok i HAVE to review this film now.

Watched it first time yesterday. First public showing. Had to sit at the very back to watch out for those pesky copywrite infringers videotaping it from the back rows. No culprits this time.

I love the old rambo films. My expectations were high but I really didnt know what to expect. I loved stallones reprise of the Rocky character last year so my mind was open to whatever this new film had to offer.

Firstly I made up this print, and with my obvious love for the rambo brand I took extra special care when building the print. Any film that I make up I am very picky about making sure its as good as it can be for its first show. Gladly this film was in scope, and to my surprise every reel was head out and shrink wrapped. Perfect.

Onto the film.

Some excellent action pieces and the acting itself is superb.

The cinematography was excellent, and the directing was spot on. Stallones got a talent for this. No doubt. The sound mix was superb and the guns/explosions/etc!? all sounded realistic and lastly the special effects were pretty much as good as you get get on the big screen these days!

Really impressed. Good story. Great acting. Superb directing.

4.7/5
... only cos i still love the old ones

!!Spoiler!!
Wasnt too sure about the whole '5 men on a boat' part but it all served well when they eventually worked as a team and kicked butt. especially the sniper guy.
!!end of Spoiler!!
 

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Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 02-23-2008, 08:40 AM:
 
"Live for nothing. Or die for something."

Such is the mantra of one J. Rambo, Zen Marine. Of course, it doesn't occur to him that there is yet another valid option - "live for something" - but Rambo is from another time; a time where good guys are good guys and bad guys are bad guys; a time where justice is measured in rounds of ammunition per minute and the currency of heroism is pain and sacrifice; a time when Americans could simply get on with the job of kicking the bad guy's butt to the cheers and rapturous applause of the audience. "Live for something"? Pffft. That's for the namby pamby give-peace-a-chance whiners who frequent our modern world; a world where killing people (even bad guys) is considered very, very naughty and global peace can be achieved through liberal doses of love and hugs.

To say that Rambo is from another era is an understatement. The politics of this film is dubious to say the least and out of step with modern social climes. Certainly the atrocities committed by the Burmese Junta at the beginning of the film are shocking and horrific (some of the footage is real) but there's no mistaking that all this will be used to vindicate Rambo's own inevitable bloodbath later in the film. As a result, Stallone's intended political message is greatly cheapened. In fact let's just say that it's nullified. But despite its distasteful political misfiring, the film hits a bullseye when it comes to balls-to-the-wall action.

Fully deserving of its 18+ rating, Stallone raises the bar in the human-meets-ordnance reality stakes. With each kill outdoing the next in terms of blood, guts and inventiveness, it becomes increasingly difficult to resist the temptation to punch the air and shout "awesome!"

"Awesome" is also a good adjective to describe the soundtrack; the ripping machine guns tear mercilessly through the speakers and explosions do their level best to demolish the subwoofers. This is a LOUD movie!

Is it silly? Yes. Politically incorrect? Absolutely! I feel a little guilty saying it but, despite it's not inconsiderable misgivings, Rambo is undeniably fun.

7 out of 10
 

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Posted by Peter David Bruce (Member # 4447) on 02-23-2008, 09:16 AM:
 
Stu - you managed to say exactly what I wanted to in my review... but more eloquently and you sure are right on the money with the phrase 'Awesome' because i was smiling throughout the whole second half as the 'bloodbath' ensued. Talk about in your face carnage - in a good way! Makes me sound sadistic, but they really made you feel patriotic for some reason. Good against evil and all that. Top job.
 

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Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 02-23-2008, 03:59 PM:
 

quote: Peter David Bruce

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....Makes me sound sadistic, but they really made you feel patriotic for some reason....

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Haha, I know. It kinda makes you feel dirty for enjoying it.
 

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Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 03-18-2008, 05:51 PM:
 
So, from reading this thread, I'm lead to believe that the actual title on screen was simply "Rambo" in the States? What about in the UK or other English speaking countries outside of North America? When I saw it here in Poland, it was with the English language soundtrack with Polish subtitles (and English subtitling too for the Thai/Burmese bits). The opening title said "John Rambo" here (and not the subtitled part, the actual "official" big red one).

No Weinstein logo either...
 

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Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 03-19-2008, 11:19 AM:
 
They were originally calling it "John Rambo" in the States (before release), then later decided to change it.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-19-2008, 04:45 PM:
 

quote: Peter David Bruce

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Had to sit at the very back to watch out for those pesky copywrite infringers videotaping it from the back rows.

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quote: Bobby

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I'm also kind of surprised this movie didn't get tagged with a NC-17. Had someone made an independent film with a different lead character, but with the same kind of plot and same level of blood I think it would have been rated NC-17.

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