Rambo 5: Last Blood - Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Menchata, Yvette Monreal (2019)

[Karlos]

Agree with a lot of your comments, guys. 

Film felt very slight and truncated, with not much to say beyond well worn cliches.

Even the action felt laboured and perfunctory, aside from the gore.

Stallone was excellent, though.  Just a shame he didn't get to explore the character's PTSD more.

[KUNG FU BOB]

On 9/21/2019 at 4:22 PM, DragonClaws said:

 

Warning, spoiler ahead for those yet to watch the movie.

 

Hi @KUNG FU BOB great post,you pretty much captured how I felt about this one.

Before I go into a spoilery ramble, this is one to watch you if are a fan of the series. The collerbone bone tweaking, knife and tunnel traps based carnage earns the films its 18/R rating. This one is less gung ho then the last three installments. Hard to come up with some original and different in terms of the action set peices, but Stallone goes for a horror film vibe at times. You could just as easily see Leatherface or some character from a Rob Zombie movie living in those tunnel's. One to steer clear if you don't like action star's making movies over fifty. Though I dont imagine you would be reading this thread, if that was the case anyway.

 

With the latest installment it feel's his character is a frankenstien version of all the prevous interpretations of Rambo. The film's got increasingly bigger and louder, and so did the character. Here we see Rambo the later year's of his life, who just cant be man he once was. Yet you are still going to see glimpses of who he used to be. I got into these film's during my early teen's, borrowed a tape featuring all three films recorded from the T.V. Watched them all over one weekend and instantly became a big fan of the then trilogy. Never imagined or expected there to be further movies, it as seen as outdated and old at the time. Action cinema was moving away from the 1980's blueprint/image when I first saw the Rambo film's.

I liked the darker and more minemilistic approach though. Maybe there will be a a Director's Cut release on Blu-Ray at some-point?. Sure I've heard Stallone say there was a scene feautirng a flash flood. Where Rambo goes to help, and he then starts to suffer from PTSD during the rescue. It felt like there was some narrative or character development that was missing?. We needed more of Paz Vega's excellent journalist character.

 

 

 

It takes a lot of guts to put your face up on a big screen when your no longer in your prime. I think Stallone first had surgery way back in the 70's, to correct physical defects caused by his birth?. Without his devotion to weight training, he wouldn't be able to still play this kind of role. Though I like how they made Rambo more vulernerable, rather than this unstoppable one man army seen in Part 2's, 3 and 4. One of the reason they most likley went for the interesting tunnel angle. Wasnt his character supposed to be a Tunnel Rat in Vietnam?.

 

Good point about the "horror film vibe". Yes, and that makes sense that you saw him as almost more of a crazed killer than a sick veteran when he goes where he goes (and in the way he goes about it).

I hope you're right, and that a longer cut of the film is released. I'd like to see the flash flood scene you mentioned.

Yes, true. But I think his ego- the need to not look older- pushed him way too far with these surgeries. When I was a kid I drew Stallone many times- as Rocky, Rambo, his NIGHTHAWKS character (Deke DaSilva) and more, and I really have his face burned into my memory. So when I see him now, he looks like a completely different guy, to the point that it's disturbing. Hope I don't sound insensitive about it. On the other hand, I am totally impressed with his weight training and commitment to physical fitness. I was surprised that at no point in the film do we see Rambo in at least a sleeveless T-shirt to show off Sly's physique.

Agreed. It was good that they showed him go into one particularly dangerous situation, and then not be able to simply breeze on through it like it was nothing. By making him a vulnerable human being they upped the ante in terms of the danger he was in throughout the rest of the film.

No, he wasn't specifically a tunnel rat (soldiers trained to infiltrate enemy soldiers' underground tunnels). He started out as a member of a SOG brigade- a Studies & Observation Group that was "a highly classified, multi-service United States special operations unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the Vietnam War."  After that he "became part of a Special Forces Long-range reconnaissance patrol unit", and it's likely that this would've included tunnel recon and infiltration.

 

22 hours ago, Karlos said:

Agree with a lot of your comments, guys. 

Film felt very slight and truncated, with not much to say beyond well worn cliches.

Even the action felt laboured and perfunctory, aside from the gore.

Stallone was excellent, though.  Just a shame he didn't get to explore the character's PTSD more.

Aw man, sorry you didn't enjoy it more.

It did feel very short! I just looked it up- it's only 1:29.

I found this on IMDB: " After initial filming was done and first cut of the movie was put together, it was test screened in spring of 2019, and following additional photography and re-shoots, different cuts were edited and test screened throughout next few months, and movie was still being edited just weeks before theatrical release and before final cut was done. However, at last minute movie was cut down even further to be shorter and faster paced, which is why final theatrical cut is barely 90 minutes long and why all the trailers for the film show some deleted scenes and dialogue."

Yes, definitely holding out hope for a longer cut on BD.

[DragonClaws]

 

14 hours ago, KUNG FU BOB said:

I hope you're right, and that a longer cut of the film is released. I'd like to see the flash flood scene you mentioned.

 

I was looking out for Louis Mandylor's Sheriff character, but I either missed his scenes or they were all cut out?.

 

 

Below is a still from the scene I'm talking about.

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2019 by DragonClaws

[Ah_Tao]

Caught this last Saturday and absolutely enjoyed it. I knew it was on as soon as gang marked him. It was a typical revenge scene, and my only real complaint was having a smoother ending. I recommend!

[DragonClaws]

On 9/22/2019 at 10:20 PM, KUNG FU BOB said:

Yes, true. But I think his ego- the need to not look older- pushed him way too far with these surgeries. When I was a kid I drew Stallone many times- as Rocky, Rambo, his NIGHTHAWKS character (Deke DaSilva) and more, and I really have his face burned into my memory. So when I see him now, he looks like a completely different guy, to the point that it's disturbing. Hope I don't sound insensitive about it. On the other hand, I am totally impressed with his weight training and commitment to physical fitness. I was surprised that at no point in the film do we see Rambo in at least a sleeveless T-shirt to show off Sly's physique.

 

Missed this section in my last post, a similar thing hapened to actor Charles Bronson in the 1980's. I dont feel he needed to remove his top, he did that enough time in the 80's and 90's. He let the audience know he was in shape for the role, by displaying his neck and forearm's. Then theres the injuries he suffered a from stunts he did as a younger man. With one of his shoulders giving him a lot of grief, which he talked about in the Cannes interview I posted. These old injuries will effect how and what he train's. Try training your entire upper body, when one shoulder's injured.

 

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[Karlos]

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3585147/10-minute-sequence-cut-rambo-last-blood-release-us-uk-canada/

 

[laagi]

18 hours ago, Karlos said:

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3585147/10-minute-sequence-cut-rambo-last-blood-release-us-uk-canada/

 

Interesting, thanks for sharing this. Lucky for me I got to see the "uncut" version as these 10 minutes were included in the very beginning. And it does put a certain perspective (purpose) to the life of Rambo.

[KUNG FU BOB]

 

20 hours ago, Karlos said:

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3585147/10-minute-sequence-cut-rambo-last-blood-release-us-uk-canada/ 

 

Thanks for posting this @Karlos.

 

2 hours ago, laagi said:

Interesting, thanks for sharing this. Lucky for me I got to see the "uncut" version as these 10 minutes were included in the very beginning. And it does put a certain perspective (purpose) to the life of Rambo.

I can't understand why they would've removed this sequence (from any region). It sounds solid. And I've just spoken to a gentleman that's doing work on my house and he said

Spoiler

"I like that they left it open for a sequel." I countered with "Well, he's sitting in a rocking-chair on a porch, kind of like an image of a peaceful old man waiting to die, with two serious wounds hemorrhaging blood. And he wasn't doing any first aid to himself like we've seen him do in the past, as if he knows that at this point it's futile. So don't you think that perhaps the shot of Rambo riding off on his horse was really a metaphor for him dying and going to Heaven?" He didn't think that at all. I had wondered all this when I was watching the film, but when I read about the missing footage and how it said "Rambo returns home and has a conversation with the old lady living in the house about when he returned and how his father used to sit in the rocking chair outside." it seemed like this was a call back. Rambo's father has already died. Maybe he wanted to be his father during his last moments, as he drifted away. When I mentioned this, this gent said "Damn! You may be right. That makes sense." And then said "Why the Hell would they give us a shorter version here?" Hmmm, good question.

 

[laagi]

@KUNG FU BOB That's a nice conversation that you had there with this gentleman and something I haven't given any thought to be honest. Now I really do have to wonder why on earth would they cut this scene in some countries?

[DragonClaws]

 

This is taken from the DenofGeek review, but having watched the European Cut I safely say that scene did not appear.

 

Quote

As we discovered in our interview with Stallone the opening for the European cut is extended and immediately echoes visuals from First Blood, as we see Rambo stalking through a wet forest, only this time to assist the local law enforcement, as some hikers find themselves trapped by a perilous flood. When things take a tragic turn, we immediately see the impact that death still has on the character and how his survivors' guilt means that even when saving a life, any loss enforces his sense of failure. It's a key moment and one that haunts him throughout the film, so losing it for the sake of pace in an already tight running time will be a loss for audiences in America.

 

[Karlos]

Cutting this opening was very damaging, I think.

From what I’ve read, Stallone cut several versions of the film, and decided to go with this, shorter one and I really can’t figure out why.

My biggest problem with the film is that it’s trimmed down to barebones, leaving no room for anyone apart from Rambo to really breathe.

The bad guys especially are reduced to (possibly racist) cannon fodder, with no depth given to them at all.

And don't get me started on the "fridging" of a certain character - just unbelievable laziness.

I have no doubt it’ll be longer on blu ray (a la The Expendables) but I can't see if anything that gets added will redeem it, for me.

[DragonClaws]

4 hours ago, Karlos said:

The bad guys especially are reduced to (possibly racist) cannon fodder, with no depth given to them at all.

 

Hi @Karlos, some good point's there.

 

I don't think any villians in the Rambo movies were given any real depth to them, with the exception of Brian Dennehy's sheriff in First Blood.

 

 

4 hours ago, Karlos said:

My biggest problem with the film is that it’s trimmed down to barebones, leaving no room for anyone apart from Rambo to really breathe.

 

I cant vouch for this, but some critics have said this installment features more dialogue than the prevouse installments?.

Edited September 25, 2019 by DragonClaws

[Karlos]

As I recall, the "bad guys" are given much more depth in 2, 3 and 4 then here. 

This one just says "evil Mexicans", and that's poor writing, at best.

I can believe this one has more dialogue - but apart from Rambo's internal monologue at one point (which was more or less a rehash of what he says in Rambo 4 DC) - it's all terrible.

Man, it sounds like I hate the film, doesn't it? 

[One Armed Boxer]

On 9/22/2019 at 6:22 AM, DragonClaws said:

I liked the darker and more minemilistic approach though. Maybe there will be a a Director's Cut release on Blu-Ray at some-point?. Sure I've heard Stallone say there was a scene feautirng a flash flood. Where Rambo goes to help, and he then starts to suffer from PTSD during the rescue. It felt like there was some narrative or character development that was missing?

On 9/23/2019 at 7:20 AM, KUNG FU BOB said:

I hope you're right, and that a longer cut of the film is released. I'd like to see the flash flood scene you mentioned.

I know a guy on Facebook who attended an early test screening in May, and he posted (from memory) the significant scenes that have been removed from the final theatrical version - 

Quote

1. The original cut had a 10-minute sequence that opened the film, which is completely gone now. The sequence opens at night during a terrible storm. Two hikers - a male and a female - are on a mountain, stranded and separated from each other. Park rangers have given up on rescuing them, and Rambo with a poncho and hat rides up on his horse to attempt a rescue. He encounters the husband, who rejects his help because he won't leave his wife behind. Rambo leaves him in frustration and eventually finds the woman, who accepts his help. A flash flood is about to happen, and Rambo tethers his horse in a canyon crevice and puts the woman on his horse, saving her just as the flood washes all over the place. Afterwards, Rambo and the woman on his horse come down the mountain or ravine, finding that the rangers have pulled the woman's husband's dead body from the muck. The woman is loaded onto an ambulance, and the rangers ask their sheriff who was the guy who saved the lady. He goes, "That's John; he helps out sometimes." Rambo is pissed that he could only save the woman. This is important because it parallels in irony the events that happen later.

2. There's a scene missing now where Rambo is relaxing after he puts on a record in his cave - he listens to "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors and reads a book / writes in a journal. (If I recall correctly, he narrates what he's writing.) I really liked this scene, and I don't understand why it's gone.

3. When Rambo is interrogating the friend who betrayed his surrogate daughter in her kitchen, he slams the knife on her table and he says something like, "You can help me, or you can die right now. Your call." This dialogue is gone, and it's weird why. It was a clear callback to RAMBO 4.

4. As I recall, we see the moment after Gabrielle is raped for the last time. If I recall correctly, we see the guy zipping up his pants, and then Rambo sees him BUT LETS HIM LEAVE. I can understand why this was cut out. It bothered me that Rambo would just let this guy walk away.

5. There's a scene when the cartel invites a bunch of cops to rape all the girls. The cops seem happy about it. That's gone.

6. There's an important scene now gone where Rambo gifts his housekeeper Maria with the deed to his ranch. In this theatrical version, she is holding the deed when he sends her off, but they never say or indicate what she's holding. It's her ranch now, not Rambo's.

7. When Rambo has shot the lead cartel guy with four of his arrows, he tries shooting him a fifth time as he draws closer, but he doesn't have the strength. The arrow lopsidedly falls to to the ground, indicating that Rambo is very severely wounded. That's gone. I'm glad it is, because it was hard seeing Rambo so weak.

8. The last shot of the movie ends with the pan out and fade on Rambo on the chair, and his voice over sort of made it seem like that was the end of him. This final cut threw in the montage of the previous films and showed him on his horse in the last shot before the end credits.

 

[DragonClaws]

2 hours ago, Karlos said:

As I recall, the "bad guys" are given much more depth in 2, 3 and 4 then here. 

This one just says "evil Mexicans", and that's poor writing, at best.

 

2 hours ago, Karlos said:

Man, it sounds like I hate the film, doesn't it? 

 

Nah, these are just your opinions, you not hating on the film just for the sake of it or to stir people up.

 

I thought the vilians were actually more facelss in Part 4. He's fought evil Russian's, Vietnamese, Cambodians and even fought bigotry and disdain by his fellow Americans in Part 1. Had the Rambo character not returned home in the last film, then he could have fought an evil  triads or Yakuza group, maybe even London gangsters or any other criminal gangs from all over the world. If they had set in in London, then there could have been any number of foreign gang's to choose from.

Without a doubt they could have given the two main Mexican brothers more screen time. However, would it just be more girl trafficking and drug taking?. Hat's of to the to actors Sergio Peris-Menchata and Dimitri Thivais, for me they played two of the best movie villains in recent times.

 

 

[DragonClaws]

 

N.T

Edited October 16, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[Drunken Monk]

I enjoyed this. The whole film feels very paper thin. Plot, characters etc. There's not an awful lot to delve into. Even Rambo's PTSD is an afterthought. With all that said, it cranks the violence up to eleven and on that merit alone, I found it to be fun. Not exactly landmark but good enough.
When it comes to a Rambo film, i'm very forgiving. I can look over the lack of substance if it gives me Rambo ripping someone's collar bone out. 

[DragonClaws]

(N.T)

Edited November 15, 2020 by DragonClaws

[Boards Fight Back]

I found Stallone in a lot of movies as an extra that IMDb would not add to his page. 

I watched this movie last night, but it feels more like a Taken film than a Rambo outing.

[DragonClaws]

20 hours ago, Boards Fight Back said:

I found Stallone in a lot of movies as an extra that IMDb would not add to his page. 

 

Which movies are these?.

 

 

20 hours ago, Boards Fight Back said:

I watched this movie last night, but it feels more like a Taken film than a Rambo outing.

 

It does have that feel to it in part's, only Part V is much darker and grittier than any of the Taken films.

[Boards Fight Back]

1 hour ago, DragonClaws said:

 

Which movies are these?.

 

 

 

It does have that feel to it in part's, only Part V is much darker and grittier than any of the Taken films.

Pigeons.

Downhill Racer.

What's Up, Doc?

Mandingo.

MASH. 

https://archive.org/details/Stallone_Mandingo

https://archive.org/details/Stallone_MASH

https://archive.org/details/Stallone_Downhill_Racer

https://archive.org/details/Stallone_Whats_Up_Doc

https://archive.org/details/Stallone_Pigeons

I had to use the camera on a phone, because I cannot copy DVDs. 

http://grouchoreviews.com/interviews/350

Elliott Gould said that Stallone told him he was in the movie MASH as an extra.

He also appears in the wedding scene of Lovers and Other Strangers.