“Rambo: Last Blood” Movie Review

    Sylvester Stallone has played many popular characters over the years but without a doubt his two most famous characters have been Rocky Balboa and John Rambo.  I have always preferred the Rocky franchise personally but I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy most of the Rambo films.  By far the best film in the franchise was “First Blood”, the very first Rambo movie.  By the time he reappeared in “Rambo: First Blood Part II” and “Rambo III”, Rambo had become something of a superhero, a larger than life badass.  “Rambo” on the other hand attempted to ground the character a bit more but still was larger than life compared to his portrayal in “First Blood”.  I wasn’t sure what to expect with this film since Sylvester Stallone has mellowed a bit lately on the action front.

    This installment of the popular Rambo franchise finds John Rambo raising his niece Gabrielle on a large ranch in the United States after finally returning to the country at the end of “Rambo”.  Rambo has finally come to some piece in his life now that he has a purpose and someone who depends on him.  Rambo’s world is turned upside down when Gabrielle goes to Mexico to get answers from her father and ends up being kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery.  Once Rambo finds out, he sets off to rescue Gabrielle and he will let no one stand in his way.

    At the time I am writing this review, movie critics have already declared this film to be the equivalent of a dumpster fire and the film hasn’t performed well at the box office so far.  It seems like some people think the film has a Pro Trump agenda while other people seem to think the film advocates pointless violence.  I am in by no means a Trump supporter and I do think all the pointless violence going on in the world now is a talking point and should not be ignored.  That being said, I don’t think it is fair to blame any one film for it’s depiction of violence or to accuse a film like this as being bias.  To be rather blunt, “Rambo: Last Blood” is simply a stupid popcorn flick that gives fans of the action genre plenty to smile over.

    This was not my favorite Rambo movie nor was it my favorite film of the year, but it was enjoyable and still a step up from the over the top nature of “Rambo III”.  John Rambo still remains something of a superhero but shows more signs of vulnerability and flaws.  Stallone brings a sense of mortality to his portrayal of John Rambo that hasn’t been there in the other sequels.

    Yes, the film is still over the top and ridiculous at times.  The “Home Alone” inspired final act feels a bit ham fisted but this is a film largely driven by a sense of vengeance so you can forgive some of the film’s more far fetched aspects because you are rooting for Rambo.  Retooled a little, “Rambo: Last Blood” could have easily worked as a “Death Wish” reboot.

    While this may indeed be the final Rambo movie, the ambiguous ending certainly can leave room for a sequel.  Also, I think Sylvester Stallone would love to play Rambo in yet another film if the script was right.  “Rambo: Last Blood” isn’t a great film but it is a pretty fun movie to watch.  If you like the other Rambo movies, you will love this one.

Grade: B-

“John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum” Movie Review

    Well I am a little behind on my updating my blog with new movie reviews this week due to a mini vacation I took to Cedar Point this week.  I have many new reviews from movies Mill Creek Entertainment provided I still need to finish and a few others I have been working on.  Still, the other day we decided to catch a movie to cap off our little vacation so we both settled on “John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum”.

    The film follows former assassin John Wick on the run after a huge bounty is placed on his head.  Assassin after assassin try to kill John Wick as he leaves New York for Casablanca to try to get his excommunicado status waived.

    Now, I really enjoyed the first film in the series but I actually have not seen the second movie yet.  The first movie caught me off guard with how well done it was and how good Keanu Reeves was in the film.  Going into this movie however, I had an idea of what to expect.  This movie delivered exactly what I expected it would, killer action.

    The film starts off with action immediately and doesn’t let up until the credits roll.  This non-stop action approach typically doesn’t work well in most cases but it actually turned out fairly well for this movie.  Much like “Mad Max: Fury Road”, the fact that you already know the character from previous installments already gives you a sense of investment in them and makes you care what happens to them at the end.  The film doesn’t have to give you room to breath as a result (although it doesn’t work as well as a stand-alone movie as a result).

    What makes the John Wick movies feel so special is that Hollywood doesn’t really make action movies like these anymore and when they do, it is usually a sequel to an 80s franchise with an aging star.  While Keanu Reeves isn’t a young man, it doesn’t look his age at all and he is still a good decade or so younger than someone like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone.  The film also embraces elements of noir films in it’s visual style.  This helps set it apart from many other films because it literally has a unique look of it’s own.

    Keanu Reeves once again returns to the franchise as John Wick and delivers another great performance.  Joining him on his adventure this time is Halle Berry as a woman who owed John Wick a debt that he cashed in on.  Berry does a very good job creating a character you relate to in a short amount of time.  Also joining the cast is Mark Dacascos as the main assassin after John Wick.  Dacascos’ character of Zero is both threatening and amusing because he is a bit of a John Wick fanboy and sees himself as a mirror of John Wick.  It is good to see Dacascos in a more prominent role since “Brotherhood of the Wolf” and the tv series “The Crow: Stairway to Heaven” seem like forever ago.  Stuntman Chad Stahelski directed the movie and his love for in-camera stunt work is front and center in this movie.  Interestingly, Stahelski was Brandon Lee’s stunt and body double on “The Crow”, meaning that he and Dacascos essentially played the same role in two different projects.  Rounding out the cast are returning “John Wick” stars Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Lance Reddick.  All three men help elevate the project from a standard action film.

    “John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum” delivers on the action and leaves you on the edge of your seat until the end.  You more than get what you paid for with this movie ticket, that’s for sure.  While I didn’t think this third chapter was as good as the first movie as far as the story, it was still a thrill ride best seen on the big screen.

Grade: B-

”Creed II” Movie Review

    The “Rocky” franchise was long lampooned as never ending.  Many parody films would feature background posters of an elderly man in boxing gear and would have a title such as “Rocky 64” blaster across it.  It has been the butt of many jokes since “Rocky IV”.  The ironic thing is after all these years, the franchise is still going strong.  The newest film, “Creed II”, is the eighth film in the much beloved “Rocky” universe.

    “Creed II” acts as a direct sequel to both “Creed” and “Rocky IV”.  The movie begins with the introduction of Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago.  Ivan Drago had killed Apollo Creed in the ring during the events of “Rocky IV” but lost to Rocky Balboa in a bout held in Russia.  As it turns out, this event brought shame to the Drago name.  Ivan hopes to restore his family name through his son, Viktor.  This brings the Drago, Balboa, and Creed families on a collision course once again as Adonis Creed has just now become the boxing Heavyweight Champion.

    “Rocky IV” is one of my least favorite “Rocky” films (“Rocky V” holds the title as worst) so knowing this film would be a direct sequel to that film made me a bit nervous.  “Creed II” manages to act as a superior sequel to “Rocky IV” by making the stakes more realistic and grounded.  The boxing match isn’t about a country’s glory, it is about a form of redemption for both families.

    Michael B. Jordan returns as Adonis Creed and delivers another stellar performance.  Sylvester Stallone was fantastic once again as the iconic Rocky Balboa.  Supposedly, this may very well be Stallone’s swan song as Balboa (though it’s hard to believe he will completely exit the franchise).  I wish Stallone was given a little more to do in this film should this be his last movie.  Dolph Lundgren returns as Ivan Drago and despite the fact that he isn’t give many lines, he manages to convey a lot of emotion through his eyes.
    The film is rousing and filled with many epic boxing scenes.  The fight sequences are expertly shot and make you feel as though you are in each fighter’s corner.  One of the few criticisms I have about the film is that it’s a safe and predictable sequel.  “Rocky II” was a very good film and also suffered from a predictable story.  On the plus side, “Creed II” contains a few cameos that feel rewarding to long time Rocky fans without being distracting or feeling out of place.
    I can’t help but feel like this film is a bit of a setup to a larger story to play out in a possible sequel.  The film ends without a sense of who the clear cut best fighter is and I have to wonder how that might play out.  Also, if a sequel is made, Stallone needs to return in my opinion to officially retire the character.  While “Creed II” is a very good movie, Stallone deserves a bigger role with more to do in his final appearance in the franchise.
    At it’s heart, “Creed II” is a story about fathers and sons.  It’s about not making the same mistake over and over again.  Lastly, the movie is about placing family above pride.  What makes this film so unique is that both the protagonist and antagonist learn the same lesson.


Grade: B+