The Ultimate Blu-ray Rambo Collection
Reviewer: Jordan Brown
Issue 106 August 2008
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There will be blood… in high definition.
The Lowdown: A veritable one-man army, his adventures have seen him tackle a brutal small town police force, the Vietcong, Soviet scumbags and Burmese militants. For 26 years, John Rambo has been one of the hardest nuts in Hollywood. Now, with the release of Rambo, all four adventures come to Blu-ray.
Review: Back when HD DVD was gunning for high def supremacy, us lot at HD Monthly were quite taken aback by how well the Rambo trilogy scrubbed up for the format. Naturally then, it didn’t come as a huge surprise to see that the Blu-ray version looks all swanky as well.
Having had a significant buffing up, it has to be said that the first three Rambo movies are looking very nice, despite even the third movie being 20 years old. The colours are vibrant, the textures of the landscapes look phenomenal and you can see every bead of sweat erupting on Sly’s leathery skin. While the picture falters slightly during fast-moving scenes, it stands as a testament to the justice Blu-ray can do to older movies. With each blood spurt and explosion showing up with vivacious clarity, it’s beautifully accompanied by a room-rattling DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. In short, for a trio of films that are over two decades old, the result is a visual and aural treat. It’s just a pity that the second and third films are crap compared to the first one.
Stories about a man volunteering to take on Vietnamese and Russian armies don’t compare to the blood-drenched slice of action that was First Blood. A tale of a man pushed too far and reacting with jaw-dropping and deadly force, Rambo’s first still remains the finest film in the series. Unfortunately the problem with the second and third movies was that a pesky plot got in the way of all the gratuitous gunplay and knife fighting.
It’s an issue that’s been sorted out somewhat by this year’s Rambo. From the first brutal killing to its astounding climax, the fourth outing for Stallone’s headband-wearing mercenary is a contender for the title of single most action-packed film ever made. It may not be the best of the bunch, but it’s sure as hell entertaining – provided you’ve got a strong stomach. Best of all, on Blu-ray the picture looks perfect. With an image as sharp as the title character’s reflexes and a soundtrack as clear as his conscience, it’s the kind of movie that Blu-ray was made for. With exclusive extras on board such as Sly’s picture-in-picture commentary, it stands out as one of the best titles available for showing off your home theatre.
Sadly, there’s not much in the way of features for the other three films. For First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III, each disc has been palmed off with the same extra – namely a retrospective interview with Stallone himself. While it makes for top viewing, the fact that it’s been recycled for each film means that, at 70 bucks, you just aren’t getting your money’s worth. Still, if you must have the superb fourth disc, you can always pick that up for £25 and wait till the price goes down on the others. If you’ve got the money to spare though, you shouldn’t be disappointed. Your call.
PICTURE: 8
AUDIO: 9
FILM: 7
EXTRAS: 6
DVD Info:
Certificate: 18
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, Julie Benz
Directed By: Various, 1982 - 2008
Distributor: Optimum, Sony
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Visuals: 2.35:1 Widescreen
Running Time: 380 mins
Price: £69.99
Film supplied by: Optimum
Special Features:
First Blood:
Scene Selection
‘Sly Vs Rambo’ – Interview With Sylvester Stallone
Rambo: First Blood Part II:
Scene Selection
‘Sly Vs Rambo’ – Interview With Sylvester Stallone
Rambo III:
Scene Selection
‘Sly Vs Rambo’ – Interview With Sylvester Stallone
Rambo:
Scene Selection
Audio Commentary With Director Sylvester Stallone
‘It’s A Long Road: The Resurrection Of An Icon’ Featurette
‘Courage And Inspiration: The Musical Legacy Of Jerry Goldsmith Featurette
‘Preparing A Warrior: Finishing Rambo’ Featurette
‘The Weaponry Of Rambo’ Featurette
‘A Hero’s Welcome: The Rambo Premier And Reaction’ Featurette
‘Legacy Of Despair: The Real Struggle Of Myanmar’ Featurette
Picture In Picture Commentary With Sylvester Stallone
Audio Commentary With Branching Featurettes:
Snake Sale (Casting)
Burmese Pirates (Shooting)
Helping People (Production Design)
Rambo’s Dream Sequences (Editing)
With the Mercs (Casting)
Rambo’s Arrow Attack (Visual FX)
Nuclear Claymore (Visual FX)
Rambo Returns (Visual FX)
