It seemed that after two sequels, the John Rambo saga starring Sylvester Stallone had come to an end. But Hollywood never says goodbye forever to its most iconic characters, and the war veteran returned in 2008 with a fourth instalment that the actor claimed to be his last appearance in the franchise. But just when nobody expected it, Lionsgate announced another sequel.
Critics have destroyed 'Rambo: Last Blood', deeming it excessively violent and unoriginal. But the latest criticism comes from an old friend of the saga. The author of the book on which 'Rambo: First Blood' was based, David Morrell, has highlighted all of the negative aspects that span the sequels. "I agree with the critics. The film is a mess. Embarrassed to have my name is associated with it".
"I felt degraded and dehumanised after leaving the cinema. Instead of being soulful, the film lacked one. I felt I was less of human being having seen it, and today that's an unfortunate message. The set looks cheap and the direction is awkward. Rambo could be called John Smith and the film wouldn't have changed", commented Morrell for Newsweek. "In Rambo 2 and 3, he's a different character from the first novel...and in 4, he's different again. I knew, for me, selling the Rambo movie rights was a big risk. I've got no reason to be embarrassed with (the first instalment) 'First Blood'. Then things moved on", the writer added in discussion with Digital Spy.
What can we expect?
'Rambo: Last Blood' shows us the new and relaxed life of John Rambo on a family ranch, but everything changes when his niece disappears after crossing the Mexican border. Partially filmed on the Canary Islands (the archipelago has the best tax incentive for filming in all of Europe), the fifth instalment in the John Rambo saga will hit UK cinemas on the 20th September 2019.
