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The Rambo Trilogy : First Blood / Rambo - First Blood 2 / Rambo 3 (3 Disc Box Set)


RRP: £39.99
Our Price: £8.94 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Sylvester Stallone never courted as much controversy as he did with the screen violence of the Rambo trilogy. From 1982 to 1988, they kept his name above Schwarzenegger's in the muscle hero league, with "Rambo" becoming a descriptive phrase in the language to describe gung-ho aggression (in Japanese, "rambo" means "violence"). The strangest part of the character's success is that originally he had none. Both David Morrell's novel and the original incarnation of First Blood had the Vietnam vet committing suicide after his rampage through small town America. The un-Hollywood ending was changed when Stallone and the producers recognised here was a character with possibilities.

First Blood: Part II was co-written by James (Titanic) Cameron, a man who has always recognised box office possibilities. Stallone took a very relevant (to 1985) issue of surviving POWs and created an alternative end to the Vietnam War. This was achieved courtesy of the Cold War animosity that still existed towards the Russians, embodied in a suitably vile cameo from Steven Berkoff. A little love interest helped ground the movie and prevent it from completely turning into a video game, as did the best of Jerry Goldsmith's stirring scores for the trilogy.

After saving himself and then his Country, Rambo III was simply about saving his friend Richard Crenna. The code of honour was by this point watered down into a song lyric, "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". Nevertheless the final instalment continues to say something about the indomitable American spirit that will not accept defeat lightly. Patriotism may never have been portrayed quite so bloodily before Rambo's arrival, but at least a generation learned to question attitudes to war veterans, as well as the benefits of carrying a compass in your hunting knife.

On the DVD: The Rambo trilogy on disc brings together all three movies in crisp 2.35:1 widescreen transfers. Sadly the extras are a little thin considering how much more was on the old Laser Discs. The first film has but a trailer; the third has a few minutes of behind the scenes material; the second has quite a few mini-documentaries that could really have done with being edited together, and having repeated interviews cut out. But there's still fun to be had hearing how deep and meaningful the movies were in conception.--Paul Tonks

Editorial
Special Features

English
Region 2

Editorial
Synopsis

Features: 'Rambo - First Blood', 'Rambo - First Blood - Part II' and 'Rambo III' RAMBO III, which could be called 'Rambo In Afghanistan', is set in 1988, near the end of the Soviet Union's involvement there. At the beginning of the film, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is living a secluded life in a Buddhist monastery in Thailand. When Rambo's close friend and mentor from the American military, Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna), asks for Rambo's help with a top-secret mission in Afghanistan, Rambo declines. Trautman goes in anyway and is captured by a ruthless Russian commander. In response, Rambo leaves his peaceful life, determined to rescue Trautman. Armed with only a handful of glow sticks and a dozen detonators, Rambo travels to Pakistan where he meets with a group of Mujaheddin freedom fighters who agree to lead him across the border into Afghanistan. On horseback, Rambo and the Mujaheddin approach the daunting Afghan landscape high cliffs, jagged desert mountains, and networks of underground tunnels and caves. But before they even reach the prison where Trautman is held, the Russians head them off in a high-speed helicopter chase through steep ravines. From this point forward, the action never abates. Rambo, whose complexion is a deep crimson throughout the film, scales cliffs with his bare (bleeding) hands, and defies husky guards and scores of heavily armed Russian soldiers. There are many intense parts of RAMBO III, including a disturbing look inside a shop that sells machine guns and prosthetic limbs to mine victims, and several action sequences in which Afghan soldiers use American-supplied shoulder-mount rocket launchers against the Soviets. But perhaps the most memorable scene of the film is a close-up on Rambo, alone in a dimly lit cave, where he removes a bullet from his stomach and then performs a dazzling medical trick with the leftover gunpowder.

One Good Movie
Review date: 2008-04-26 Rating: 6 out of 10

The first Rambo is really good. Its original and Sly actually does some good acting. The other two are typical sequals RubbisH. Just buy yourself the Rambo 1. Poor on Extra features aswell.

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Reviews


RAMBO TRILOGY DONE BRING ON 4!!!
Review date: 2008-04-02 Rating: 10 out of 10

This doesn't need to be reviewed really one of the best trilogy box sets around still to date. This is just switch your brain off sit back and enjoy the legend that is Rambo totally brillant and by all accounts Rambo 4 is going to be good I can't wait.

Rambo 4 is still in cinema's
Review date: 2008-02-28 Rating: 10 out of 10

The greatest action trilogy available.

Though the first film is the best, it also includes an amazing stunt where he jumps of a cliff. The second film has an amazing helicopter scene. The third has a great one to one fight at the start.

I recommend British intelligence to study the third film, as he defeats the AFGANHISTAN forces.

I would not buy this, a much better package will probably be released when a Rambo 1-4 set is released.

I bought the dts versions from China.

Iconic 80's Action Trilogy
Review date: 2008-02-26 Rating: 6 out of 10

The original trilogy of Rambo movies in a 3 disc box set.

First Blood: ****

When John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) tries to peacefully pass through a small American mountain town the prejudiced Sheriff (Brian Dennehy) takes an instant dislike to him due to his unkempt appearance. When Rambo ignores the subtle warning to leave town, he is arrested for vagrancy, locked up, beaten and humiliated by the Sheriff and his men. What the men don't know is that their prisoner is a green beret Vietnam veteran and winner of the congressional medal of honour. He is a killing machine haunted by his war experiences and when they push him too far he snaps and escapes into nearby mountains. Using all his military skills, Rambo wages a one man war against his pursuers.

Sylvester Stallone's Rambo character is one of the most iconic of all the 80's action heroes. First Blood is the first and finest in the franchise and Stallones performance is arguably the best of his career.

Rambo: First Blood part II: **

After his violent rampage in First Blood, Vietnam war hero John Rambo is serving hard time breaking rocks in prison when he is offered a chance at freedom by his mentor Col. Trautman. If Rambo will agree to go back behind enemy lines in Vietnam to gather evidence that the Vietcong are still holding American POW's, then the President will pardon his crimes. Soon Rambo is parachuting into the jungle armed with nothing but a Bowie knife, bow and arrows and a red headband.

Whilst First Blood was a surprisingly good action thriller, First Blood part II is just an excuse for unimaginative violence. The dialogue is poor considering James Cameron co-wrote it (I wonder how much Stallone re-wrote?) and the story is as weak as Stallones performance. As it says in the Amazon review above, First Blood II was just an excuse for America to fight the Vietnamese and win. There are some decent action moments and anyone who was a kid in the 80's will no doubt enjoy it a bit, but unfortunately the franchise went downhill after the original.

Rambo III: **

After his rescue of American POW's from Vietnam in First Blood part II, Rambo has retired to a Thai monastery to live a peaceful life in a community he feels accepts him. When his mentor and friend Col. Trautman asks for his assistance on a mission into Northern Afghanistan to deliver weapons to 'freedom fighters' (the Taliban) so they can defend themselves against the Soviet invasion, Rambo declines. Unfortunately Trautman is captured when his team is ambushed and the United States won't take official action so Rambo decides to wage another unofficial one man war to rescue his friend.

I can't decide which is worse, this or First Blood part II. I think probably this one because it's truly laughable in parts. Rambo was a man haunted by war in First Blood which brought an interesting dimension to his character. In Rambo III he has become a caricature. A bullet dodging, indestructible killing machine who can't keep a vest on for more than 10 minutes. He is almost as ridiculous as his spoof alter ego, Topper Harley in Hot Shots. Again there are some good action sequences (Rambo on horseback vs. helicopter) but the film is let down by poor dialogue and weak story (Trautman goes to Afghanistan, gets captured and Rambo finds out before agreeing to go and arriving within a 5 minute window). Poor excuse for violent action.

Overall: *** because the sequels are pretty rubbish.

Like this? Try: Predator 1& 2 Boxset.

Action, Pure & Simple
Review date: 2007-10-04 Rating: 10 out of 10

These films have certainly been panned over the years, especially the last two films. But usaully the critics doing the panning have no interest or knowledge of the action film genre. Ok so they are not going to win any oscars for their acting or scripts but for slam bang action pure & simple you cant go wrong. They are certainly alot better than the rubbish Seagel and Van Damme churn out. They are also well filmed. The helicopter attack on the village and the Afgan horsemen charging the Russian army in Rambo 3 are two scenes in particular that come to mind. So if you want an afternoon(or evening)of great action these are the movies for you!

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Sylvester Stallone
Julia Nickson-Soul
Richard Crenna
Steven Berkoff
Charles Napier

Creators:
Sylvester Stallone (Primary Contributor)
Richard Crenna (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Momentum Pictures
Manufacturer: Momentum Pictures
EAN: 5060049147406
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 3
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2005-10-10
Number of discs: 3
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
DVD layers: 2
DVD sides: 1
Region code: 2
Running time: 292 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1985-05-22
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)

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