Say what?! Days after producer Harvey Weinstein started revving the hype machine for another Rambo sequel, director-star Sylvester Stallone is quoted as saying he’s forever done with the character. The following quote is attributed to Stallone by the Guardian UK newspaper, apparently while the actor was at a press conference…
“This is the last Rambo just as Rocky Balboa is the last Rocky,” Stallone told reporters. “I can’t go any further. It was a miracle that it even got done.”
This statement would seem to play against what Stallone has said previously while promoting his latest flick, which opened to $18 million plus last weekend. Most notably, in one of his Q&As with AICN [link is not retrievable on the site], Stallone gave the following response to a fan’s inquiry about a fifth Rambo film…
I truly can’t tell you yet because I think it would be bad luck, but I think a challenge would be to take the character which has been perceived mostly in a realistic vein and add another element of the surreal that would actually take the audience into a slightly different genre. It’s not like I’m going to turn it into a full on Broadway musical starring the Muppets, but it is ambitious.”
In a later AICN Q&A, Stallone was asked about his future involvement with action films post-new-Rambo…
“I love action films. I think they’re highly underrated and it’s unfortunate that the amount of effort and craftsmanship that goes into creating modern day mythology is considered light weight fare. It’s not. It’s a thousand times more difficult to do a profound action film than a dramatic film, but I know the consensus of so called dramatic purists would disagree. So to answer you question I would consider it a privilege to do more films in this genre.”
There are other links online with pro-Rambo V quotes from Stallone, and he’s contrasted the character’s longevity with Rocky’s and the parting shot that was Rocky Balboa a bit. CinemaBlend even reported on negotiations for a fifth film as far back as October. Did something happen in the last few days or weeks to change Stallone’s mind, might he be changing his press quips to stabilize Rambo’s box office and its global standing as the last in the franchise? Or is he really done and moving on to remakes of The Mechanic and Death Wish, and his pet-project Poe? One thing is for sure, the jungles in Rambo and the Thailand scenery are beyond impressive, more so than in the great Rescue Dawn, and I can’t imagine the amount of labor involved for Stallone as both the lead actor and the director. Seriously. This is a fun action movie that beat its expectations to a pulp. The guy’s in his early 60s, and it all seemed effortless.
The film’s funny and very memorable ending can be interpreted as a final note or a set-up for another film. Hopefully, I get around to posting a review, but I’ll go ahead and endorse this is as the best Rambo film since First Blood. The movie snowballs in terms of craziness, and by the time it ends, you’re positive the Death Chart was off by, like, 300-400 kills. Check this film out, whether it’s the last or not.
February 1st, 2008 at 7:49 pm
They’re gonna be wheeling John Rambo around the nursing home before long. Unless there’s a terrorist attack at the old-folk’s home, I doubt Rambo will be doing any more killin’.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:24 pm
He may be tired of getting bashed by the critics. Thats why he was more positive about another Rambo before this one came out than he is now. Maybe the support from the fans and the box office may change his mind though.
February 1st, 2008 at 11:16 pm
I think movies should only be compare to other within its Genre. As an action flick Rambo delivers the goods. My only complaint about the film is that we don’t get to see Rambo doing what he does best (bringing mayham to Evil-doers), by having unecessary characters (Rambo wannabe-mercenaries). In addition the soundtrack to this film was great.
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
He’s probably just not up to acting in a big action flick, since it’s very physically demanding. Maybe this latest quote can actually work with the previous ones, if you think about all the new digitally-enhanced movies coming out now. Think Beowulf and Avatar, and you see what I’m getting at. He could do his genre-bending Rambo without having to run around and bust his ass to get the action he wants, and he could easily get whatever result he wanted to show on screen.
March 8th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
I agree the latest installment of Rambo was a good one. The hair stood up on my arms when the film started with the music from the 1st film….good to see some good old fashion tough guy movies still getting put out by the man himself, Sly Stallone. I hope he continues with them, although he said Rambo is all done, I would love to see a Death Wish remake, I think that would be great, and I think I speak for many Sly fans when I say that.
April 9th, 2008 at 4:16 am
Rambo IV is far better than any of these so-called modern action movies. All these new digitally-enhanced movies dont show any real things. Real war or fighting is closer to Rambo IV version and its sad when u hear critics say that its too violent and the acting is not good enough or even say that there is no acting. reality is that violent or maybe worse and in war countries i dont think the killers do lots of acting. Rape is unfortunately an aspect of wars, and these dummies from from so-called great newspapers think that wars is like commando, matrix, predator or saving private ryan type.
Anyway, this behaviour clearly indicates that most people on this planet lives in dream and are afraid of reality. THis explains why very few people know the burma war and the mass killing happening overthere. Unfortunately no petrol there yet for the world to ’save’ them.
Come on stallone bring on No.5!!!!!!!!!!!!