How often must a person come out of retirement before he finally calls it quits? Quitting seems to be a missing component in Sylvester Stallone’s dictionary. A couple of months ago, he revived Rocky Balboa so he can fight the heavyweight version of Antonio Tarver in Rocky VI. Except for the 40+ year old miracle Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, who continues to fight to this day it’s virtually impossible for someone in his 50s to still climb on top of the ring and be effective. But then again this is Stallone’s world and against all basic logic he made the movie happen, though he regretted the move afterwards. I did not watch Rocky VI. As a boxing fanatic, I find it insulting that a movie like Rocky VI would even be offered to the public.
After the roadkill that was Rocky VI, I thought Stallone has finally recognized that he’s too old and will only be doing movies that approximates the present. But then again, he still has to be introduced to the word quitting. Lo and behold, he resurrected John Rambo for a final installment of the Rambo series. I wonder how long can someone fleece water from a dried up well?
While Rambo is more believable than Rocky, at least he gets to use a gun instead of trading leather with a guy who could’ve been his son; it still doesn’t stop people from shaking their head in disbelief. You’re too old son! Wrap your head around that fact!
I watched Rambo, Sunday afternoon at SM City Cebu. I had a lot of time in my hands, what with the early departure of Roger Federer from the Australian Open. That time was supposed to be spent watching the AO finals had Federer won, but since he lost I no longer had any motivation to watch the championship match. I was still fuming at this development and perhaps that’s the reason why I opted to watch Rambo, my murderous thoughts seeking an outlet and hoping that there would be enough bloodshed and carnage in the movie so I can live vicariously through it.
Blood and gore is certainly something that the movie offers, I’ve watched a few zombie movies in the past but nothing came close to the violence that I saw on that movie. This movie made watching Saving Private Ryan seem like a day in the opera. This is a violent movie that has gone over the top. I’ve seen a lot of violent movies but nothing made me cringe as much as this one.
Perhaps the movie producers felt that what they have done is just a reflection of what war, even if it’s in Burma, looks like. Perhaps they were just being honest. But this is something that’s too raw for my taste and I wish they window-dressed it a bit. The human mind can only handle so much truth.
photo from wayangtopia.com
{ 3 comments }
I haven’t seen the movie and nor would I think I would see it. I think it’s one of those American “feel good” movies, the flag-waving let’s-be-proud-of-America type. I’m quite sick of those and I see them as nothing more than propaganda.
As far as war movies are concerned, I would say that the last good American war movies made were Clint Eastwood’s “Flags Of Our Fathers” and “Letters From Iwo Jima”. Both movies portrayed the fear and suffering soldiers from both sides experienced.
I’ve also tried to see movies made by the “other” side, such as the Germans. I would recommend “Der Untergang” (Downfall) for it realistically portrayed Hitler’s last days in power. “Das Boot” (The Boat) is another classic worth seeing but it’s a rather old movie, having been produced in the early 1980s. Das Boot ranks as the most realistic portraying of life in a German U-Boat submarine during the Second World War.
“I think it’s one of those American “feel good” movies, the flag-waving let’s-be-proud-of-America type. I’m quite sick of those and I see them as nothing more than propaganda.”
That pretty much sums up my criticism to Transformers the movie. It’s always the white ones being heroic while the rest of us wax promiscuity, slurs and “comedy”. Ech.
Haven’t watched Rambo but don’t think I’d see it. It’s the classic hero-thingy. Bah!
Comments on this entry are closed.