Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- bleak
- visceral
- propulsive
- action movie night
- franchise marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Stallone's committed performance and forceful action staging but found the pacing uneven and the extreme violence excessive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
John Rambo lives in withdrawal in Thailand before returning to armed conflict to rescue missionaries and villagers.
The Burma raid and rescue finale emphasize massacres, torture, explosions, and intensely graphic battlefield violence.
Christian missionaries enter Burma to aid a Karen village and become captives requiring a mercenary extraction.
Sylvester Stallone presents Rambo as an older, withdrawn veteran whose violent expertise remains indispensable.
Films like Rambo, and why
First Blood
gritty military action, traumatized veteran protagonist, and brutal rescue mission
The Expendables
hard-edged war action, mercenary combat, and graphic battlefield violence
Tears of the Sun
political conflict, jungle warfare, and morally severe action spectacle
Taken
aging action hero, rescue-driven thriller structure, and intense combat set pieces
Movie Details
- Director
- Sylvester Stallone
- Release Date
- 2008-01-24
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (4420)
Cast
- Sylvester Stallone
- Julie Benz
- Matthew Marsden
- Graham McTavish
- Reynaldo Gallegos
- Tim Kang
- Jake La Botz
- Maung Maung Khin
- Paul Schulze
- Cameron Pearson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Peacock Premium, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Rambo about?
- A withdrawn Vietnam veteran returns to combat in Burma when missionaries and Karen villagers are caught in a murderous military raid.
- What is Rambo like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rambo as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Rambo violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Rambo as graphic.
- What did critics think of Rambo?
- Critics broadly praised Stallone's committed performance and forceful action staging but found the pacing uneven and the extreme violence excessive.
- Which films are like Rambo?
- Films with a similar feel include First Blood, The Expendables, Tears of the Sun, and Taken.
- How long is Rambo?
- Rambo runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Rambo?
- In United States, Rambo streams on Peacock Premium, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium Plus.
