First Blood: Part II - 1985

Anabasis N.V.

Directed by George P. Cosmatos

Cast:

• John Rambo – Sylvester Stallone
• Col. Sam Trautman – Richard Crenna
• Marshall Murdoch – Charles Napier
• Lt. Col. Podovsky – Steven Berkoff
• Co – Julia Nickson
• Ericson – Martin Kove
• Tay – George Cheung
• Banks – Andy Wood
• Capt. Vinh – William Ghent
• Sgt. Yushin – Voyo Goric
• Capt. Kinh – Dana Lee

Story: Three years after his brush with the law, John Rambo is doing hard labor at a Military prison when Col. Trautman shows up at the gate. He has a proposition for Rambo that might earn him a presidential pardon. He is verify a Vietnamese prison camp, the one he escaped from in Vietnam, is empty and there are no American prisoners being held there. He is inserted by parachute and is almost killed when his gear becomes entangled on the aircraft, but manages to cut himself free. He meets up with his guide, a lovely Vietnamese girl named Co, and proceeds to the camp, only to find there are prisoners being held. When he and one of the prisoners reach the extraction point, Murdoch, the CIA agent in charge, orders the helicopter to abort the mission, leaving Rambo and the prisoner to be recaptured by the Vietnamese and Soviet soldiers. Rambo is interrogated and tortured, but manages to escape with a new mission: Find Murdoch!

Review: Second film in the franchise and heading slowly downhill. While the level of action is certainly maintained in this second installment of the legendary Rambo, the film seems just a bit under the excitement level of the first. The addition of the Soviets in this film is certainly an accusation from Stallone's perspective, and I am sure managed to ruffle a few diplomatic feathers at the time [there was a Soviet Union in 1985, kiddies]. Because of that, the film was shot in Malaysia, since we had no real relationship with Vietnam at that time. So you have to understand the crew was working in miserable conditions with mosquitoes large enough to hold a gun on you while they sucked your blood and humidity thick enough to slice and eat for breakfast. As to the characters, Rambo seems a bit mellower following a three year stint of making little ones out of big ones. Trautman seems like he has lost his self confidence when dealing with Murdoch. And speaking of Murdoch (played by Charles Napier), would you ever trust a word this guy says? Martin Kove is the perpetual pseudo tough guy who has a small and fairly inconsequential role. The remaining cast is straightforward and somewhat boring, but overall the film is entertaining and does have the merit of putting the POW/MIA issue on the forefront. Rated R for violence, disturbing scenes, and language, First Blood 2 is worth seeing once and collectible if you have the set or love Stallone.