Watch Rambo: First Blood Part II

In Rambo: First Blood Part II, Sylvester Stallone returns as John Rambo, a troubled former Green Beret who is still haunted by his experiences in the Vietnam War. When we first meet Rambo, he is serving a prison sentence for the events of the first film, but his old mentor, Colonel Samuel Trautman (Richard Crenna), offers him a chance at redemption.

Trautman explains that there are still American soldiers missing in action in Vietnam, and the U.S. government wants Rambo to go in and find them. Rambo is skeptical, but eventually agrees to the mission, seeing it as a chance to finally put the ghosts of Vietnam to rest.

Once in Vietnam, however, Rambo quickly discovers that the mission is not what he thought it was. He is betrayed by his superiors and left to fend for himself in the hostile jungle environment. Armed only with his survival skills and his determination, Rambo sets out to rescue the remaining POWs and get back to America.

Along the way, Rambo faces all manner of obstacles, from heavily armed enemy soldiers to treacherous terrain. He also encounters Co Bao (Julia Nickson), a local woman who helps him navigate the dangerous landscape and teaches him about the culture and politics of the region.

Rambo: First Blood Part II is a tense, action-packed thriller that showcases Stallone's physical prowess and emotional depth. The film is notable for its exploration of the psychological toll of war, and its criticism of America's involvement in Vietnam.

Stallone's performance as Rambo is particularly impressive, as he manages to convey the character's pain and anger without relying solely on dialogue. He also brings a vulnerability to the role, allowing us to see the man behind the warrior.

Crenna, too, is excellent as the paternalistic Trautman, who serves as Rambo's conscience throughout the film. He is a calming presence amidst the chaos, and his scenes with Stallone are some of the most moving in the movie.

The film's other standout performance comes from Charles Napier, who plays Murdock, the government official who orders Rambo's mission. Napier's Murdock is a slimy, morally bankrupt figure, and the actor imbues him with just the right mix of smarm and menace.

Visually, the movie is stunning, with beautiful shots of the Vietnamese jungle and some truly epic action sequences. Director George P. Cosmatos does an excellent job of ratcheting up the tension and then releasing it with explosive bursts of violence.

The film's score, by Jerry Goldsmith, is also excellent, heightening the emotion and adding to the sense of foreboding.

Overall, Rambo: First Blood Part II is a worthy follow-up to the original, and a classic in its own right. It is a film that succeeds on many levels, as an action movie, a character study, and a commentary on the moral ambiguity of war.

Rambo: First Blood Part II is a 1985 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5 and a MetaScore of 47.