Rambo is back - with a totally new plot

by Martha Fischer Oct 28th 2005 // 10:32AM

In April, we reported that the early treatment of Rambo IV had been approved by David Morel, who wrote First Blood. Back then, the story was a rah-rah Rambo beats the Islamist terrorists story, complete with a threat to the UN and the devastating news that Rambo's own adopted son was part of the plot. Hell, I bet he was even going to cry! At the time, Morel praised the treatment's quality (ahem), calling it "impressive and remarkably well researched."

Now, six months later, the movie suddenly has a completely new plot. Instead of an story with an international, political scope, it's suddenly about a kidnapped girl who Rambo feels he needs to save. So, what gives? It's not like this country has suddenly fallen in love with Islamist terrorist or something - if you want an enemy that everyone can get behind, you really don't need to look any further. Anyone got any guesses about the reason for the change?

The script is reportedly in its very early stages, so filming won't start until next spring.

6 Comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-28-2005 @ 11:36AM

BD said...

I don't get why people have to be so sensitive to terrorist subjects, though I would have rathered it be the Christian terrorists so that we can have some sort of balance in this world.

A good plot would be that Rambo has to assassinate the tyrant American president in order to save the world from nuclear holocaust. MUCH better plot.

(waiting for Secret Service sniper gunshot)

Related sensitivity: http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000127064984/

10-28-2005 @ 12:20PM

Elrond Hobbert said...

MAJOR SPOILER: In a nod to meta-movie post modernists like Quentin Tarantino, the mastermind behind the girl's kidnapping is none other than a destitute Rocky Balboa who needs the ransom money to pay for Adrian's kidney transplant.

Look for a cross-over event film series that starts with Rocky VI and concludes in Rambo IV. Innovative split-screen visual effects will allow Stallone to seamlessly play both of his distinctive roles together for the first time. Gary Sinese plays a former CSI investigator looking into the Ransom and Kurt Russell cameos as a Snake Plissken like mercenary/former cop rival to both Sinese and Stallone's Rambo character. Francis Ford Coppola exec prods and caters.

10-28-2005 @ 12:45PM

mick du russel said...

First, it was Rocky coming back for the umpteenth time. Now it's Rambo coming back for another round of terror fighting (with a cane or in a wheelchair?). What's next, "Paradise Alley II"? Come on Sly, find some new material.

10-28-2005 @ 3:38PM

Mark Little said...

Basically, this seems to be part of the Sly Stallone retirement program. He's either financing his rest home stay or planning for a future divorce.

It's amazing that a guy whose career as a leading man began with an Oscar has basically played the same role for the next thirty years (Cop Land being the exception that proves the rule).

10-28-2005 @ 5:51PM

Dmnkly said...

I dunno that I agree.

The first two in both series were pretty good movies. Heck, Rocky was a very good movie. Then they got progressively more ridiculous and tired, and by the time Rocky V and Rambo III had rolled around, it was just flat-out stupid.

But I have to say, with Rocky VI and Rambo IV after a long enough layoff, I think it's come full circle right back to good. In fact, I think they have a chance to be AWESOME. I mean, just THINK of the unintentional comedy potential! Either one, by itself, would have a lot of potential as an exercise in ridiculousness, but the two of them TOGETHER... by god, that's just genius.

I only hope they're released close enough to each other that theaters can make it a double feature.

10-28-2005 @ 8:49PM

Frank Rambo said...

The reason is the same as the reason 24 had to have an apology in the middle of last season. Islamist terror enacted by Arabs is apparently extra inxensitive because it's so extra close to reality.

So we end up with flight attendents and sky marshals in that Jodie Foster movie, or ideas like BD's to have the always popular Christian terrorists hit the silver screen.

Even if it were a biopic of Mohammed Atta, to keep from having to apologize they'd have to create a movie that showed his childhood with some American serviceman raping his mother and singing the Star Spangled Banner to "soften" his extreme terrorist image. You know, because nothing's that black and white in this world.