Rambo III (1988)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Peter MacDonald

Writers (WGA):

David Morrell (characters)
Sylvester Stallone (written by) ...

Release Date:

25 May 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

God would have mercy John Rambo won't!

Plot:

Rambo's Vietnam commanding officer Colonel Trautman is held hostage in Afghanistan, and its up to Rambo to rescue him.

Plot Keywords:

Rambo | Colonel | Rescue | Afghanistan | Soviet

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Sylvester Stallone	...	Rambo
Richard Crenna	...	Trautman
Marc de Jonge	...	Zaysen
Kurtwood Smith	...	Griggs
Spiros Focás	...	Masoud (as Spiros Focas)
Sasson Gabai	...	Mousa
Doudi Shoua	...	Hamid
Randy Raney	...	Kourov
Marcus Gilbert	...	Tomask
Alon Abutbul	...	Nissem
Mahmoud Assadollahi	...	Rahim
Joseph Shiloach	...	Khalid
Harold Diamond	...	Stick Fighter
Matti Seri	...	Gun Dealer
Hany Said El Deen	...	Gun Dealer

Also Known As:

Rambo 3 (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
Rambo: First Blood Part III (Malaysia: English title)
Rambo - krigaren 3 (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Rambo - taistelija 3 (Finland) [fi]
Rambo 3 (Poland) [pl]
Rambo 3. (Hungary) [hu]
Rambo III (West Germany) [de]
Rambo III (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Rambo III (Norway) [no]
Rambo III - taistelija (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Rambo III - taistelija III (Finland) (video title) [fi]

Runtime:

102 min | Finland:87 min (1988) (heavily cut) (VHS version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Italy:T | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (video release) (cut) | Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) (DVD release) | Finland:K-16 (1998) (uncut) (video) | UK:18 (uncut) (2001) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-16 (video rating) (1988) (heavily cut) | Finland:K-18 (theatrical rating) (1988) (uncut) | Malaysia:18PL | Brazil:14 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Norway:18 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Company:

Carolco Pictures

Trivia:

According to Director Peter MacDonald in the DVD commentary, at the time this movie was being filmed, the Russians were in fact invading Afghanistan just as depicted in this movie, however about 4 weeks prior to this movie's premiere, the Russians had in fact withdrawn from Afghanistan and were no longer at war with that country. MacDonald felt that these turn of events had hurt the movie's box office returns, since the idea of the Russians being the primary villains in this movie was no longer really believable. At the same time though, MacDonald was somewhat glad of the idea that the events of this movie may have helped to contribute to Russia's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Rambo is asked to join the Afghanistan soldiers in the game where they use a sheep, at certain times during the game, the sheep looks like either a dead sheep, or a fake sheep with stuffing in it, as can be clearly seen when Rambo picks it up off the ground.

Quotes:

Mousa: [as Rambo prepares to play Afghan game 'buzkashi'] God must love crazy people.
Rambo: [getting on horse] Why?
Mousa: He make so many of them!
[laughs]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jake's Booty Call (2003)

Soundtrack:

HE AIN'T HEAVY... HE'S MY BROTHER

Great comic book action!

Above average Holywood type action movie that is very under rated because it is very mis-understood.This movie is not to be taken too seriously.If one understands comic book action,that person will dig this movie.The hardware and action sequences here are very top notch.The subject matter is also a good illustration of the Afghan situation at that time.The approach of the movie was on the unrealistic side due to a marketing mainstream "quick cash" decition by the producers of this movie.But compared to other movies of the same genre and category (Holywood Formula Military Action Drama),this one is on a higher level in quality.This one is the worst of all the Rambo movies but still,if you ,like the above mentioned genre,you will enjoy this one........