| Rambo: Last Blood | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Adrian Grünberg |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Story by |
|
| Based on | John Rambo byDavid Morrell |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Brendan Galvin |
| Edited by |
|
| Music by | Brian Tyler |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
Release date |
|
Running time | |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English Spanish |
| Budget | $50 million[4] |
| Box office | $91.5 million[5] |
Rambo: Last Blood[a] is a 2019 Americanvigilanteaction film starringSylvester Stallone asVietnam War veteranJohn Rambo. Directed byAdrian Grünberg, the film serves as a sequel toRambo (2008), and the fifth installment in theRambo film series. The story sees Rambo traveling toMexico to save his adopted niece, who has been kidnapped by a Mexican cartel and forced into prostitution.Paz Vega,Sergio Peris-Mencheta,Adriana Barraza,Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim aka Yenah Han,Joaquín Cosío, andÓscar Jaenada star in supporting roles.
Plans for a fifth film were announced on and off again since 2008, with different iterations developed and canceled. The film was finally announced in May 2018, with Grünberg attached to direct. Principal photography began in October 2018 inBulgaria andSpain and ended in December 2018, with additional photography in May 2019.Brian Tyler returned to score the film.
Rambo: Last Blood was theatrically released on September 20, 2019, to negative reviews from critics with praise for action sequences and Stallone's performance, but criticised its script, graphic violence and accusations ofracist andxenophobic attitudestowards Mexico.[9][10] The film grossed $91.5 million worldwide against a production budget of $50 million and print and advertisement costs of $30 million.
Eleven years after the events in Burma,[b]John Rambo lives inBowie, Arizona, at his deceased father's horse ranch, which he manages with his old friend Maria Beltran and her granddaughter Gabriela. Gabriela gets informed from her friend Gizelle that she has found Gabriela's deadbeat father Manuel inMexico. Despite their protests, Gabriela secretly travels to Mexico, where Gizelle leads her to Manuel's apartment. When Gabriela asks him why he abandoned her mother, he cruelly reveals that he never loved her and never wanted a child, breaking Gabriela's heart.
Gizelle takes Gabriela to a nearby club, where she is drugged and kidnapped by the enforcers of aMexican cartel. After learning of Gabriela's disappearance, Rambo rushes to Mexico and interrogates Manuel and Gizelle about Gabriela's whereabouts. Gizelle reluctantly leads Rambo to the club where Gabriela was last seen and Rambo confronts El Flaco, the man who last spoke with Gabriela. A mysterious woman named Carmen Delgado follows Rambo as El Flaco leads him to Gabriela's supposed location. Rambo is confronted, beaten and marked by the cartel, led by brothers Hugo and Victor Martinez. They take his driver's license, revealing the location of the ranch and a photo of Gabriela, whom Victor recognizes. The cartel vows to mistreat Gabriela further due to Rambo's actions.
Carmen takes Rambo back to her home, where she cares for him until he fully recovers. Meanwhile, Gabriela is repeatedly dosed withheroin and sold into sexual slavery. Carmen says she is anindependentjournalist investigating the Martinez brothers, who were responsible for the death of Carmen's sister. Rambo later raids one of the brothels, killing several men until he finds a drugged Gabriela. While driving home, Rambo thanks Gabriela for giving him hope and meaning for the last ten years, but she dies from an overdose. An enraged Rambo sends Maria away, rigs the ranch withbooby traps for a confrontation, and later returns to Mexico to ask for Carmen's help in finding Victor. Carmen initially refuses, telling Rambo it will solve nothing, but is convinced after he appeals to her grief and frustrations.
Rambo raids Victor's home, kills the guards and decapitates Victor. Hugo leads a group of hitmen to Rambo's ranch, where the hitmen are killed through booby traps. Saving Hugo for last, Rambo uses hisbowie knife, cuts his chest open and rips out his heart. In the battle's aftermath, a weakened Rambo sits on the porch of his father's house, vowing to continue fighting and keep the memories of his loved ones alive. During the end credits, theflashbacks of Rambo's battles are shown, with Rambo saddling up his horse and riding off into the sunset.
Louis Mandylor andAaron Cohen portrayed the Sheriff and State Police Captain in the opening scene of the extended cut, respectively.
In February 2008, Sylvester Stallone revealed that making a fifth film would depend on the success of the fourth film, stating he was "gearing one up" and that it would "be quite different".[11] In March 2008, Stallone revealed he was "half-way through" writingRambo V, stating that it would not be another war movie, with Bulgaria being considered to double as Rambo's home in Arizona.[12][13][14] In February 2009, Stallone revealed that he was proceeding with the fifth film, but stated, "The conflict is whether to do it in America or a foreign country."[15]
In August 2009,Millennium Films greenlit the film with Stallone writing, directing, and starring. At that time, the plot focused on Rambo battling human traffickers and drug lords to rescue a young girl abducted near the U.S.–Mexico border.[16]In September 2009, Stallone revealed that the film was titledRambo V: The Savage Hunt, and would instead be loosely based on the novelHunter byJames Byron Huggins. The plot was reconceptualized to focus on Rambo leading an elite special forces kill team to hunt and kill a genetically engineered creature.[17]Nu Image/Millennium Films released a concept art poster, and official synopsis forThe Savage Hunt.[18] By November 2009 however, the plot had reverted to the story written by Stallone, involving Rambo crossing the Mexican border to rescue a girl who had been kidnapped.[19]
In May 2010, Stallone revealed he was "done" with the character, stating, "I think Rambo's pretty well done. I don't think there'll be any more. I'm about 99% sure I was going to do it ... but I feel that with Rocky Balboa, that character came complete circle. He went home. But for Rambo to go on another adventure might be, I think, misinterpreted as a mercenary gesture and not necessary. I don't want that to happen."[20] At the2010 Cannes Film Festival, Millennium Films and Nu Image advertised the film, now titledRambo V, with handout poster cards.[21] Despite this, Stallone stated that he wasn't involved with the created posters and that the studio had told him that if he doesn't make the film they'll find someone else to complete it. He stated he wanted the franchise to end, and expressed being comfortable with the idea.[22]
In 2011,Sean Hood was hired to write a new script titledRambo: Last Stand, which he described as "more in line with the small-town thriller ofFirst Blood".[23] In 2012, Hood revealed thatRambo V had been put on hold in order for Stallone to finishThe Expendables 2. Hood also revealed his uncertainty on whether the film would be similar toUnforgiven or a "passing-of-the-torch".[24] In August 2013, it was announced thatEntertainment One and Nu Image would develop and produce aRambo TV series with Stallone.[25] In June 2014, German film company Splendid Films confirmed that Stallone had started writing the script forRambo V, which he described as similar toNo Country for Old Men.[26] In September 2014, the film was officially titledRambo: Last Blood, with Stallone also serving as director.[27]
In 2015, Stallone and Rambo creator/authorDavid Morrell re-wrote the story forRambo V. Stallone wanted a "soulful journey" for the character that the author described as a "really emotional, powerful story". Stallone pitched the idea to the producers, but they wanted to proceed with the human trafficking story instead, leaving Stallone and Morrell's script abandoned.[28] In October 2015, Stallone expressed interest in a prequel project, stating: "It's intriguing to find the whys and wherefores of how people have become what they are. The traumas, the loss, and the tragedy of being in Vietnam would certainly be a great challenge for a young actor, and it would be ironic that Rambo directs younger Rambo having played it for twenty years plus."[29] By January 2016, Stallone stated thatRambo V would not enter production.[30]
In May 2018, the film was re-announced to be in development initially asRambo V, with principal photography scheduled for September. The plot was confirmed to focus on Rambo combating a Mexican drug cartel following their abduction of one of his family members.[31] Stallone announced the release date for the film, which he would also be co-writing with Matthew Cirulnick. At that time, he expressed uncertainty in additionally serving as director.[32][33] In August 2018,Adrian Grünberg was announced as the director.[34] In September 2018,Adriana Barraza was added to the cast.[35] In October 2018,Paz Vega,[36]Yvette Monreal,[37]Sergio Peris-Mencheta,[38]Óscar Jaenada, andJoaquín Cosío[39] were cast. In May 2019,Louis Mandylor, Sheila Shah,Dimitri Vegas, and Genie Kim (aka Yenah Han) were revealed to have been cast without prior announcement.[40][41][42]
Principal photography began on October 2, 2018, in Bulgaria.[43][44] It was previously scheduled to begin on September 1, 2018,[45][46] and before that on October 27, 2014, inShreveport,Louisiana.[47][48] Barraza filmed her scenes inTenerife (Canary Islands).[35] Principal photography was completed on December 4, 2018.[49] Additional photography took place at the end of May 2019.[50][51]
Brian Tyler, who composed for Stallone onRambo andThe Expendables trilogy, returned to scoreRambo: Last Blood. Tyler shared his scoring process withDread Central:
Rambo: Last Blood is a very emotional story and the music needed to reflect the tone that the director, Adrian Grunberg, set so beautifully. I wrote a series of heartfelt and passionate themes that echo Rambo's yearning for family, justice, requital, and compassion. These ideas created a tonal tension that was both challenging and rewarding as a composer. Lush strings, massive brass, thunderous percussion, delicate piano, and harrowing trumpet duets echoed the themes of loss, regret, hope, and vengeance. It has been an incredible ride composing for this timeless character.[52]
In May 2018, Millennium Films brought the project to Cannes to generate interest and sales.[32] Stallone verified that he would share images and videos from the film's set on his Instagram as the film approached its release.[53][54] In February 2019, Stallone revealed images on his Instagram of Rambo's adopted family,[55] combat history,[56] and the character Gabriela's intentions to travel to Mexico to find her father.[57] In March 2019, Stallone revealed via his Instagram an image of Rambo covered in blood and aiming his signature bow.[58]
In May 2019, it was revealed that Stallone will present exclusive images at Cannes to coincide with a special "first-look" screening of the film at thePalais des Festivals et des Congrès on May 24, 2019.[59] The first trailer was revealed at Cannes on May 24, 2019.[60] The teaser trailer was released on May 30, 2019[61] and drew comparisons toLogan andUnforgiven.[62] A remixed version of the song "Old Town Road" was used for the teaser.[63] On August 1, 2019, Stallone revealed the theatrical release poster on his Instagram.[64] On August 20, 2019, Stallone released the second trailer on his Instagram.[65] On September 4, 2019,Alamo Drafthouse Cinema announced it would host a marathon of all fiveRambo films to commemorate the release ofRambo: Last Blood.[66]Deadline Hollywood reported that P&A costs were under $30 million.[4]
Rambo: Last Blood was released theatrically in the United States on September 20, 2019.[67] Dadi purchased theChinese distribution rights and agreed to an eight-figure co-financing deal.[68] On July 30, 2019, theMPAA assigned the film an R rating.[69] TheBritish Board of Film Classification classified the film at18.[70] The film was released theatrically inJapan on June 26, 2020, by Gaga Corporation.[71]
Lionsgate released two different theatrical cuts ofRambo: Last Blood, varying by country. In the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, the film runs 89 minutes; inAustralia, Mexico,Sweden,Brazil,Finland,Germany,[72] andJapan,[71] it runs 101 minutes. The latter version contains several deleted scenes and an alternate opening, which runs approximately 10 minutes:
It starts in a rainstorm in the middle of a rescue: 3 missing hikers in danger of getting caught in aflood. The police say they have to stop the search as it's getting too dangerous and ask where the volunteer on horseback is. We are then introduced to Rambo in the woods tracking the hikers, he finds a girl dead and then further down finds the other two. He's trying to get them out but one guy won't leave without his wife. Rambo tells him she's dead but he runs off, the flood water starts running down and Rambo ties himself and the girl to a rock while the initial rush of water cascades over them. He then returns to the base with the girl and sees the guy who ran off getting his body bag loaded into an ambulance which triggers hisPTSD, the girl thanks him and Rambo returns home and has a conversation with the old lady living in the house about when he returned and how his father used to sit in the rocking chair outside.He then goes into the tunnels upset about the events and puts a CD on (The Doors). … When he has PTSD flashbacks in the tunnels it is intercut with the dead hiker.[3]
After the alternate opening, the film cuts to Rambo on his ranch, as it begins in selectNorth American countries and the UK.[73]
Rambo: Last Blood was released on Digital on December 3, 2019, and was released onUltra HD Blu-ray,Blu-ray, andDVD on December 17, 2019, byLionsgate Home Entertainment. Best Buy released a retail exclusive steel book for the 4K UHD release.[74] The film has toppedRedbox's disc rental and On Demand charts for several weeks.[75][76][77] The international version, titledRambo: Last Blood Extended Cut, was released onAmazon Prime Video in May 2020.[78] In the United States and Canada, the DVD earned $10 million and the Blu-ray earned $16.6 million, totaling $26.6 million in domestic video sales.[79]
Rambo: Last Blood grossed $44.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $46.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $91.5 million, against a production budget of $50 million.[5]
In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongsideAd Astra andDownton Abbey, and was projected to gross $23–25 million from 3,618 theaters in its opening weekend.[80] The film made $7.17 million on Friday, which included $1.3 million from Thursday night previews.[81] It went on to debut to $19 million, finishing third and marking the second-best opening of the series.[4] The film made $8.6 million in its second weekend and $3.6 million in its third, finishing sixth and eighth, respectively.[82][83]
OnRotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 26% based on 173 reviews, with an average rating of 4/10. The site's critical consensus states, "Like the sequels that preceded it,Rambo: Last Blood is content to indulge in bloody violence at the expense of its main character's once-poignant story."[84]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 26 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[85] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed byPostTrak gave it an average 3.5 out of 5 stars and a 56% "definite recommend".[4]
The portrayal of the Rambo character was put under scrutiny. Writing for theLos Angeles Times,Kenneth Turan gave the film 3 out of 4 stars and was complimentary of the story's "surprisingly brooding examination" of Rambo: "Sure, Rambo is convincing when he ends up telling bad people, 'I'm gonna hurt you real bad', but there is also a kind of fragility that makes us worry about people putting the hurt on him."[86] Peter Debruge wrote a negative review forVariety: "This character is a mess of contradictions, representing, on one hand, the permanent damage that military service can do to one's soul while simultaneously suggesting what the ideal soldier looks like."[1] Rating the film 4.5 out of 10 forIGN, Witney Seibold lamented, "A character who was originally meant to stand as a symbol for the damage that war can do to a soldier is now best remembered as an unkillable human machine gun", but credited Stallone with "[managing] to give as soulful a performance as the part warrants".[87]
The script by Stallone and Matthew Cirulnick attained unfavorable reactions. In a negative review forThe Hollywood Reporter,Frank Scheck said it "feels utterly tossed-off and generic, more resembling thepilot for a Rambo television series than a proper send off", but credited Stallone with "[keeping] a franchise afloat".[88] Katie Walsh of theChicago Tribune, who gave the film 1 out of 4 stars, called the script "barely a script at all" and the writing lazy; she added that story writers Stallone and Dan Gordon "trade on charged imagery rather than, you know, actually writing characters that fully express the spectrum of human morality".[89] William Bibbiani ofBloody Disgusting said the script "has been reduced to its lowest common denominators, establishing characters quickly and then shoving them into a simplistic plot (that is to say, simplistic even byRambo standards)", and rated the film 1.5 out of 5.[90] Grading the film a D+ forIndieWire, Eric Kohn said Stallone as a co-writer "does a decent job at generating empathy for Rambo through furtive gestures, butLast Blood goes overboard to prove that he's tried to be a better man".[91] While many called the plot ofLast Blood derivative ofTaken,[87][90][91] web-based criticJames Berardinelli called it "aDeath Wish variant with a few callbacks to the trap-building ofFirst Blood".[92]
Critics reported being appalled by the brutality of the action scenes, with some comparing its amount of gore with that of aslasher film.[87][93] Berardinelli said, "The body count is insanely high and the methods of death are worthy of aHalloween orFriday the 13th sequel", and gave the film 1 out of 4 stars.[92] Debruge called the violence "horrible, gut-wrenching carnage to witness, and yet, it's been calibrated to elicit whoops and cheers from fans, who've faithfully followed along as Rambo evolved".[1] Vince Mancini ofUproxx said, "It's so genuinely horrific I'm convinced there are real-life cartel videos celebrating the torture of rivals that are less gory", but recommended the film as a must-see.[94] Conversely, Johnny Oleksinski of theNew York Post said, "Rambo: Last Blood features what's easily the most violent movie scene of the year. It's awesome", but felt the narration, drama, and hackneyed backstory could have been edited out.[95] Duncan Bowles ofDen of Geek gave it 3 out of 5 stars, writing: "If you're not the kind of person who wants to weep with joy at the sight of Rambo tooling up, firing a bow, or rigging booby traps, then the film really isn't for you, but if you're after a solid display of carnage from a character you love, then there's plenty on offer."[96] Many saw the climax ofLast Blood as similar to that ofHome Alone, which, by contrast, is rated PG.[88][89][95]
The depiction of a crime infested Mexico and thestereotypical portrayal of most Mexicans and Latinos as criminals prompted critics to accuse the film ofxenophobia and pandering to supporters of theTrump presidency.[9][10][87][97]Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardian calledLast Blood a "massively enlarged prostate of a film [that] can only make you wince with its badly acted geronto-ultraviolence, itsTrumpian fantasies of Mexican rapists and hilariously insecureUS border, and its crass enthusiasm for rape-revenge attacks", giving it 1 out of 5 stars.[98] Seibold wrote: "I understand thatRambo films have rarely been bastions ofcultural togetherness, but in 2019, these broad stereotypes are offensive and dated and downright irresponsible."[87] Kohn wrote: "In 2019's hypersensitive cultural environment, the depiction of murderous Mexican crime bosses and their cowering sex slaves encountering a literalwhite savior doesn't go down so easy."[91] Mexican film critic Gerardo Valero, a "far-flung correspondent" forRogerEbert.com, also criticized the use of Spain doubling for Mexico, and that it was "impossible not to laugh at this group of Spanish actors trying to sound Mexican by cursing with every other word in this strange accent". He also wrote: "If this movie wasn't so dumb, I would have probably found all of this offensive."[99] Addressing the complaints about the stereotypical villains, however, Bowles wrote: "The villains might be built from the stereotypical strain of pure evil from years past, but their reprehensibility is what makes the explosive payback work and the violence, despite some especially grim moments, never quite strays into the extreme stomach-churning highs frompart IV."[96]
David Morrell, creator of the Rambo character and author of theFirst Blood novel,tweeted that he dislikedRambo: Last Blood, calling it "a mess" and feeling "embarrassed to have my name associated with it".[100][101] Morrell later toldNewsweek:
I felt degraded and dehumanized after I left the theater. Instead of being soulful, this new movie lacks one. I felt I was less a human being for having seen it, and today that's an unfortunate message ... [Trackdown] is typical of ultra-violent 1970sexploitation "grindhouse" films, the technique of whichRambo: Last Blood resembles. The sets here look cheap. The direction is awkward. ... Rambo could be calledJohn Smith, and the film wouldn't change. It assumes the audience is familiar with Rambo's background, whereas anyone under 40 will wonder what on Earth is going on with those tunnels.[100]
Darren Mooney ofThe Escapist wrote, "Rambo has adopted the methodology of theViet Cong by building elaborate tunnels under his family farm."[102] Zak Wojnar ofScreen Rant stated that "Rambo's tunnels are much larger and more sanitary thanthose of Củ Chi, but the imagery is comparable", adding that they are "where he holds his demons, where he channels his negative energy, and where he keeps his past close, but contained". As for the final act of the film, Wojnar stated that "his 'PTSD Tunnels' play a key role in his revenge", writing, "Using the same guerilla tactics that were likely used on him and his friends fifty years ago, Rambo emerges from his tunnels like a Vietnamese fighter popping out of a spider hole, shoots several targets, and then disappears underground before they even know what hit them."[103]
| Award | Date of Ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Film & TV Awards | December 3, 2019 | Best Actor | Sylvester Stallone | Nominated[104] |
| Best Supporting Actress | Yvette Monreal | Won[105][106] | ||
| Best Feature Film | Nominated[104] | |||
| Best Director | Adrian Grünberg | Nominated[104] | ||
| Best Action Movie | Won[105][106] | |||
| Golden Raspberry Awards | March 16, 2020[107] | Worst Picture | Avi Lerner, Kevin King Templeton, Yariv Lerner & Les Weldon | Nominated |
| Worst Director | Adrian Grünberg | Nominated | ||
| Worst Actor | Sylvester Stallone | Nominated | ||
| Worst Supporting Actress | Fenessa Pineda | Nominated | ||
| Worst Screen Combo | Sylvester Stallone & his impotent rage | Nominated | ||
| Worst Screenplay | Matthew Cirulnick & Sylvester Stallone | Nominated | ||
| Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel | Won | |||
| Worst Reckless Disregard for Human Life and Public Property | Won | |||
| Shorty Awards | May 3, 2020 | Best in Entertainment | Rambo: Last Blood Home Entertainment Social Campaign | Nominated[108][109] |
During Cannes 2019, Stallone said he would continue portraying Rambo if the fifth film succeeds.[110] Grünberg, however, said thatRambo: Last Blood "closes the circle", hoping it would conclude the film series.[111] In September 2019, Stallone confirmed that he has plans for a prequel to the series; although he would not reprise the title role, he would like to explore who Rambo was before theVietnam War:
I always thought of Rambo when he was 16 or 17—I hope they can do the prequel—he was the best person you could find. He was the captain of the team; he was the most popular kid in school; a super athlete. He was likeJim Thorpe, and the war is what changed him. If you saw him before, he was like the perfect guy.[112]
In September 2019, Stallone had expressed interest in having Rambo take refuge in anIndian reservation for a potential sixth film.[113] In June 2020, Stallone briefly elaborated on the idea, stating, "If I ever did another one, I think he would go back to the Indian reservation that he grew up on because he has Indian family."[114]
However, in a September 2023 convention appearance, Stallone cast doubt on a sixth film, joking that Rambo would just be fightingarthritis.[115]
In May 2025, it was announced thatMillennium Media was producing a prequel film toFirst Blood titledJohn Rambo.Jalmari Helander, known for the 2022 filmSisu, has been attached to direct the film, while Stallone is not expected to be involved with the film in any capacity.[116] The director shared:
I have been the biggest fan of Rambo since the age of 11. It is so surreal to be in a situation where I can actually make my ownRambo movie. The chain of events that got me here makes, in a fantastic way, my whole childhood make sense. I can’t wait to bring the greatest action hero back to the big screen where he belongs.[117]
In August 2025, actorNoah Centineo was cast as John Rambo.[118][119]
| Films |
|
|---|---|
| Novels |
|
| Characters | |
| Television |
|
| Video games |
|
| Related | |
