100: Rambo IV

Our examination of the politics of Rambo continues with the fourth in the series, simply titled Rambo. Uniquely, this film steps away from American involvement in foreign conflicts to look at the struggles of the Karen people in Myanmar. In reality it is a brutal struggle and that is certainly reflected in the film. Without question. it is the most violent of the series. The team and Elijah look at why and along the way address some of these questions - Why are the team watching different versions of the film? - Who were the original directors short listed to make the movie and why did Sylvester Stallone ultimately take on that role? - What are the penalties for watching this film in Myanmar? - What line of dialogue from the film became a rallying cry for the Karen freedom fighters? All of this and more interesting facts are addressed on the podcast. However as usual in these discussions (especially since we never meet face to face any more), we broaden our discussion to other related topics – more simply put, we talk about weaponry and hunting. Please bear us during these sections – we need this social interaction! On a more serious note, Elijah tells us some real stories about missionaries and some of the hardships and dangers they have to face. Despite its political relevance, Rambo is a film that split the team. What are your thoughts on this feature, please let us know. Thanks for listening and as always, stay safe.