The second leg of the Stallone Comeback Tour isn't as successful as "Rocky Balboa" but I will say I was entertained on a visceral level by Stallone's work as a director here. Not much plot (is there ever?) but the picture works due to its gut-punching action sequences -- this is a violent, graphic film but it shows the consequence of said violence, as well as taking a stand that there are indeed times when it is necessary. None of it has the comic book feel of RAMBO II or III, and while it doesn't have the strong character development of the first movie either, it's still effective.
I also need to commend Brian Tyler for his work here. Goldsmith's main theme pops up at the beginning and the end, and while Tyler's action music can't hold a candle to Goldsmith's, it's not the abomination that John Ottman's SUPERMAN RETURNS was in terms of wrecking the original orchestration and feel. Tyler seems to have written one specific theme that works well enough for the Christian missionaries Rambo ends up saving from the barbaric Burmese military as well.
But still there is no comparison between Tyler's work and Goldsmith's. When Goldsmith's theme eloquently closes the film, I nearly shed a tear not because of what was going on-screen, but rather that nobody among the "young generation" can write film music today on the same level by a wide, wide, wide margin. It was a bittersweet moment -- hearing that theme nearly made me weep for how almost irrelevant film music today has become.
But overall thumbs up for the movie -- good stuff on a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon
