Sylvester Stallone Says This Is His Best Action Movie

Everyone knows Sylvester Stallone made his name with two legendary characters: Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. These roles launched two of the most famous movie franchises ever. While Rocky made Stallone a star, it was Rambo who really turned him into an action icon during the 80s and 90s, and cemented his place in Hollywood history.

The first Rambo film, First Blood, came out in 1982 and was a massive hit. It earned over $125 million at the box office on a modest $15 million budget. Stallone’s performance in that movie is still considered one of his best.

He used very little dialogue and relied mostly on his expressions and body language to tell the story of a troubled Vietnam veteran struggling with PTSD. The film’s ending, where Rambo breaks down emotionally, is especially powerful. Stallone famously fought to change the original ending, which had Rambo dying by suicide, to the version audiences know today. He has often said how proud he is of First Blood and what it became.

But surprisingly, Stallone said in a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the best action film he has ever done is actually Rambo IV, released in 2008.

“One film I’m truly proud of — it’s the best action film I’ve ever done because it’s the most truthful — is ‘Rambo IV,’ dealing with Burma, where they’ve had a civil war for 67 years. But I got excoriated because the movie’s so violent. And it is violent. It’s horrifying. It’s children being burnt alive. That’s what makes civil war worse than anything: It’s your neighbor, all of a sudden, killing you. I was really happy with that film, and I never thought it would ever reach the theater. I thought, ‘They’re never going to show this.’”

Rambo IV stands out for its raw and brutal portrayal of war. Unlike many action movies that focus on explosions and thrills, this film showed the harsh realities of civil conflict in Burma (now Myanmar). Stallone didn’t shy away from the shocking violence and the deep human suffering caused by the fighting. This gave the movie a serious and important message about the horrors of war that most action movies avoid.

The movie’s cultural impact is unique. It didn’t just entertain fans of the franchise but also brought attention to a real-world crisis that many people outside the region had never heard about. By using the Rambo character to highlight this brutal conflict, Stallone helped raise awareness about the long-lasting effects of civil war on innocent people.

While Rambo IV may not have been as popular as the original films, it earned respect for being honest and fearless. It reminded audiences that action movies can do more than just thrill, they can also tell meaningful stories.

For Stallone, Rambo IV isn’t just another sequel. It’s the film he’s most proud of because it dared to be truthful and powerful. In a career full of big hits and memorable moments, that says a lot about what he values as an actor and storyteller.

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