30.1.08

A Killing Field in Burma

Picking up where I left off, Burma has become the center of attention again. Only this time, it’s on the silver screen with the launching of Rambo IV: Rambo.


I went to the movie harboring no great expectations, only a mood for nostalgia. I am part of the generation that grew up fixated in front of the TV screen (and VCR), watching the half-naked, M60-wielding killing machine that was Rambo. His name had become an eponym for heroism by means of extreme violence against overwhelming number of adversaries, or downright foolish murderous rampage. Along with the persona, his killing tools also gained immortality, like the notorious expression “Rambo Knifes” which people had used back then to dub any wickedly sharp or big knife.

This time around, the only man on earth capable to turn anything into “weapons of mass destruction” packs his faithful longbow and a large heavy blade with a thick spine. I could not tell for sure, but I believe the latter was the weapon he used in the movie to relieve Major Tint - the main antagonist - from his chronic constipation. J. Rambo also used his bare hands to rip off the throat of an unlucky rapist-to-be, and borrowed the Burmese 50 cal machine gun to give them a taste of their own medicine. Overall, his choice of weapons tends to be cruder in this supposedly last Rambo installment.

Rambo IV is also the most intense Rambo movie, as far as I can remember. It holds the record with the most kills out of the entire Rambo series, with 236 kills and an average of 2.59 kills per minute. Check out this Rambo kill chart if you feel like having a good laugh. The violence in the movie was very graphic, but what I found more disturbing was a guy sitting behind me who laughed hysterically every time J. Rambo embarked on yet another brutal frenzy. I don't know why, maybe he got his kicks seeing blood and was having an orgasm, or he just found the movie outrageously hilarious.

I have no idea whether the Burmese will appreciate watching this movie with so many Burmese body counts - if they ever get the chance to see it at all, that is. In any case, Sly had the decency to keep his shirt on throughout the movie. Maybe he didn’t want his aging muscles to be seen, or maybe it’s just the mosquitoes. Bites me.