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Rambo III (1988)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 4.6/10
Reviews Counted: 28
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 18

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 2

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Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 74,092

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Movie Info

The third entry in the ultra-macho Rambo action movie series finds muscle-bound warrior John Rambo (co-writer and star Sylvester Stallone) refusing a request from his former Vietnam superior, Green Beret Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna). Trautman is to lead a mission to aid the mujahedeen rebels fighting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, but the Buddhist Rambo turns his friend down. When the mission goes awry and Trautman is subsequently captured and tortured within a prison fortress, Rambo

R, 1 hr. 42 min.

Action & Adventure

Directed By: Peter MacDonald , Peter McDonald

Written By: Sheldon Lettich, Sylvester Stallone

In Theaters: Jun 1, 1988 Wide

On DVD: Nov 23, 2004

Live Home Video

Rambo III Trailer & Photos

Cast

Sylvester Stallone
John Rambo
Richard Crenna
Col. Trautman
Marc de Jonge
Colonel Zaysen
Kurtwood Smith
Griggs
Spiros Foc�s
Masoud
Sasson Gabai
Moussa
Doudi Shoua
Hamid
Randy Raney
Gen. Kourov
Marcus Gilbert
Tomask
Alon Abutbul
Nissem
Mahmoud Assadollahi
Rahim
Joseph Shiloach
Khalid
Harold Diamond
Stick Fighter
Mati Seri
Gun Dealer
Hany Said El Deen
Gun Dealer
Shaby Ben-Aroya
Uri
Marciano Shoshi
Afghan Girl
Tikva Aziz
Helicopter Person
Benny Bruchim
Helicopter Person
Tal Kastoriano
Helicopter Person
Julian Patrice
Helicopter Person
Rafi Milo
Helicopter Person
Sadiq Tawfiq
Helicopter Person
Maggie Cartier
Dalia Hovers
Joy Todd

Critic Reviews for Rambo III

All Critics (28) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (18) | DVD (24)

Always at ground zero in the chaos is Rambo -- gloriously, inhumanly impervious to fear and danger -- whose character is inhabited by Stallone with messianic intensity.

January 14, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

Mr. Stallone has by now made Rambo parody-proof, since the character is every bit as laughable as he is grandiose; that's part of the fun.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

Rambo may, in fact, have outlived his usefulness. His moment may have passed.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Hal Hinson

Washington Post

Top Critic

Stallone scripts the wall-to-wall explosions too haphazardly and unimaginatively.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

Engages the plight of the Mujahideen with a humanizing, doc-like approach (fascinating to witness, all these years later, when the ally/enemy tables have turned so drastically).

June 14, 2008 Full Review Source: UGO

| Comment

Keith Uhlich

UGO

Lacking the overall mojo of the first two

February 3, 2008 Comment

Stefan Birgir Stefansson

sbs.is

...an entertaining, sporadically electrifying piece of work that makes up in thrills what it lacks in relevance.

January 24, 2008 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews

| Comment

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Strays slightly from the formula and therefore loses some of its mindless fun credentials.

January 14, 2008 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine

| Comment

Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

A mindless and uninspired effort.

January 14, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

It's a very bad film, but now has an interesting element when viewed in retrospect -- Rambo goes to Afghanistan to fight with the Mujaheddin against the Soviets.

December 30, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Saturday Morning Picture Club stuff, only dearer.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

Real-life events have rendered this third Rambo adventure the most dated of the series. Still, though, it remains an exciting piece of hardcore action.

February 16, 2006 Comment

Chuck O'Leary

FulvueDrive-in.com

At least it helped inspire "Hot Shots Part Deux"

January 1, 2005 Comment

Michael A. Smith

Nolan's Pop Culture Review Source: Nolan's Pop Culture Review

It's just the same crap.

March 25, 2003 Comment

Luis Martinez

Cinenganos

Not any worse than the second, but I still say this series should have ended with the first.

February 12, 2003 Comment

Alex Sandell

Juicy Cerebellum

Forget it, still another example of an unnecessary sequel.

December 25, 2002 Comment

Bob Bloom

Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

More of the same...but boy it's cool!

September 17, 2002 Comment

Clint Morris

Moviehole

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Rambo III

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Rambo III is a change of pace for the character of John Rambo. Instead of taking the fight in an urban environment or the jungles of Vietnam, Rambo brings his fight to the deserts of Afghanistan. As his former C.O Col Trautman gets captured by Russian forces fighting clans in Afghnistan. Rambo stops at nothing to save

May 9, 2011

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

Super Reviewer

I really don't understand the hatred and/or backlash for this at all. This is a sequel that wasn't just a carbon copy of the other two, it really had its own formula that for the most part works really well. Taking the story and characters to Afghanistan really changed the scope of the series. Instead of being a

May 9, 2010

Conner Rainwater

Super Reviewer

Rambo III Quotes

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1. Hamid: What's that?
2. John Rambo: It's blue light.
3. Hamid: What does it do?
4. John Rambo: It turns blue.
– Submitted by Taylor W (2 months ago)
1. Colonel Zaysen: Drop your weapons! Now! You have no chance of escape! Come forward! I wish to take you back alive! This is your last warning! The choice is yours!
2. Col. Trautman: What do you say John?
3. John Rambo: Fuck 'em!
– Submitted by Taylor W (2 months ago)
1. Moussa: You do not look like men Griggs sent before. You not look like you are with military.
2. John Rambo: I'm not.
3. Moussa: What you are? Mercenary?
4. John Rambo: No.
5. Moussa: You're not with military, not mercenary - what you are? Lost tourist?
6. John Rambo: I'm no tourist.
– Submitted by Taylor W (2 months ago)
1. Colonel Zaysen: Who are you?
2. John Rambo: Your worst nightmare.
– Submitted by Taylor W (2 months ago)
1. Col. Trautman: What do we do?
2. John Rambo: Well, surrounding them's out of the question...
– Submitted by Taylor W (2 months ago)