In his review for Netflix Rebel Ridge, Stephen King Compare this action movie with Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo. While it’s understandable where his opinions about both films come from, it’s hard not to notice how his review underscores that Rambo was often misunderstood. Directed by Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge Was trapped in development hell for several years due to production delays. However, despite the setbacks, the film has finally hit the small screen and is being hailed by viewers and critics as one of the best offerings of the action genre in 2024.
Even earlier Rebel Ridge Landed on Netflix, many could not help but notice the narrative similarities with the first Rambo movie, First blood. Due to this, when it finally premiered, viewers and critics drew parallels and comparisons between the two. Since Stephen King usually stays up to date with movie and TV trends, he also watched the film and shared his insights on it. He also made a tough comparison between Rebel Ridge And RamboWho seemingly forgot what the Sylvester Stallone movie is really like.
Stephen King’s Rebel Ridge Review: Why He’s Calling It The ‘Training Man’s Rambo’
Stephen King’s refers to the thematic depth behind Rebel Ridge’s action and drama
After quoting that Rebel Ridge is one of Netflix’s best original movies, Stephen King called it “A Thinking Man’s RAMBO.“Given as the thought of all Rambo Kino conjures a mental image of Sylvester Stallone’s titular character mindlessly duking it out with enemy forces, it’s understandable where Stephen King’s statement comes from. Compared to First blood, Rebel Ridge is also much less violent and more cerebral because its main character, Terry Richmond, uses the least amount of force against the police officers who harm.
Although RamboAlso, fighting back only to protect himself from law enforcers, his journey gradually takes an extreme turn where violence becomes his primary means of survival. Terry Richmond, in contrast, settles for debauchery midway through the film even after realizing that the police officers are responsible for his cousin’s death. Due to the differences between the two films, you can see eye-to-eye with what Stephen King is trying to imply in his review.
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes critics score |
Rotten Tomatoes audience score |
|
Rebel Ridge |
96% |
69% |
|
First blood |
86% |
86% |
However, occupation Rebel Ridge “A Thinking Man’s RAMBO” seems unfair. The Stallone film is much deeper than it is given credit for, and, as Stephen King’s review establishes, many have forgotten a crucial thematic element that drives First bloods overarching history. Although there is nothing to compare the two films, one is simply not more thought-provoking than the other because both deal with serious themes.
Stephen King’s Rebel Ridge Review Ignores How First Blood Was
First Blood is far from being a regular action popcorn flick
Since Rebel Ridge barely has a handful full of action sequences, First blood Arguably more action set pieces and badass protagonist moments than the Jeremy Saulnier film. however, First bloods action, vi Rebel Ridges, is always driven by a solid goal. Both films open with scenes that highlight how veterans are often mistreated. While Terry is rammed off-road by a police vehicle, and two officers seize his money through civil asset forfeiture, Rambo learns that his friend and wartime teammate died of cancer due to exposure to Agent Orange.
The police officers in Rebel Ridge Undermine Terry’s well-being because they only care about fulfilling their own agenda and normalizing corruption. Sheriff Will Teasle targets Rambo because he looks down on the new generation of soldiers and fails to empathize with everything they went through during the Vietnam War. Rambo and Teasle’s conflict escalates relatively faster, however The villains in both films are also veterans who have been warmed by their own experiences.
… The two films are not too different in terms of nuance and thematic depth, which proves how King’s review misses First bloods commentary on trauma and police brutality.
Rebel Ridge Highlights Terry Richmond’s powerlessness against the law by showing how, despite being an incredibly skilled fighter, he has to be careful not to take things too far with the police. First blood It achieves the same by emphasizing that even though Rambo does not want to resort to violence, his powerlessness against his PTSD forces him to take extreme measures when the police officers attack him. The Stollone movie certainly features more bloodshed and lethal weaponry.
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However, the two films aren’t too different in terms of nuance and thematic depth, which proves King’s review to be wrong. First bloods commentary on trauma and police brutality. This is perfectly captured in the last story of both movies, where you empathize with the two leading characters and fear what will happen to them. Terry Richmond’s future remains uncertain Rebel Ridge‘s endless moments even after he collects evidence of Chief Sandy’s wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Rambo breaks up and sends, Realizing how war veterans like him are not supported despite their sacrifices.
Rebel Ridge 2 should avoid becoming more like the Rambo franchise
The Rebel Ridge franchise must etch its own identity
Given how Rebel Ridge Etches his own identity in the genre instead of coming out as someone else Rambo Rip-off, it seems likely that even its potential sequel will continue to carve its own unique space. First bloodIts sequels gradually dipped in quality because they seemingly forgot what made the first film emotionally stimulating and focused more on spectacle through action. Rebel Ridge 2 Should avoid threading the same way and, like Stephen King quote, Continue to be a thinking man’s action movie Instead of conforming to the tried-and-tested tropes of the action genre.