--- title: "Rambo III" year: 1988 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/rambo-iii" fi1m_id: "rambo-iii" imdb_id: "tt0095956" tmdb_id: 1370 wikidata_id: "Q392355" fi1m_score: 39 critics_score: 45 critics_reviews: 6 published: "2026-10-04T20:27:06.989668+00:00" updated: "2026-10-04T20:27:07.235659+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Rambo III (1988) Directed by Peter MacDonald · 1h 42m · MPA R · Action, Adventure, Thriller, War ## Identity Rambo III - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/rambo-iii - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** rambo-iii - **IMDb ID:** tt0095956 - **TMDB ID:** 1370 - **Wikidata ID:** Q392355 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095956/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1370, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q392355 **Fi1m score: 39** · Critics 45 from 6 reviews *In a sentence:* Rambo has a friend to fight for and a screenplay that thinks this makes him a saint > *Rambo III* delivers forceful action but makes John Rambo so righteous that the fighting soon becomes tiresome. Richard Crenna brings some welcome interest; weak dialogue and relentless hero worship leave him too much to repair. ## Synopsis John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) fights for a friend. Personal loyalty supplies his reason to go into battle, rather than his own needs or those of his country. The war adventure features Trautman (Richard Crenna), Coronel Zaysen (Marc de Jonge) and Griggs (Kurtwood Smith), alongside Masoud (Spiros Focás), Mousa (Sasson Gabai) and Hamid (Doudi Shoua). Fighting drives the story, with Rambo at the centre of the action. The film runs for 102 minutes and carries an 18 certificate. ## Review *Rambo III* has a simple reason for sending John Rambo into action: he is fighting for a friend. That should be enough for an action film, but Peter MacDonald directs it with such extravagant hero worship that the people become difficult to care about. The fighting has force, and some of it can still startle us. It is nevertheless a poor war adventure, too pleased with its hero to make his struggle interesting. Sylvester Stallone and Sheldon Lettich’s screenplay is weakest where it most needs to be persuasive, in the dialogue that supplies motives between bouts of violence. The characters have so little complication that there is scarcely anything to discover about them once their loyalties are established. We know how we are being asked to feel about Rambo, and the film keeps asking anyway. Affection for a friend could have given him something ordinary and recognisable; the writing makes even that feel like an announcement of his importance. Sylvester Stallone is fully committed to this version of John Rambo, which helps explain the film’s force and its faintly ridiculous air. There is no embarrassment in the performance, even when the presentation of the hero becomes almost religious. That conviction can carry a piece of action, but it cannot supply the uncertainty missing from the character. Richard Crenna, as Trautman, is a welcome presence because he gives us another performer to take an interest in amid all the admiration for Rambo. Peter MacDonald gives the battle scenes enough explosive force to make their appeal clear. John Stanier’s cinematography helps make the violence imposing, while Bill Kenney’s production design contributes to the scale of the spectacle. These are useful qualities in an action film, and the impact sometimes survives the absurdity of what surrounds it. We were worn out by the succession of battles, though, because the film keeps asking us to applaud destruction without giving us enough reason to fear for anyone. The editing is a more immediate problem. O. Nicholas Brown, Andrew London, James R. Symons and Edward Warschilka are credited, and the awkward cutting makes the plentiful action less enjoyable than it ought to be. A film this dependent on fighting needs a sequence to build tension, with each fresh threat changing what its characters can do. Too often, another violent incident arrives before the previous one has made much of an impression. Jerry Goldsmith’s music works to give the material weight, but the shallow characterisation leaves it carrying too much responsibility. Once every display of strength receives such reverence, another invitation to admire Rambo has little effect. The film’s camp qualities offer some amusement, although the weak dialogue rarely makes us confident that the joke is deliberate. At 102 minutes, it is not extravagantly long; the repetition makes it feel longer. Measured against the needs of a straightforward action adventure, the disappointment is how little pleasure follows from so much exertion. We do not need a complicated account of war to enjoy a story about loyalty, but we do need to care about the people doing the fighting. The explosive passages and Richard Crenna provide reasons for the committed action enthusiast to persist. For anyone looking for suspense as well as destruction, there are better uses of an evening. *Fi1m score 39, published 4 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics take a dim view of Rambo III, though the reviews acknowledge its plentiful action. Praise is limited and scattered rather than shared across the six reviews. Variety supplies the clearest endorsement, finding the battle scenes effective and often terrifying, and treating Stallone’s messianic performance as a strength. Den of Geek finds a smaller consolation in giving Richard Crenna more to do. The reservations centre on mindless violence, hero worship and thin characterisation. Empire also faults the editing, while the Los Angeles Times delivers the harshest dismissal, seeing the war spectacle as an absurd exercise in glorifying Stallone. The spread is wide, but weighted towards disapproval. Even the comparisons with the previous film diverge: Empire finds this instalment less entertaining, whereas Den of Geek considers it marginally better. The central divide is over whether the carnage works as action or simply becomes unpleasant. ## Straight answers **Is Rambo III worth watching?** *Rambo III* is a poor war adventure that we score 39/100, with enough forceful action to interest only committed action enthusiasts. Richard Crenna offers some welcome interest, but weak dialogue, awkward cutting and relentless admiration for Rambo make the succession of battles tiresome rather than tense. **How long is Rambo III, and what is it rated?** *Rambo III* runs 1h 42m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is an action and adventure film. **Where can I watch Rambo III in the US?** *Rambo III* is streaming on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. It leaves Tubi on 1 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Rambo III, and is it suitable for children?** *Rambo III* carries a UK 18 certificate and is not suitable for children, with repeated violence and forceful battle scenes driving the story. The fighting can startle, and the succession of explosive confrontations makes it a poor choice for the squeamish, even though we find the suspense weak. **How does Rambo III compare to First Blood?** *Rambo III* is louder and more devoted to its hero than [*First Blood*](https://film.one/film/first-blood), which we recommend as the better, tighter thriller. The earlier film gives Rambo enough vulnerability for the violence to matter; this instalment favours repeated battles and destruction, making it chiefly an option for those who want action rather than suspense. **What should I watch after Rambo III?** After *Rambo III*, try [*First Blood*](https://film.one/film/first-blood) (1982, Fi1m 74): A more vulnerable Rambo gives the violence a reason to matter. Then [*Hard Boiled*](https://film.one/film/hard-boiled) (1992, Fi1m 86): Extravagant action with spatial clarity and characters worth following through the gunfire; and [*Southern Comfort*](https://film.one/film/southern-comfort) (1981, Fi1m 81): Armed men discover how little their weapons help them understand hostile territory. ### Reviews we read (6) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (80/100, inferred): The review sees the film as giving Rambo a more righteous cause and presents it as intensely effective action. It singles out the explosive, often terrifying battle scenes and Stallone’s messianic performance. [Read](https://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/rambo-iii-1117794315/) - **Time Out**, BC (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review, but the review text is unavailable. The metadata mentions a debate about the unwisdom of something, but does not establish the critic’s verdict or specific praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/rambo-iii) - **Radio Times**, John Ferguson (2/5): Ferguson calls it probably the worst film in the series, criticizing its mindless celebration of carnage. He notes that the cartoonish action is plentiful, but leaves a nasty taste. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-m57xcd/rambo-iii/) - **Empire**, Kim Newman (35/100, inferred): Newman finds the film less fun than its predecessor, despite its steady stream of action. He faults awkward editing and the shift toward patriotic, one-dimensional character portrayals. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/rambo-iii-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, MICHAEL WILMINGTON (10/100, inferred): Wilmington pans the film as an absurd, self-aggrandizing spectacle that turns war into a showcase for Stallone. He singles out its extravagant hero worship and campy imagery as especially ridiculous. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-25-ca-3073-story.html) - **Den of Geek**, Mark Pickavance (2/5): Pickavance judges Rambo III marginally better than its predecessor, largely because Richard Crenna has more to do. He criticizes its mindless violence and poor dialogue, while finding the Blu-ray transfer acceptable and the extras dismal. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/rambo-iii-blu-ray-review/) ## Details - **Director:** Peter MacDonald - **Director:** Peter MacDonald - **Screenplay:** Sylvester Stallone, Sheldon Lettich - **Cinematography:** John Stanier - **Editor:** O. Nicholas Brown, Andrew London, James R. Symons, Edward Warschilka - **Music:** Jerry Goldsmith - **Production design:** Bill Kenney - **Costume design:** Richard La Motte - **Producer:** Buzz Feitshans - **Cast:** Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo; Richard Crenna as Trautman; Marc de Jonge as Coronel Zaysen; Kurtwood Smith as Griggs; Spiros Focás as Masoud; Sasson Gabai as Mousa; Doudi Shoua as Hamid; Randy Raney as Kourov - **Runtime:** 1h 42m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 24 May 1988 - **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Thriller, War - **Budget:** $63 million - **Box office:** $189 million ## Where to watch in the US - Tubi: free, hd, leaving 2026-10-01 - Amazon Prime Video: add-on - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $7.99, sd *Checked 2026-10-04.* Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor 1989: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor (won) - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director 1989: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director (nominated) - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture 1989: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture (nominated) - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay 1989: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay (nominated) - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor - Razzie Award 1989: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor - Razzie Award (nominated) ## If you liked this - *First Blood* (1982), Fi1m 74: A more vulnerable Rambo gives the violence a reason to matter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/first-blood.md) - *Hard Boiled* (1992), Fi1m 86: Extravagant action with spatial clarity and characters worth following through the gunfire. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hard-boiled.md) - *The Train* (1964): Wartime action built around practical problems, physical effort and competing human loyalties. - *Southern Comfort* (1981), Fi1m 81: Armed men discover how little their weapons help them understand hostile territory. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/southern-comfort.md) - *The Battle of Algiers* (1966), Fi1m 93: For war stripped of heroic reassurance, with political stakes kept painfully clear. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-battle-of-algiers.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/rambo-iii