Original subtitles

Let's keep those hammers working!

Rambo!

Let's go.

How are you, Johnny?

Good.

That's all.

John, I'm sorry they sent you to such a hellhole.

I've seen worse.

Yeah, you have, haven't you...

I told you that I'd help you when I could. Are you interested?

You can't possibly want to stay here for another five years.

- In here at least I know where I stand. - Just hear me out first.

A covert operation is being geared up in the Far East.

A computer gave your name as one of 3 suitable candidates for the mission.

- Mission? - Recon for POWs in Vietnam.

Why now? Why me?

The prison camp you escaped from in '71 is the target area.

No one knows that terrain better than you. The risk factor's very high.

You'd be temporarily reinstated in the forces, and if the mission's successful,

there may be a presidential pardon.

You interested?

Yeah.

Good. I'll get the necessary clearance.

The next time we meet will be in Thailand with the special ops designate.

Yes, sir.

- All clear? - Yes, sir.

I want you to know I did what I could to keep you out of here.

I know.

Do we get to win this time?

This time it's up to you.

That'll be all.

How're you doing, Rambo? I'm Ericson. Why don't we make it over to the hangar?

You're the chosen one, ha?

You made a helluva rep for yourself in 'nam.

I'm glad to be working with you.

This place may not be heaven, but at least you're out of the joint.

He's here.

Morning, John.

This is Marshal Murdock. He's in charge of special operations.

Thank you, Colonel.

Rambo, been looking forward to meeting you. How was your trip? No problems?

No.

Except for the damned heat, right? I've never felt anything like it.

Come on in, let's get down to business.

I was glancing over your files.

Makes pretty interesting reading.

Rambo, John J., born 07-06-47, Bowie, Arizona, of Indian-German descent.

That's a helluva combination. Joined the army 08-06-64,

accepted special forces, specialization: Light weapons.

Cross-trained as medic. Helicopter and language qualified.

59 confirmed kills, 2 silver stars, 4 bronze, 4 Purple Hearts,

Distinguished Service Cross, Medal of Honor.

You got around, didn't you? Incredible.

You're probably aware there's almost 2,500 Americans still MIA in SE Asia.

Most are presumed dead, but for the families, Congress and many Americans

it's still an emotional issue.

Give me something cold, please!

Rambo, you certainly don't know as much about me as I do you.

I've honched with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, in Kon Tum in '66.

I lost a lot of good men, so I know what you and every Vet feels.

Maybe the government and certain segments of the population didn't care,

- But my committee cares. - It needs proof that Americans are there.

Then we'll get 'em back.

If there are any of our men at the POW target camp, you're to take photos.

Photographs?

Just photographs. Under no circumstances are you to engage the enemy.

I'm supposed to leave them there?

I repeat: Do not engage the enemy!

The assault team led by Colonel Trautman will handle the extraction.

Anyway, I'd just like to say that with your participation,

this mission has a better than average chance of succeeding.

I'll meet you both in the operations center in one hour.

From Thailand across Laos into the mountains of Vietnam.

You'll be flying a ceiling of 250 feet when you bail out.

- Think you can handle it? - I'll try.

Since you're going in solo, you'll have to take more equipment than ever before.

And use it! Don't try the blood-and-guts routine.

Let technology do most of the work.

Forget the war. Remember the mission. The old Vietnam is dead.

Sir, I'm alive, so it's still alive, isn't it?

You may find this hard to believe, but all this is for you.

Impressed?

You'll get every modern piece of equipment we have to ensure your safety.

You can feel totally safe because we have the world's most advanced weapons.

I've always believed that the mind's the best weapon.

Times change.

For some people.

Don't let me interrupt.

Upon insertion call in to base camp on Transat.

Then proceed to rendezvous with your ground contact, indigenous agent Co Bao.

Is he listening?

Indigenous agent Co Bao.

Colonel!

Are you sure he's not unbalanced?

We can't afford anyone in this mission who might crack under pressure in that hell.

Pressure?

Rambo is the best combat Vet I've ever seen.

A pure fighting machine with only a desire to win a war someone else lost.

If winning means he has to die, he'll die. No fear, no regrets.

And one more thing:

What you call "hell", he calls home.

Stand by! Start A.P.U.!

D minus 20.

D minus 5.

You've got 36 hours to get in and out. So don't stop to smell the roses, okay?

If you run into trouble, try to get to the hilltop extraction site.

- Good luck, son. - Thanks.

Ready to roll.

Murdock said he'd been with the 2nd Battalion in Kon Tum '66.

The 2nd Battalion was at Kud Sank.

You're the only one that I trust.

- Think he'll find someone? - POWs? Doubtful.

But there are people to satisfy, questions that have to be answered.

- You don't sound too emotional about it. - It wasn't my war, Colonel.

I'm here to clean up the mess.

K- Wok 2-5 is raft.

They're holding timeline.

Affirmative, Wolf Den. Over.

We're back in the badlands, my man.

Stand by your position!

- Insertion in 15 seconds. - Partytime!

5 seconds.

- What's happening? - He's hung up!

He'll be torn apart!

- He's hung up! - What do you mean he's hung up?

He's being dragged!

- Cut him loose! - I can't free him!

- Abort the mission! - That'll kill him! He'll be torn apart!

He's cutting away his equipment.

He's out!

- Here is Dragonfly 1. Do you read me? - Dragonfly 1, I read you.

- Any visual bearing by flares? - Negative. We didn't see anything.

Maybe it's best to abort the mission now. Who could survive that?

He deserves the benefit of the doubt.

He's got 36 hours to complete the mission and reach the extraction point.

- We owe him that. - Of course we do.

But understand something: In 36 hours we pull out.

Rambo!

You did not expect a woman, no?

We'd better go.

We go to river. How come you so late?

I was hung up.

I have arranged boat to take us down river. Old ways not safe.

You come a long way, Rambo, to see empty camp.

You're using pirates?

Best way down river. Not get army suspicious.

What about patrol boats?

Russian.

Rambo,

want to eat?

Maybe later.

How you get into this?

- It's a long story. - Long trip.

After I left the special forces,

- I moved around a lot. - Why you leave army?

I...

...came back to the States

and found another war going on.

What war?

Kind of like a quiet war.

A war against the soldiers returning. The kind of war you don't win.

It's my problem. How did you get into it?

My father worked for intelligence agency.

He killed, and I take his place.

There's too much death here.

Death everywhere.

I just want to live.

Maybe go America. Live the quiet life.

What you want?

To win. To survive.

Not so easy to survive. Still war here.

To survive a war, you've got to become war.

That why they pick you? Because you like to fight?

I am expendable.

What mean "expendable"?

It's like

someone invites you to a party and you don't show up,

and it doesn't really matter.

What's this?

It bring me good luck.

What bring you good luck?

I guess this.

No further reports.

I want to go up with the extraction team at dawn.

- Denied. - Denied?

- It's an unnecessary risk. - We have a schedule to keep.

- We don't even know if he's alive. - Unlikely.

You said we'd go through as planned.

Okay, if you want to go through with it, we will.

The Colonel's gonna be joining the extraction team.

You're a damned good man, Trautman.

See? Camp empty.

We move closer.

Cyclo-girl whore from village.

Come on!

- What is it? - A bow. No sound.

You not going in there. You're supposed to only take pictures.

What about orders?

No more orders, Co.

I've come to get you out.

Don't talk.

- There are others. - I'll be back.

Everything okay?

Let's go!

You have clearance.

Minus one hour to extraction.

I hope for his sake we're not just wasting fuel.

Let's get moving.

A good thing you came when you did.

Why is that?

They move us around a lot. Because of the crops. Only been there a week.

- When were you last in that camp? - A year. What year is it, anyway?

1985.

Camp supposed to be empty.

Yes, supposed to be.

Landing zone a mile up river.

- What has happened? - We've been sold out.

You bastard!

- Right, jump! - I fight!

Jump! Go on!

The gunboat!

Jump!

You made it, Rambo!

Come on.

Take this. We go on from here.

- Better I stay on to end. - This is the end.

Come on.

Rambo!

You not expendable.

Colonel, 3 minutes.

That's Rambo!

Christ, he's found one!

Rambo's found one of ours!

The ground crew has what appears to be an American POW with him.

- What did you say? - They've got one of ours.

Yellow alert! Meyers, Harrison, Goddell!

Everybody out! Move!

Go to your COMINT frequency! Give me the mike!

Dragonfly, here is Coach 1. This is a priority order.

Come on!

Abort the operation immediately!

- This is a recall. Confirm. Over. - Say it again, Coach 1.

Abort the operation!

- I've been ordered to abort. - But we've got them in sight!

Murdock, do you read?

- We're going down. - You're not going anywhere.

You damned mercenaries! Those are our men down there!

No, your men. Don't be a hero.

Colonel!

Down!

What are you doing? Do you know what the hell you've done?

Don't act so innocent, Colonel.

You had your suspicions, which makes you a sort of accessory.

Don't ever count me with you and your scum!

It was a lie, wasn't it. Like the whole damned war. It was a lie.

What are you talking about?

That camp was supposed to be empty.

Rambo goes in, finds no POWs, Congress buys it, case closed.

And if he happens to get caught, nobody knows except you.

Who the hell do you think you're talking to?

A stinking bureaucrat who's trying to cover his ass.

No, not just mine, Trautman, we're talking about a nation's!

Besides, it was your hero's fault. If he had done what he was meant to do,

we'd be out of this clean and simple. He was just supposed to take pictures.

And if those pictures showed something, they'd have been lost.

You still don't understand what this is all about.

Same as always: Money.

In '72 we were supposed to pay the Cong 4.5 billion in war reparation.

We reneged, they kept the POWs.

And you're doing the same thing all over again.

What would you do?

Pay ransom for our men and finance the war effort against our allies?

And if some burnt-out POW shows up on the 6 o'clock news?

Do you want to start the war over again and bomb Hanoi?

You think the Senate's going to pay billions for a few forgotten ghosts?

For men! Men who fought for their country!

That's enough!

Trautman, I'm going to forget this conversation ever took place.

- You bastard! - And if I were you,

I'd never make the mistake of bringing it up again.

You're making the mistake.

Yeah? What mistake?

Rambo.

Damned Russian bastards.

He's dead now.

Bring him up!

The knife!

These people are so vulgar in their methods!

They lack compassion.

I'm Lieutenant-Colonel Podovski.

I do not know who you are yet,

but I will.

Take him and clean him up.

That's all.

Thank you, Captain Vinh. Leave one guard, please.

I see you are no stranger to pain.

Perhaps you have been among my Vietnamese comrades before?

No answer?

Do you wish to give your name?

What possible harm can that cause?

Pride is a poor substitute for intelligence.

What you must understand is that we must interrogate you.

For Sergeant Yushin you're a piece of meat, a laboratory experiment.

But for me you are a comrade, similar to myself,

just opposed by an act of fate.

I know you were trying

to facilitate the release of war criminals. I can appreciate this.

But this incident, your capture, is...

...embarrassing.

We must have an explanation.

Radio your HQ and say that you have been captured and condemned

for espionage, and that attempts like these should not be made in the future,

or they will meet with the same fate as you.

Fuck you!

You wish to test your strength... Good.

Yushin!

Comrade, here is something

that might be of interest to you:

A transcript of the conversation between your helicopter pilot

and his commander that we intercepted.

"Dragonfly" and "Wolf's Den"... Colorful names.

Here we are:

"We have them in sight". And the reply: "Abort the operation immediately. "

"This is a recall. Confirm. Over. "

It seems you were abandoned by direct command.

And these are the people you protect with your pain!

Increase the voltage.

You may scream. There is no shame.

You are strong! Very strong!

The strongest so far.

But you're nearly dead. Poor waif.

Make the radio call.

To talk, to obey would be so much easier.

Yushin has a memento for you of this day.

Put it in his eye.

If your own life means nothing to you, perhaps his does.

- Don't tell them anything! - You will talk.

Yes?

Don't do it!

Do it

now!

Two-two-zero-five-six...

Lone Wolf receive.

This is Lone Wolf...

Lone Wolf, this is Wolf's Den. Transmit location and status.

- What is it? - It's Rambo, Sir.

We read you, Lone Wolf. What is your position? Over.

I say again: What is your position? Over.

Your friend dies if you do not answer.

This is Trautman. Where are you?

Come in!

Murdock...

He's here.

Rambo, we're glad you're alive.

Where are you? Give us your position, and we'll come to pick you up.

Murdock...

I'm coming to get you!

Duck!

This way.

We safe for now.

- You look like hell, Rambo. - Tough night.

Maybe need this.

- You hurt bad. - It's alright.

Listen...

What you did back there...

...I won't forget it.

Thanks.

What you do now?

Try get across through Thailand?

- Yeah. - Then go America?

You take me with you?

You take me?

Yeah.

I think you make good choice.

- We go? - Let's go.

You alright?

You... not... forget... me.

No.

I want the rescue team ready to go in one hour.

You're risking everything. Do you think one man's worth all that?

Yes, I do.

- I order you to withdraw. - I'll go over your head.

You don't seem to understand that I'm in charge here. You're just a tool.

We're the machine.

He's not to leave the base.

- He never had a chance, did he? - Like you said: He went home.

Get back.

Come on! To the chopper!

Move!

To the chopper!

Move!

You guys made it!

Chopper on your tail!

Hang on!

Hold on!

Fire in the tail!

Lone Wolf calling Wolf's Den. Over.

Lone Wolf calling Wolf's Den. Over.

Wolf's Den, this is Lone wolf, do you read?

We hear you, Lone Wolf. Over.

Prepare for emergency landing. Arriving with American POWs.

You heard. Prepare for landing of POWs!

Glad you made it.

Rambo, I don't make the orders.

I take them, just like you.

I swear to God I didn't know it was supposed to happen like this.

It was just supposed to be another assignment.

Mission...

...accomplished!

You know there are more men out there.

You know where they are.

Find them, or I'll find you!

Where are you going?

I don't know.

You'll get a second Medal of Honor for this.

They should give it to them. They deserve it more.

You can't keep running, John. You're free now.

Come back to us.

Back to what?

My friends died here,

and part of me died here.

The war may have been wrong, but don't hate your country for it.

Hate it?

I'd die for it!

What is it you want?

I want

what they want,

and every other guy who came over here

and spilt his guts and gave everything he had. Once...

For our country to love us

as much as we love it.

That's what I want.

- How will you live, John? - Day by day.