John Rambo is released from prison by his former superior, Colonel Troutman, for a top-secret covert mission to return to Vietnam and search for American POWs still held captive. Armed with his bow, arrows, and explosive tips, Rambo is back to win this time!

The director was George P. Cosmatos (who would later direct Cobra with Stallone), though rumors persist that Stallone effectively co-directed the film. Cosmatos himself said, “Sylvester was the director; I was just a traffic cop.” Regardless of credits, the result is a visually muscular film with kinetic pacing, shot largely in Mexico and Thailand due to the ongoing tensions with Vietnam.

Upon release, reviews were mixed to negative. Roger Ebert gave the film only 1.5 stars, calling it “a movie that reduces war to a video game.” Vincent Canby of The New York Times derided it as “politically simple-minded.” Critics lamented the loss of the first film’s emotional depth.