Rambo Last blood is an action movie that has a pretty obvious target demographic, older conservative, men. How do I know this well just read the plot synopsis s
Rambo is not in his twilight years, spending his time raising horses on a ranch as well as a young teenager who was abandoned by her father. This setting almost harkens back to an idea of a simpler time in America where one did not have to worry about technology or the conflict of the cities. It also includes a figurative damsel in destress a young woman who is stereotypically seen as the ideal of purity and innocence. This idea of a simpler time, as well as raising a young innocent, is an ideal that appeals to older generations. There is also a moment early on where Rambo talks about how the music kids listen too is terrible. There is also the perception that young people are ignorant and naive exemplified by how the young girl goes and makes terrible decisions that eventually get her killed (more on that later)
Next is the conservative part. There are plenty of moments that signal that Rambo is targeted to a more traditional, or more bluntly put, xenophobic demographic. Rambo Last Blood portrays Mexico and Hispanics as dangerous, evil, or deadbeats. But some of them are nice. This, of course, means its ok when Rambo brutally murders about 40 of them. The way Mexico is depicted is played right into the stereotypical xenophobic perceptions on what Mexico is like, a dangerous, lawless land filled with criminals and deadbeats. This depiction is, of course, problematic as it promotes harmful stereotypes, but it an also just lazy writing.
Lastly, the film is not an enjoyable watch. The central emotional heart in the story the teenage girl Rambo is raising dies in probably one of the most brutal ways possible. This pretty much sours the rest of the film because now there is no greater good than Rambo is fighting for he pretty much already lost.
So that’s Rambo’s last blood, a pretty xenophobic and dower film.
The Trans-Feminine Gaze 