Twenty years after the last film in the series, Vietnam veteran John J. Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) has retreated to northern Thailand where he's running a longboat on the Salween River. On the nearby Thai-Burma (Myanmar) border, the world's longest-running civil war, the Burmese-Karen conflict, rages into its 60th year. Rambo, who lives a solitary life, has long given up fighting, choosing to remain neutral in the war-torn region.

That all changes when a group of human rights missionaries seek out the "American river guide". Sarah (Julie Benz) and Michael Bennett (Paul Schulze) explain to Rambo that the Burmese military has laid landmines along the road, making it too dangerous for overland travel. They ask Rambo to guide them up the Salween River so they can deliver medical supplies and food to the Karen tribe. After initially refusing their request, Rambo eventually relents and helps them reach their destination.

Less than two weeks later, pastor Arthur Marsh (Ken Howard) finds Rambo and tells him the aid workers did not return and the embassies have not helped locate them. He tells Rambo he's mortgaged his home and raised money from his congregation to hire mercenaries to get the missionaries, who are being held captive by the Burmese army. Although the United States military trained him to be a lethal super soldier in Vietnam, decades later Rambo's reluctance for violence and conflict are palpable, his scars faded, yet visible. However, the lone wolf knows what he must do...

Cast:
Sylvester Stallone - John Rambo 
Julie Benz - Sarah Miller 
Matthew Marsden - Schoolboy - Mercenary 
Graham McTavish - Lewis - Mercenary 
Reynaldo Gallegos - Diaz - Mercenary 
Jake La Botz - Reese - Mercenary 
Tim Kang - En-Joo - Mercenary 
Maung Maung Khin - Major Pa Tee Tint 
Paul Schulze - Michael Burnett 
Ken Howard - Reverend Arthur Marsh 

This is the only film in the series that does not feature the character of Rambo's friend and mentor, Colonel Trautman. Richard Crenna, who portrayed Trautman in the previous Rambo films, died of cancer in 2003. This is also the only film in the series to not be musically composed by Jerry Goldsmith, who passed away in 2004 after his long battle with cancer.

Alternate titles:
So far the latest installment of the Rambo franchise has undergone many name changes, and has been known as the following:

John Rambo - mirroring the final installment of the Rocky Franchise, Rocky Balboa, Stallone decided upon using the full name of the action hero.
Rambo IV 
Rambo IV: In the Serpent's Eye 
Rambo IV: Pearl of the Cobra 
Rambo: To Hell and Back - On October 12th, Lionsgate announced that the film title was being changed to Rambo: To Hell and Back. After some negative feedback from the online community, Stallone spoke with AICN's Harry Knowles and is quoted to have said: "Lionsgate jumped the gun on this. I just was thinking that the title John Rambo was derivative of Rocky Balboa and might give people the idea that this is the last Rambo film, and I don't necessarily feel that it will be. He's not an athlete, there's no reason he can't continue onto another adventure. Like John Wayne with The Searchers."

GOOD LINKS TO VISIT:

• Wikipedia Article