I agree this was a good film-- a film that was unapologetic in going after its target audience-- men. Although it was made only ten short years ago, it would be hard to make such a film today:

Tons of practical effects gore (I've joked that if you removed the end credits to this film with the names of all the prosthetics technicians, other F/X technicians, the massive number of stuntmen and other behind-the-scenes crew, the movie would only be sixty minutes long:)), very little CGI, a classic guy-rescues girl storyline where the girl doesn't impossibly kick the butts of scores of men, an almost-exclusively male cast except for some female victims (not knocking the ladies here, but sometimes men just need to see examples of other men going out and doing manly things, like working as a team to accomplish an objective, and, as said before, rescuing the damsel), all topped off by Rambo blowing away a bunch of bad guys with an anti-aircraft gun, and then finally going home to America after (too many) years in the jungle.

There wasn't much of an effort to be politically-correct here. If I were to rank the Rambo movies, Rambo (2008) would be my favorite:

1) Rambo in Burma (2008) 2) Rambo in America (1982) 3) Rambo in Vietnam (1985) 4) Rambo in Afghanistan (1988)

Just finished reading the book First Blood by David Morell and wouldn't mind seeing a film being made that was closer to the source novel... The changes in the character in Stallone's version make Rambo to be a hero, whereas in the book he acknowledges he is killing for the sake of it, at points where he could escape he goes out of his way to double-back and take out the team hunting him. He becomes more deranged, makes it as much a personal war as Teasel does and towards the half way point they both seem retired to the thought that they are both in way too deep and all thoughts of giving in are brushed aside for the sake of personal vendetta. The Rambo in the book is obviously mentally scarred, more so than in the film, considerably younger (Teasel refers to him as the Kid) and by the end very much an animal. Anyway, a different take might be interesting without Stallone's input... Or even Stallone as Teasel...?

Stallone as Teasel? Interesting.

@Gus Gorman said:

Stallone as Teasel? Interesting.

I mean, that was more an afterthought... If it were ever made and they stayed close to the book it would have to be an actor in his mid 40s... Perhaps Stallone as Orval the dog handler, he has a much larger role in the book and a very dominant presence over Teasel...

I wish Stallone would reconsider doing Rambo 5. I agree with the OP...Rambo 4 ended perfectly. Rambo's such an iconic character who has gone through hell...let him have his measure of peace. If Stallone does go through with it, I just hope he doesn't screw it up.

Agreed.