Rambo - The Complete Collector's Set (First Blood - Ultimate Edition / Rambo - First Blood Part II - Ultimate Edition / Rambo III - Ultimate Edition / John Rambo - Special Edition)

There is no serrated knife included in this collection, but Rambo: The Complete Collector's Set will satisfy almost everything else a fan needs. Six discs are included, comprising the four feature Rambo films, a digital copy of Rambo (2008), and a disc full of supplemental material. (A number of the extras have been available on previous DVD editions.) Each film has a commentary: directors George P. Cosmatos and Peter MacDonald on Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III respectively, and Sylvester Stallone on First Blood and Rambo. Although mentioned in the packaging, a previously available commentary by First Blood novelist David Morrell is not included. If you've never heard a Stallone commentary, be advised: the man has uncanny recall of scenes and moments, and is not shy about recounting anecdotes (especially when it comes to establishing how he changed the material to his liking or suffered for a scene). Seriously, he's a very entertaining talker. Surprisingly, the collection of featurettes, especially the historical-context stuff, is remarkably ambitious and even-handed; the interviewees include some very trustworthy and respected authorities talking about Vietnam, Afghanistan, and the mythological resonance of the Rambo character. In short, for a movie series of dubious credibility, this is a top-of-the-line effort. --Robert Horton