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| - RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II by Sylvester Stallone and James Cameron Final Shooting Script FADE IN: OPENING MONTAGE - DAY The film opens with a brief MONTAGE of "First Blood,"culminating in the police station... Rambo is confrontedby Trautman, who tells Rambo his personal war is over. RAMBONothing is over!!! EXT. ROCK QUARRY - DAY A massive explosion that blows dust into the SHOT OF THESUN. PANNING DOWN, we are at a quarry where twenty-fivehardened criminals are slowly revealed by still MOVINGCAMERA. All the well-built men wear the same federalprison clothing. Most wear tattered tank tops with alarge "P" stenciled on the back... Five armed guardswatch over the convicts. We finally PAN ACROSS the rising and falling of picks andshovels, ARRIVING on a wide back with an array of scars.SLOWLY MOVING UP the back, we reveal RAMBO swinging asledge hammer onto an iron wedge sunk into the white rockquarry. Rambo continues to pound away with deft strokes, finallysplitting the rock. He lets his hammer rest at his sideand turns to look up at the nearest guard. He nods. Theguard nods back and Rambo turns and moves to a waterbucket. He waits for a black convict to finish drinking out of aladle that is attached to a large bucket. CLOSEUP - RAMBO drinking and pouring a ladleful over the back of his neck. VOICEJohn Rambo? Rambo looks up at a pair of PRISON GUARDS whose faces andbodies are nearly indistinguishable because of the brightsun that backlights them with a hellish glow. PRISON GUARDFollow me... EXT. ROCK QUARRY - DAY Rambo is led toward the top of the quarry, flanked by thetwo Prison Guards, passing the prisoners working away...Suddenly, TRAUTMAN steps into view, blocking Rambo's path. TRAUTMANHow've you been, Johnny? Rambo nods and stares into Trautman's eyes. The silenceis shattering. TRAUTMAN(continuing, to thePrison Guards)That's all... Thanks. The Guards move off. Rambo continues his stare. Trautman, a littleuncomfortable, continues. TRAUTMAN(continuing)I'm sorry you were sent to such ahellhole. RAMBOSeen worse. TRAUTMANYou have... haven't you... RAMBOYeah. TRAUTMANJohnny... I told you I'd help youwhen I could... you interested? Rambo looks off at the distance, watching the Guards hangaround off to the side. TRAUTMAN(continuing, takenaback)You can't possibly want to stay inprison for another five years? RAMBO... In here I know where I stand. TRAUTMANHear me out first. A covertoperation is being geared up in theFar East. The computer dug out yourname as one of the top three able toaccomplish the mission. RAMBOWhat mission? TRAUTMANRecon for P.O.W.'s in Nam. RAMBOWhy me? TRAUTMANThe prison camp you escaped from in'71 is the target area -- no oneknows that terrain better than you.The risk factor is very high.You'll be temporarily reinstated inthe forces; and if the operation issuccessful, there may be aCongressional pardon... are you in,John? Rambo's eyes turn into Trautman's. He nods hisacceptance. TRAUTMAN(continuing)Good. I'll get the necessaryclearances, and the next time we'llmeet, it'll be in Thailand withSpecial OP's designate who willhonch the operation. All clear? Trautman shakes Rambo's hand and starts to turn away. TRAUTMAN(continuing, pausing)I want you to know I did what Icould to keep you out of here. Rambo nods... He believes him... RAMBOI know. Trautman starts to leave. RAMBO(continuing)Sir... Do we get to win this time? TRAUTMANThis time it's up to you. Trautman studies Rambo's calm expression. Trautman nods, leaving Rambo with a sense of miraculousrebirth. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. BKK (BASE CAMP LOC.) Golden Buddha -- CRANE UP to helicopter as it flies byoverhead. CREDIT SEQUENCE - SUNRISE The SOUND OF A CHOPPER is heard and slowly the chopper'sblades slash INTO VIEW. The chopper first moves acrossthe city of Bangkok, then past the canals... It passesover temples, farmland and oxen. Over rice paddies andascends into the clouds hovering above the vast rainforests. INT. JET RANGER - DAY - SUNRISE Rambo gazes out the window. EXT. THAILAND JUNGLE AND RICE FIELDS - SUNRISE In a rollercoaster movement, the chopper clears themountain top and descending through the morning haze, wesee below a military base once used during the war. Itstill has several buildings standing and hangers line anairstrip. The majority of base is Thai Army with the farend being reserved for American military. EXT. BASE CAMP - DAY Rambo's chopper lands in a fury of dust and he exits. Hishands are cuffed. Behind him is an M.P. Rambo is greetedby a sharp-featured American dressed in half-military,half-civilian. The chopper cuts its engines. ERICSONspeaks with an air of worldly confidence... ERICSONYou can take them off. Rambo studies Ericson with a raking glance. The cuffs areremoved... ERICSONHow ya doing, Rambo, I'm Ericson.We better make it over to thehanger. Rambo follows along. ERICSON(continuing)So you're the chosen one. You don'tremember me do ya? We were in bootcamp together in '63. You wentForces, I went Rangers... haven'tbeen stateside since '72. Plenty ofwork here. They move towards the hanger. Active military personnelhead in a multitude of directions. Many are taken abackby Rambo's strange appearance. ERICSON(continuing)You've made a hell of a rep back inNam. Anyway, I'm glad to be workin'with ya, and... this place may notbe heaven, but at least you're outof prison. RAMBO... Am I? INT. HANGER - DAY A section of the hanger turns out to be a HUMMINGelectronic womb. Rambo and Ericson enter. ERICSONPretty soon we'll all be out of ajob. Somebody oughta blow it tohell and keep fightin' simple. In the subdued light, banks of video monitors glow, andthe status light of upright computer units line one wall.Work stations for tracking, communications, and long-rangecoordination create a claustrophobic jumble of modularequipment racks. Rambo and Ericson walk towards the center of the hanger asa few TECHNICIANS stare at Rambo's unkempt, almost savageappearance from several yards away. TECH #1What's that? TECH #2He's the one going in? TECH #1Going in? He looks like he justcame out. Ericson enters first, followed by Rambo. At the far endof the dark, voluminous hanger is Trautman. Next to himis MARSHALL MURDOCK, a robust thick-set man. Murdock,dressed in his white shirt and half-undone tie, looks likea displaced corporate type. In the corner is anothermercenary named LIFER. Lifer is unnerving in his silentattitude and ever present sunglasses. Murdock sweats profusely in the Thailand heat. He speakswith a relaxed smoothness with whomever he is addressing.Murdock has a makeshift office set up at the rear of thehanger. As they approach Trautman and Murdock: TRAUTMAN(stepping forward)There he is -- 'morning, John. RAMBO... Sir. TRAUTMANThis is Marshall Murdock, he is incharge of special operations fromWashington. Rambo nods and shakes his hand. MURDOCKThank you, Colonel; I've beenlooking forward to meeting you. Sohow was the trip -- no problem? Rambo shakes his head "no." MURDOCK(continuing)None except for this damn heat,right? Never felt anything like it.Anyway, let's get down to business-- Rambo, I glanced through yourfiles and I must say it providedinteresting reading.(he opens a folder)Rambo, John J., born 7/6/47 Bowie,Arizona of Indian-Italian-Germandescent. Joined army 8/6/64.Accepted, Special Forcesspecialization, light weapons,crossed-trained as medic.Helicopter and language qualified --59 confirmed kills -- Ericson eyes Rambo, who remains impassive. MURDOCK(continuing, reading)... two Silver Stars, four Bronze,four Purple Hearts, DistinguishedService Cross, and the Medal ofHonor... You did get around, didn'tyou... incredible. Now you'reprobably aware that there are stillnearly twenty-five hundred Americansmissing in action in Southeast Asia.Most of these boys are presumedkilled. But to the League ofFamilies -- Congress, and to a lotof Americans, it's still a veryemotional issue.(to Ericson)Get me something cold, please. Ericson opens a Coke machine by turning the key that is inthe front of the machine and reaches inside. MURDOCKRambo, you certainly don't know asmuch about me as I do about you, butI was honching with the SecondBattalion, Third Marines at Kom Tumin sixty-six and lost a lot ofgood men, so I know what you andevery Vet feels. Maybe thegovernment didn't care, maybecertain sectors of the public didn'tcare but my committee cares. It mayhave been a bad war, but the menweren't bad. Rambo nods. TRAUTMANSo what his committee needs isconclusive proof that Americans arebeing held. Murdock presents Rambo with a photograph. MURDOCK(overriding)And once done, you can be assuredwe'll get our men back...(rapidly)If there's any of our men left atthe P.O.W. targer camp you'llconfirm their presence by takingphotographs. RAMBOPhotographs? MURDOCKJust photographs. Then you turnthose photos over to me. RAMBO(to Trautman)I'm supposed to leave them? MURDOCK(to Ericson)Not exactly -- the phrase two DeltaForce assault team led by ColonelTrautman will handle the extraction. Murdock steps up and is backlit as he confronts Rambo. Heshakes Rambo's hand. MURDOCK(continuing)Anyway, I want to say that with yourparticipation I feel this missionhas a better than average chance ofsucceeding where others havefailed... I'll meet you both at theoperations center in one hour. Murdock and Ericson exit. Rambo stares at him exiting. The tension is broken byTrautman's voice. TRAUTMANLet's move. EXT. HANGER - DAY Trautman and Rambo pass a tent-like camouflage canopyunder which an all-black Agusta 109 helicopter squatsominously. It has no markings and contents of which arescreened from view. LIFER is attending to the chopper. TRAUTMANFrom Thailand, across Laos, into themountains of Vietnam to the dropzone. You'll be flying a ceiling of250 feet when you bail out, can youhandle it? RAMBOGive it a try -- TRAUTMANThe code name for the insertion andextraction flight team is"Dragonfly"; home base "Wolf Den,"your code name if "Lone Wolf." Sinceyou're going solo, you are going tohave to rely upon more equipmentthan you've ever used before, anduse it -- so what I'm sayin' is,don't try the "blood and guts"routine, let technology do most ofthe work. If you need assistance,call for it. RAMBOLet your fingers do the walking. TRAUTMAN(smiles)... Affirmative. They head out of the canopied area and back toward thehanger. Rambo glances over his shoulder at an ultra-modern supersonic jet painted black. TRAUTMAN(continuing)... There's your ride. INT. HANGER - DAY Rambo and Trautman enter. Rambo looks around curiously atall the electronic equipment. TRAUTMANAll of this is for you. Murdock, Ericson and Lifer approach from the rear of Ramboand Trautman. MURDOCKImpressed? Rambo looks around. MURDOCK(continuing)Besides the monitoring devices yousee here, you'll be issued everyultra-modern piece of equipment toinsure your safety.(gestures at thehumming equipment)Rambo, you can feel totally safebecause today we have the mostadvanced weapons in the worldavailable to us. RAMBOI believe the mind is the bestweapon. MURDOCK... Times change. RAMBOFor some people. ERICSON... Amen. Ericson smiles and continues to walk. Lifer watches Rambowith casual indifference, as if trying to size him up. MURDOCKThis is true -- Don't let meinterrupt, Colonel -- Rambo gazes around as if in another world. TRAUTMANUpon insertion, call in to base campby Transat -- proceed to Point HawkSeptember for rendezvous with groundcontact -- indigenous agent Co Bao. Glances at Rambo who appear oblivious to the Colonel'sinstructions. Murdock speaks to Trautman but does notthink Rambo can overhear him. MURDOCKIs he listening? RAMBO(softly)... Indigenous agent Co Bao. Rambo gives him a cold stare and heads outside. MURDOCKColonel, are you sure he's not stillunbalanced from the war? We can'tafford to have anyone involved whomight crack under pressure in thathell. TRAUTMANPressure? Let me just say thatRambo's the best combat Vet I'veever seen. A pure fighting machinewith only a desire, to win a warsomeone else lost, and if winningmeans he has to die, he'll die. Nofear. No regrets... one morething... what you choose to call"Hell", he calls home. Trautman walks away. Murdock shoots Lifer a meaningfulglance. Ericson notices this. TIGHT ON TURBO JET INTAKE - NIGHT A black maw. The vanes begin to turn. The rising WHINEbecomes a STEADY ROAR. INT. RAMBO'S QUARTERS - NIGHT In the darkened room, Rambo's presence is highlighted byshadows as he intently sharpens his knife. EXTREMECLOSEUP on Rambo's eyes then the blade as it drags acrossthe grinding stone. ON PEREGRINE - WIDER as the blue FIRE ROARS in the exhaust throat. INT. RAMBO'S QUARTERS - NIGHT EXTREME CLOSEUP of what appears to be boots being tied on. EXT. PEREGRINE - NIGHT Under the beams of floodlights a ground crew smoothly butquickly removes a fueling hose. INT. RAMBO'S QUARTERS - NIGHT Rambo is looking down the telescope and sight of anassault rifle. EXT. PEREGRINE - NIGHT The pilots, one being Ericson, go through an equipmentcheck in the cockpit... CLOSEUP OF CONTROL PANEL, LIFER INT. RAMBO'S QUARTERS - TIGHT ON RAMBO'S HANDS - NIGHT as he pushes .45 hollow point slugs into a clip and jamsthe .45 which the CAMERA FOLLOWS PAST his face and INTOhis holster... INT. HANGER TENT - NIGHT Everyone sits at their respective stations -- tensionpenetrates the room. Murdock is flanked by a pair of armycommunications TECHNICIANS. LOUDSPEAKERD-minus 10 minutes. Murdock remains expressionless. INT. RAMBO'S QUARTERS - TIGHT ON KNIFE - NIGHT A CLOSEUP of the knife being picked up and placed in thesheath. INT. JET COCKPIT - NIGHT Ericson is making some final equipment checks on thedashboard. ERICSONThe Prince of Darkness. LIFERWhat? ERICSONThat was his nickname in Nam --'Prince of Darkness'. At night he'dgo out alone and hunt Cong, thencome back at dawn... no questionsasked. Man has style. EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT DOLLYING before Rambo and Trautman. Blue and red taxilights send strobe flashes of color across their faces asthey approach the aircraft. He is burdened by what seemsto be a mountain of high-tech military communicationsequipment. TRAUTMANThirty-six hours to get the hell inand out, so don't stop to smell theroses, okay? If there is anytrouble, try like hell to get to theHawk September extraction sightmarked on your map. Rambo nods "yes". ERICSON(yells above theroar)Ready to roll, Colonel. TRAUTMANGood luck, son. RAMBO(low, but hard)Remember when Murdock said he waswith Second Battalion, Third Marinesat Kom Tum in '66... Trautman nods. RAMBO(continuing)The Second Battalion was at KudSank. Trautman lets that sink in then pats Rambo's shoulder. Arelaxed Lifer helps Rambo aboard. LIFERAll set? RAMBOYeah. LIFERLet's go. Ericson gives Rambo a "thumbs up" gesture... Rambo returnsthe gesture. EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT The aircraft hurtles down the runway, gathering speed.The nose picks up. It clears the end of the runway andthen the treeline by a few feet. EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT Trautman watches the jet start its takeoff and slowlyascend into the night. Murdock steps INTO FRAME next to him. TRAUTMANThink he'll find someone? MURDOCKP.O.W.'s... doubtful... but there'speople to satisfy. Questions thathave to be answered. TRAUTMANYou don't sound too emotional aboutit. MURDOCKIt wasn't my war, Colonel. I'm justhere to clean up the mess. Murdock looks up at the sky and reports as Trautmancontinues to watch the plane disappear into the night. EXT. PEREGRINE - NIGHT A sleek silhouette above the moonlit forest, the jetflashes across the rolling terrain just above thetreetops. INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT Ericson uses HUD (Heads Up Display) that reflects theinstruments off the front windshield. This device permitsa pilot to fly without ever having to look down at hisinstruments. INT. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT Rambo checks his equipment, preparing for the jump. INT. HANGER - NIGHT Murdock and Trautman are hunched at the main console. TECHNICIANAWACS two-five has acquired. Theyare holding time line... AffirmativeWolf Den... Over. INT. HANGER - NIGHT Trautman watches the glowing dot representing the jetcrawling almost imperceptibly across a computer generatedgrid map of Central Laos. It is reflected in his eyes. EXT. PEREGRINE - MOVING WITH IT - DAWN as it slices through a twisting canyon like a knife. Asit slithers between mountainous flanks -- still movingincredibly close to the earth's contour. INT. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT - DAWN Rambo methodically checks his burdensome pack and harness,seemingly oblivious to the insanity outside. ERICSON (V.O.)(filtered)Back in the Badlands, my man. Even the impassive Rambo is affected as he realizes he isback "in country." Lifer holds on to the side of theplane's interior as he moves to his position at the exitdoor. LIFER... Party time. ERICSON (V.O.)Stand by your position -- insertion,minus fifteen seconds. Rambo unbuckles and half-crawls to the open door. EXT. PEREGRINE (GROUND TO AIR) - DAWN INT. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT The ready light changes from red to yellow. Rambo hooksup his static line. ERICSON (V.O.)Five seconds, four, three, two.Jumper away. Read light turns to green. Rambo is gone. EXT. PEREGRINE - DAWN Rambo's static line suddenly gets hung up. His equipmentis tangled and Rambo is being dragged through the sky. INT. COCKPIT - DAWN An ALARM SOUND and Ericson nearly jumps up. ERICSON(into mike to Lifer)Shit! What's happening? INT. HANGER - DAWN All present hear the transmission from Ericson. EXT. PEREGRINE - DAWN Rambo's helmet is torn off by the incredible windvelocity. Rambo can no longer breath. INT. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT - DAWN Lifer tries to free Rambo's entanglement from the insidebut cannot. LIFERHe's hung up! ERICSONHe'll be torn apart!! INT. HANGER - DAWN Murdock has the headset on. TRAUTMANWhat's happening?! INT. JET ERICSON(filled with panic)Condition Red! He's hung up!? INT. HANGER MURDOCKWhat do you mean "hung up"?! ERICSONHe's being dragged! Lifer cut himloose. LIFERCan't reach him! -- pull out before weget killed!! EXT. PEREGRINE - DAWN Rambo manages to grasp his knife and with his other handpulls a strap away from his body and cuts it... a pack ofequipment blows away... Along with it, his rifle... INT. COCKPIT - DAWN POV of mountains approaching. INT. COCKPIT - DAWN Ericson eyes the radar screen. MURDOCK (V.O.)Ericson, abort mission! Pull out! ERICSONIt'll kill him to change course! INT. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT - DAWN Lifer looks out, seeing the mountains. LIFERPull out you bastard! Climb! EXT. PEREGRINE - POV - DAWN The mountain range is dead ahead on a collision course. EXT. JET - RAMBO - DAWN Rambo cuts the second strap and more equipment disappears. Rambo strains to wedge his body forward and in a finaleffort breaks free of the jet. EXT. JET - RAMBO Rambo falling away from the plane. INT. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT - DAWN Lifer is being ravaged by the DEAFENING ROAR and the windforce, and shields his eyes as he watches Rambo breakfree. LIFERHe's out! EXT. PEREGRINE - DAWN The jet veers skyward. INT. COCKPIT - DAWN ERICSON(to himself)... Out where? EXT. SKY Rambo falls. His chute explodes open. EXT. SKY - DAWN CLOSEUP of Rambo as chute opens. RAMBO'S POV of ground approaching. RAMBO approaching the treetops and disappearing through them. RAMBO hits the ground and rolls down slope. RAMBO stops rolling by hitting a massive tree trunk. EXT. JUNGLE - DAWN Foreboding darkness is everywhere. Furtive. Timeless.Rambo is lying on his side, badly shaken. He looks aroundto get some sense of bearing and then begins to gather inhis chute. INT. PEREGRINE - DAWN Ericson and Lifer in cockpit. ERICSONWhat's happened back there? LIFER... Malfunction. Ericson eyes him. INT. HANGER - DAY The chief TELECOM TECH turns to Murdock. TECHNICIANNothing's coming in from Rambo. TRAUTMANDragonfly, this is Wolf Den, over.Dragonfly, do you read? ERICSON (V.O.)This is Dragonfly One, over. INT. PEREGRINE - DAY Ericson and Lifer head homeward. TRAUTMAN (V.O.)Any visual bearings? ERICSON... Negative. INT. HANGER - DAY Trautman looks at Murdock. ERICSON (V.O.)We didn't see anything. EXT. RAIN FOREST - CLEARING - DAY Rambo squats, studying his waterproof map. He checks hiscompass in the knife's handle. After a quick look around,he gets to his feet, and slips into the jungle. EXT. RAIN FOREST - DAY Rambo moving through the jungle. INT. HANGER - DAY Trautman stands with Murdock. MURDOCKMaybe the smart thing to do is abortthe mission now before there's anymore complications. I mean whocould've survived something likethat? TRAUTMANHe's got to be given the benefit ofthe doubt. He has 36 hours to carryout the mission and reach theextraction site, we owe him that. MURDOCK... Of course we do -- butunderstand in 36 hours we pull out. EXT. RAIN FOREST - DAY - LATER Rambo heads quickly up a steep trail over the ridgelineabove. FOLLOWING RAMBO - HAND-HELD - DAY as he moves along a narrow game trail. Shapes loom out ofthe mist, revealed as harmless trunks of vines only at thelast second. EXT. JUNGLE - DAY Rambo is half running along, then pauses... He hearsMOVEMENT and freezes. In one deadly movement he whips theknife around and a SLICING SOUND is heard... Turningaround he sees the suspended body of a decapitatedwrithing snake hanging from a branch... He replaces hisknife and moves on. EXT. HILLSIDE - DAY Running to the top of the rise, the trail opens out onto aplateau-like cleared area. Rambo pauses to catch his breath. Ahead, wreathed in vines, looms from the mist, the ruinsof a Wat. WIDER as Rambo walks into the atrium of a ruined "Wat," orBuddhist temple. EXT. RUINS OF WAT - DAY Serene despite the ravages of centuries, two stone Buddhassit flanking the stairs to the ruined temple. Trees andvines all but obscure the cracked and tumbled forms ofornately carved walls. The central courtyard is open to the sky. Spire-likestructures are dimly visible in the fog beyond. Moving in the shadows, Rambo walks through the ruinsnoiselessly. Rambo senses movement and lunging to theside draws his pistol and goes into a combat ready stance.The figure in the undergrowth takes shifts position.Rambo takes up a new position. What appears to be a Vietsoldier shifts position again; likewise Rambo. EXT. WAT - DAY Rambo moves with surprising grace through theundergrowth... His quarry also moves with amazingswiftness... This chess game goes on for several moremoves. EXT. WAT - CLOSEUP - STRANGER - DAY We are not able to distinguish any recognizable features.One thing for certain; this person is carrying an AK-47rifle... The stranger turns and brings the rifle into view. Rambo's knife slashes into view... He jerks the soldier'shead back, preparing to cut his throat... The stranger'shat falls off and long hair tumbles out. CO(Viet/subtitled)Don't kill me! Rambo freezes and beholds a diminutive Vietnamese WOMAN ofabout 28. She is absolutely beautiful, wide wide,expressive eyes and a strong but sensuous mouth which isnow parted in frozen fear. CO(continuing, Vietsubtitled)Let me go, please! RAMBO(Viet/subtitled)Who are you? CO(Viet/subtitled)Co Bao -- Are you the one they send?Rambo? Rambo nods. CO(continuing)I was hiding -- you did not come ontime. I thought you one ofmercenaries still here. You did notexpect a woman, no?(in broken English)Better speak English, yes? Rambo nods... Co rises and stands before Rambo, almost ahead shorter than him. Her lithe figure is not entirelyconcealed by her loose black "pajamas." RAMBOWe better get moving. COYes, we go to river...(they start off)Why you so late? RAMBO(dryly)... Got hung up. EXT. RIVER TRAIL - DAY With Co leading the way through a maze of aimless gametrails, she and Rambo make their way parallel to a modestriver, the Ca. COI have arranged transportation downriver -- old routes not safe. Rambo studies her face. Then they move off. EXT. RIVER - MARSHY INLET - DAY Crudely fashioned hut of corrugated sheet metal and bamboowalls among the naked tree roots in a brackish inlet offthe main river. Out on the edge overhanging the river aretwo men, drunk and loudly speaking. Possibly two of themost misbegotten specimens ever seen. Modern day pirates. They suspiciously eye Co and Rambo as they approach fromalong the riverbank. Exchange a few quick syllables, andCo turns, motioning Rambo forward into the hut. COSalt of the earth, yes? RAMBOPirates? COBest way down river -- not get armysuspicious. INT. PIRATE HUT - DAY The sunlight filters into the dusty, dark hut, which isnothing more than a den of eight incredibly vicious-looking thieves... most of them drink and smoke... twoworn-out river whores are present. Every conceivable space is crammed with scavenged orlooted detritus: ammo cases, hubcaps, radios, a TV with noback, several guns, and a shotgun is seen among the junk.Some of the pirates are smoking opium. Wearing all manner of jewelry, including four wristwatchesand a pair of filthy Western-style jeans a size too large,CAPTAIN TRONG KINH grins and motions them in. The grin reveals bare gums where his upper front teethwould be. KINH(Viet/subtitled)Wa-ky number one. You come numberone sampan. CO(Viet/subtitled)Thank you, Captain, for yourhospitality. KINH(Viet/subtitled)This is the man who wants to go downriver.(laughs)You speak Viet? Rambo pretends like he is ignorant. COHe does not understand. KINH(Viet/subtitled)You have money? COHalf now... half later. Co hands over a wad of American money... Kinh smiles butis not happy about the financial arrangements and barkssome commands to the lounging pirates. KINH(Viet/subtitled)We leave now. It's safer --(he offers Co a drinkfrom the bottle)... Want a drink? Good for you. He smiles, and starts out the door. EXT. SAMPAN CABIN - DAY Rambo, Co and two of Kinh's cronies sit in the diminterior. KINHYou stay here -- you want a drink? He offers the bottle again... Co shakes her head no. RAMBOWhat about patrol boats? Co looks at Kinh who smiles and opens a greasy woodenlocker and takes out Russian-made R.P.G. rocketlaunchers... INT. SAMPAN - KINH - DAY Kinh returns the weapon to the locker and smiles at Co. KINHWe will have no problems. He laughs and exits. INT. SAMPAN - RAMBO - DAY Rambo faces Co. COYou want to rest? They speak English which has the pirates staringcuriously. Rambo shakes his head "no." CO(continuing)That settles that -- we eat, yes? Co pulls a food tube off her shoulder, she unrolls therubber tree leaves and exposes some rice. Rambo takes therice on the side of his knife. CO(continuing)You're welcome. RAMBO(reddens)... Want it back? CONo, you eat -- How you get intothis? RAMBOLong story. COLong ride. Rambo shakes his head "no." RAMBOHow about you? COMy father work for intelligenceagency -- He killed, and I take hisplace -- Too much death here. Deatheverywhere... I just want to live,Rambo. What you want? Rambo shrugs. RAMBO... To win, to survive. CO... To survive. Rambo nods. CO(continuing)Not so easy to survive here -- Stillwar here. RAMBO... To survive war, you have tobecome war. COThat why they pick you because youlike to fight? Rambo shakes his head "no." RAMBO... I'm expendable. COEx-pend-a-ble? RAMBOKnow what it means? CODon't tell me... It mean if youinvited to party and you do not showup, it does not matter? Yes? Rambo studies her face and slowly nods. Rambo looks atthe medallion around her neck. CO(continuing)It bring me good luck -- What bringyou good luck? Rambo slowly reaches down and wraps his fingers around thebutt of his knife then glances over at the loungingpirates... Co gathers his meaning. EXT. CA RIVER - DUSK The water is coppery, silhouetting the sampan as it glidesdown the river. INT. HANGER - MURDOCK'S OFFICE SECTION - DAY Murdock sits behind his desk. Lifer sits in the cornernearby drinking a soda... Trautman enters... Murdock looksup. Ericson is present. TRAUTMANAny further reports? MURDOCKNone so far. TRAUTMANI want to go out with the extractionteam at dawn. MURDOCKDenied. TRAUTMANDenied? MURDOCKIt's too dangerous. ERICSONHe deserves a chance. Lifer eyes Ericson and exhales out his cigarette smoke. MURDOCKColonel, we're a team here. It'severyone's worry -- I just think allthings considered it's anunnecessary risk. TRAUTMANWe have a schedule to keep. MURDOCKWith who? We don't even know ifRambo's alive. LIFERThe odds are against it. TRAUTMANLook, you said we go through asplanned. MURDOCKBut, if you want to go through withit, we will!(to Ericson)The Colonel will be joining theextraction team... You're a goodman, Trautman. Trautman gives him a curious look and exits. EXT. SAMPAN RIVER - DUSK The Sampan glides toward the shore. The pirates preparefor landing. EXT. SAMPAN RIVERSHORE - DUSK Rambo and Co appear on deck, ready to disembark. Theyjump off the boat, landing in water about knee deep andhead toward the jungle. CO(to Kinh)You wait here... We come back, thenpay rest... EXT. FOREST - DUSK Rambo and Co move through the forest... DISSOLVE to adifferent elevation and ANGLE as they continue to travel. EXT. SWAMP - NIGHT EXT. PRISON CAMP - NIGHT As they reach a clearing rise, CAMERA BOOMS UP over theshoulder of the embankment to reveal an extraordinarycompound beyond... dark, except for the moonlight. EXT. PRISON CAMP - RAMBO'S POV - NIGHT Rambo and Co watch from concealment in the foliage. EXT. PRISON CAMP - RAMBO'S POV - NIGHT Looking between leaves, scanning the prison camp. Two guard towers are uniquely built into trees that growdiagonally at opposite corners of the compound. There isa maze of rolled barbed wire on wooden posts enclosing thearea and a main gate with a sentry box, that is built intothe hollow of a tree. Three wooden barracks form a U, around the large butconcealed opening in the side of a rock formation. Allthis can be near a riverbank or swamp. The camp istotally original in its oppressive design, and contrary tothe way most prison camps are depicted in bright openareas. This one is dark and recessed into the hellishterrain. CO (O.S.)... Looks empty. EXT. PRISON CAMP - RAMBO AND CO - NIGHT COWe should move closer. She starts to move and almost steps on a booby trap butRambo places a hand on her shoulder to stop her. EXT. PRISON CAMP - MAIN GATE - NIGHT A young woman on a Lambretta scooter pulls up to the entryshack. EXT. PRISON CAMP RAMBO AND CO - NIGHT They listen to the conversation (in Vietnamese). Co says: COCyclo-girl whore from village.Business slow there.(listens more)She makes him good deal... very gooddeal. EXT. PRISON CAMP - MAIN GATE - NIGHT The guard opens the gate and the girl goes inside. EXT. PRISON CAMP - RAMBO AND CO - NIGHT Now Rambo picks up his cylindrical pouch and opens it. Hepulls out a collapsible bow. COWhat is it? RAMBOA bow -- no sound. COThat all you have? CUT TO: EXT. PRISON CAMP - GUARD TOWER - NIGHT The tower guard now converses with another guard passingbeneath the tower. EXT. PRISON CAMP - EXTREME CLOSEUP - RAMBO - NIGHT Rambo has completed assembling the bow. EXT. PRISON CAMP - RAMBO AND CO - NIGHT Rambo screws on a vicious-looking razor-sharp arrow-head. COYou not going in there? -- But Ithought you were supposed only totake pictures. Rambo rises. CO(continuing)What about orders? RAMBOOut here orders stop and peoplestart. CUT TO: EXT. PRISON CAMP - RAMBO - NIGHT DOLLYING with Rambo at ground level as he crawls to thewire. And leveraging his knife against the edge of thepost and rusting barbed wire, slices through the metal. EXT. PRISON CAMP - CO - NIGHT MOVING with Co as she belly crawls to the edge of thecleared area, just a few yards from the wire. She isright under the guard tower, hidden among the ferns. EXT. PRISON CAMP - GUARD TOWER - NIGHT The guard sits in a bored fashion and stares at nothing inparticular. EXT. P.O.W. BARRACKS - NIGHT Rambo crawls to door of P.O.W. barracks, looks, opens doorand looks into empty room. RAMBO'S POV OF EMPTY P.O.W. BARRACKS all grown with vegetation. EXT. PRISON CAMP - NIGHT He reaches the guard building. Hugs it. Carrying onlythe bow and a quiver of arrows he moves like a snake.Rambo raises one eye slowly over a window ledge. Insideseveral guards sleep soundly under mosquito netting.Their rifles are stacked against the far wall. EXT. UNDER GUARD BARRACKS #2 - NIGHT MUSIC is heard. MOVING with Rambo as he moves along theshadows. He freezes as a light is snapped on. It streams downthrough cracks between the slats. Moving very slowly,Rambo squints through a gap. EXT. UNDER GUARD BARRACKS #2 - RAMBO'S POV - SGT. TAY -NIGHT TAY picks up a warm bottle of beer and opens it. The foamnow runs onto the floor. The cyclo girl sits in the b.g.He pushes her toward a cot and barks something inVietnamese. The light snaps off. Rambo moves on. EXT. REAR VINH'S QUARTERS - NIGHT as Rambo crawls under a hammock stretched between thebarrack and rock with someone sleeping in the hammock. EXT. PRISONERS' CAVE - NIGHT Rambo moves to the cave-like entrance and moves severalfeet into the recess of the cave. INT. PRISONERS' CAVE - NIGHT Once inside he removes a thin flashlight and directs itsthin red beam toward the SOUND OF LABORED BREATHING. Hesees a large bamboo cell built into the moldy wet cave.He moves closer and sees -- INT. PRISONERS' CAVE - NIGHT Five American P.O.W.'s are seen through the bars. Theyare gaunt, scabrous. Dressed in ragged peasant clothestoo small for them. One man, bathed in sweat, moans and tosses with malarialfever. Another is wrapped so tightly in a fetal positionhis face is between his knees. They sleep on mattresses of rubber leaves... Rats moveamong them. INT. PRISONER CAVE - NIGHT Rambo hears GROANING SOUNDS coming from the darknessoutside the cave, he moves toward it. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - CROSS - NIGHT Outside of the cave and nestled near a pigsty, is aPRISONER suspended from a bamboo cross. He is ghostlywhite; a living skeleton... His wrists are clamped in awooden stock. Blood runs down from abraded sores. Heopens his eyes when Rambo touches his broomstick neck,feeling for a pulse. His lips are parched and there is a horrible bruise aroundone eye. Rambo moves to him. RAMBOCome to get you out -- The Prisoner manages to raise his hand, opens his eyes alittle more. PRISONER... You American? Rambo quickly cuts the lashings on the bamboo cross. RAMBODon't talk -- don't move. Rambo hoists his gaunt frame over his shoulder and headsoff in a crouching run. BANKSThere are others -- RAMBO... We'll come back. EXT. BRIDGE - LOW ANGLE GUARD #1 We pan up to him reacting to a noise. He turns on hissearch light and pans it slowly across the camp. EXT. BRIDGE - HIGH ANGLE OVER SHOULDER GUARD #1 - NIGHT The search light pans the camp and stops as... EXT. CLOSE TWO-SHOT RAMBO & BANKS NEAR RIVER - NIGHT The beam of light fully illuminates them. C.U. GUARD #1 Reacts to a laser dot that pin points his chest. C.U. RAMBO As he fires arrow. CLOSE GUARD #1 The arrow hits him and he falls from the bridge. Thelight points straight down illuminating his body. EXT. RIVER P.O.W. CAMP - NIGHT Rambo and Banks wade into the river. EXT. HUT NEAR RIVER - NIGHT Guard #2 comes from a small hut toward the river. EXT. RIVER - RAMBO & BANKS - NIGHT Rambo reacts and throws his knife. EXT. RIVER - GUARD #2 - NIGHT Dies quickly, silently. CLOSE GUARD #3 He senses movement and swings his light around (he has notturned it on yet.) EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - RAMBO - NIGHT He's moving fairly quick with the P.O.W. The sickly manstarts to emit a wracking cough. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - GUARD TREE TOWER - NIGHT The numbed guard is alerted and in a listless manner turnson his light and flashes it in Rambo's direction. As thelight slowly swings around, it fully illuminates Rambo. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - RAMBO - NIGHT A shocking vision of Rambo, bow fully extended aimeddirectly at the guard's heart... RACK FOCUS FROM thejagged arrow point TO Rambo's eyes. The arrow is fired. EXT. GUARD TREE TOWER - NIGHT The guard slumps forward with an arrow through his chest.He falls on the light that now shines skyward. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - NIGHT Co watches with growing apprehension as she sees theguard's light angled oddly downward. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - PATROL GUARD - NIGHT The patrol guard spies the oddly angled light and yellssomething to the guard. He flips on his light and aims itat Tower #1 and sees that his comrade is dead. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - NIGHT Rambo is hiding against Tay's Barrack with Banks when allof a sudden the light comes on in the Barrack the spillilluminates him. Rambo ducks. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - NIGHT Patrol guard reacts to Rambo's movements and notices Ramboagainst the barrack. He's about to yell as Rambo killshim with his throwing knife. Rambo lunges on thestaggering guard and pulls him from view. EXT. TAY'S QUARTERS - OVER RAMBO - NIGHT Sgt. Tay comes out of his shack and looks. The whorepulls him back. American MUSIC coming from a scratchedRECORD continues. Rambo moves into the shadows. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - NIGHT Rambo carrying Banks, walks by a latrine, the doorsuddenly swings open almost hitting then in the face as aprison guard exits and walks directly toward his barrack,and disappears inside. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - NIGHT Co seems to have lost sight of Rambo. She scans the campto the treeline and back. WHAM! A booted foot smashes down on her arm. She looksup at... A North Vietnamese guard who holds an AK-47 in her face. Co stares nervously at him. There is a HISSING SOUND,then a DULL RIPPING SOUND. Co looks up to see... The guard is paralyzed by the arrow lodged in his neck andpins him to a tree. Rambo and Banks appear from the undergrowth, bow inRambo's hand. RAMBOLet's move. Rambo takes the guard's side arm and places it in hiswaistband. EXT. SWAMP - DAWN Rambo and Co carrying Banks. Rambo sets him down. RAMBOCan you walk? BANKSI think so -- Banks stops and looks at his two rescuers, his eyesdarting back and forth in their hollow sockets. BANKS(continuing)Who are you? COHe is Rambo. I am Co. BANKSBanks -- Lieutenant -- Air Force. CO... We must get to the river...Fast! Banks sits frozen for a moment. BANKS(on the verge oftears)... Thank you... you're a miracle. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - DAWN A stocky Sergeant of the Guard stands over the partiallyconcealed body of the guard Rambo killed. He raises his whistle and sends a SHRILL BLAST across thecamp. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - CROSS - DAWN A guard discovers Banks missing and yells to the rest ofthe guards. EXT. SWAMP - DAWN Rambo carrying Banks through the swamp with Co closebehind them. EXT. HANGER - DAWN Lifer, and the ground crew are removing the camouflagecanopy from the Agusta 109 helicopter. The TURBINES arewarming up with an ascending WHINE. Ericson and Trautman, f.g., turn as TECH runs toward them. TECHYou have clearance. TRAUTMANMinus one hour to extraction. ERICSON(scowling at hiswatch)We're probably just wasting fuel. TRAUTMANLet's get moving! EXT. FOREST - DAY A squad of Viet soldiers are moving rapidly through theforest, looking for signs of the escaping prisoner. Sgt.Tay is supervising the search. EXT. SAMPAN RIVER BANK - DAY Rambo carrying Banks and Co arrive at the sampan prettymuch as they left it. The pirates keep watch. EXT. SAMPAN RIVER BANK - RAMBO - DAY Rambo and Co start to help Banks aboard the junk. Then Coclimbs aboard. Rambo is still in the water. COL.Z. two K's up river. BANKSGood thing you came when you did. COWhy's that. BANKSThey move us around a lot... toharvest crops. Only been there aweek. RAMBO(confused)Only a week? Rambo is alerted by this information. BANKS(nods and catcheshis breath)... Yes. COWhen last time you in camp here? BANKSMaybe a year... Hey, what year isit? CO... 1984... Camp supposed to beempty? Banks is shaken. CO(continuing)Something not good about mission,uh, Rambo? Rambo is starting to put two and two together as he climbsaboard. EXT. RAIN FOREST - DAY At treetop level the all-black helicopter ROARS down aforested valley at 180 mph. EXT. RIVER BANK - DAY The Viet soldiers arrive at the shore and see the sampanin a distance too far to shoot at. EXT. RIVER BANK - TAY - DAY As Tay is talking on the radio, obviously notifyingSuperiors that the prisoner is escaping via the sampan. INT. SAMPAN - DAY Rambo watches through a chink in the sheeting of the cabinas the hostile landscape rolls past... Rambo is alerted by the faint but growing SOUND OF A BOATENGINE. Rambo moves closer to the slats in the side of the sampanand peers out... Straining his eyes because of thedifficult angle he becomes startled when a heavilyequipped gunboat appears from around a bend in theriver... the boat was once property of the U.S. Navy. Before Rambo can turn the two pirates have weapons in hisback, and neck. One pirate jerks Rambo's .45 free andstashes it in his waistband. Co is alert and tries to get to her feet. One of thepirates kicks her down and takes her AK-47. Banks is helddown at gun point. COWhat has happened? RAMBOWe're sold out. EXT. SAMPAN - DAY Kinh waves a black piece of cloth from a stick and theboat draws closer. Kinh yells at another pirate to take the helm as he goesinside. INT. SAMPAN - DAY Kinh appears and his friendly smile is gone. Rambo stillremains frozen with an old high standard auto shotgunlodged against the back of his head. KINHWhore! Kinh slaps Co viciously... CLOSEUP of Rambo slowly movinghis hand imperceptibly toward his back. KINH(continuing)You help this -- American pig! He slaps Rambo, who uses the moment to catch one pirateoff guard and kills him with his knife. Then throws theknife into Pirate #2's heart. INT. SAMPAN - DAY Rambo picks up the auto shotgun and FIRES. EXT. SAMPAN - DAY Kinh seeing this panics and heads out of the cabin. Thensuddenly explodes from the threshold and sprawls like arag doll across the deck. EXT. GUNBOAT - RIVER - DAY The military men become alert and hasten toward thesampan... The Captain yells an order to prepare to shoot. EXT. SAMPAN - DECK - DAY Rambo appears on deck with a vengeance... He blows threemore pirates away with deadly SHOTGUN BLASTS. INT. SAMPAN - DAY Co sees the outline of another pirate rushing toward Ramboand FIRING through the bamboo, blows him clear off theboat. EXT. GUNBOAT - DAY On the gunboat the Captain commands his gunner to fire. EXT. SAMPAN - DAY The SHELL HITS the bow, ten feet from Rambo, destroyingthe front of the boat... RAMBO(to Co)Get to the shore! EXT. SAMPAN - DAY ANOTHER EXPLOSION on deck that nearly finds the mark...The boat is sinking fast. INT. SAMPAN - RAMBO - DAY Rambo enters the cabin... He flips open the locker andpulls out the R.P.G. rocket launcher. INT. SAMPAN - CO - DAY Co is FIRING wildly at the patrol boat that is bearingdown with surprising speed. RAMBO(furiously)Take him and jump! Rambo shoulders the R.P.G. and takes aim. INT. SAMPAN - CO AND BANKS - DAY Co slings her rifle across her shoulder and taking chargeof Banks heads out of the cabin. EXT. SAMPAN - DAY Co jumps into the brown water with Banks. EXT. GUNBOAT - DAY The Captain is about to yell "Fire." INT. SAMPAN - DAY Rambo's finger tightens around the trigger and the WEAPONBELCHES an awesome flame. EXT. GUNBOAT - DAY The shot is perfect and the superstructure on the deckEXPLODES into the sky, killing everyone... but the patrolboat is out of control and is about to ram the sampan. INT. SAMPAN - DAY Seeing this inferno bearing down on them, Rambo sprints atfull run, grabs his knife out of the dead pirate, picks uphis black bow pouch and lunges out of the cabin like ajungle cat. EXT. SAMPAN - RAMBO - DAY Rambo appears on deck and dives into the river as thepatrol boat is barely inches away. EXT. RIVER - DAY The gunboat and the sampan collide with a MIGHTY ROAR, asRambo just breaks the water's surface. EXT. RIVER BANK - VIET SOLDIERS - DAY A group of North Vietnamese soldiers at the river bankhear the explosion of the boats and head off in thatdirection. EXT RIVER - RAMBO - DAY He surfaces and glances back at the burning debris thenfor the whereabouts of Co and Banks. He spies them on theshoreline. EXT. RIVERBANK - DAY Co and Banks still out of breath, move out of anxiety thanexhaustion. Rambo joins them. Banks studies Rambo withawe. CO... Knew you were a good man. Rambo shoulders Banks. RAMBO... Let's move. They start off. EXT. MOVING WITH THE A109 - DAY as it rises and drops with the terrain. INT. A109 - DAY Once again Ericson is flying. He puts the landing skidsthrough the treetops. Trautman sits behind the seats in the main bay. The AIR ROARS in the open door and Lifer, on door gun,dangles his legs in the windstream. The rain forest is adim blur very close below. Lifer racks the bolt on his M-60 and grins. Trautman nodspolitely and looks at his watch. CUT TO: EXT. RAIN FOREST - NEAR RICE PADDIES - DAY Rambo's group heads for the elevated landing zone. The vista is quite stunning as the cold light suffuses therain forest, giving it a haunting quality. Rambo scansthe ridge line with intense concentration. EXT. RICE PADDIES - RAMBO'S POV - DAY Figures of twenty or more Vietnamese soldiers can be seenthreading upward among the trees. EXT. RICE PADDIES - DAY Rambo hands his quiver and bow to Co. RAMBO... I won't be needin' it now...Trade you. She hands over the rifle. RAMBO(continuing)There's explosives in the pouch. CO... It better I stay till end. RAMBOThis is the end. CO... I want to stay... Now we havechance, why don't you take me back? RAMBOWhere? COAmerica... You can do if you want --take me back as wife... You don'thave to live with. Just help me getaway from this. RAMBOI came for P.O.W.'s -- How would itlook if I came back with a wife? COLook like you hell of a man. Rambo shakes his head "no." CO(continuing, softly)What the matter? Not allow to feel-- maybe dead inside already. Don'twe die soon enough. Just thoughtI'd ask. A long look exchanged between Rambo and Co, then Co kisseshis cheek and turns to head off along a diverging trail.She turns. CO(continuing)Rambo... you not expendable. Rambo watches her go and then turns to Banks. RAMBO... Let's go. INT. A109 - DAY Trautman watches over Ericson's shoulder as the HELICOPTERROARS between the walls of the mountain pass. The ship isbuffeted by turbulence, bouncing and dropping violently. ERICSON(turning)Three minutes. The steep slopes fall away and Ericson dives the shipacross the rolling foothills. EXT. RICE PADDIES - DAY Rambo is crouched with Banks beside a large tree. They are taking AUTOMATIC WEAPONS FIRE from the treesnearby. Spurts of earth leap up around them. Rambo fires a short, controlled BURST down at theascending troops. EXT. RICE PADDIES - DAY Sgt. Tay is eyeing Rambo and Banks through binoculars asthey move further up the hill. EXT. RICE PADDIES - TAY'S POV of Rambo and Banks. EXT. RICE PADDIES - DAY NVA regulars set up mortars. Roughly aimed. They FIREwith a characteristic WHUMP. EXT. RICE PADDIES - DAY The Americans duck as a MORTAR ROUND EXPLODES behind them,tearing down trees. EXT. A109 - DAY In the distance Rambo and Banks are seen. They aresurrounded. They move out of the tree line into asparsely vegetated area that runs along the very ridge ofthe towering hill. The chopper opens fire with itsmachine guns and the NVA soldiers back off. INT. A109 - ON TRAUTMAN - DAY as he reacts to below. Ericson is firing the machine gun. TRAUTMANThat's Rambo! -- Christ, he's foundone. Relay the command. Rambo'sfound one of ours! INT. HANGER - DAY Murdock is pacing behind the main console. TELECOM TECHMr. Murdock... I have an AWACSrelay. Dragonfly reports the groundteam has what appears to be anAmerican P.O.W. with them. Murdock's reaction is unexpected. He whips around. MURDOCKWhat did you say? TELECOM TECH(grinning)They've got one of ours. INT. HANGER - TIGHT ON MURDOCK - DAY as a look of calm is replaced by mounting rage. MURDOCK(loudly)This station is now on ConditionBravo. Harrison! Meyers! Goodell!Out... now! The puzzled Techs drop their headsets and leave. MURDOCK(continuing, to Tech)Go to your COMINT priority push.Give me the mike... Dragonfly, thisis Wolf Den Six. This is an Alpha-Kilo-Victor command priority. ERICSON (V.O.)(filtered)Roger, Wolf Den Six... go ahead. MURDOCKI want you to abort the operationimmediately. I say again, abort.This is a recall, confirm, over. INT. A109 - DAY The men have impassive expressions. ERICSONSay again, Wolf Den Six. He presses the helmet-headphone tight to his ear, thenturns to Trautman, cupping his hand over the mike. ERICSON(continuing, toTrautman)I've been ordered to abort beforepickup. TRAUTMANHe must be crazy! Confirm it! ERICSONConfirmation's not necessary. TRAUTMAN(grabs a microphone)... Murdock, for Christ sake, wehave them in sight! Murdock! Doyou read?!! We're going down. LIFERYou're not going anywhere. Lifer holds a rifle in their direction. TRAUTMANWhat the Hell are you doing?! ERICSONCan't do that. TRAUTMANThat's an order! ERICSON(implacable)We're independent contractors. Wetake our orders from who's paying. TRAUTMANGoddamn mercenaries! There's mendown there! Our men! LIFERNot our men, your men! Don't be ahero. Trautman reaches for his holstered .45, a voice stops him. LIFER... Don't. Trautman turns and sees Lifer aiming a rifle not exactlyat him but not away either. EXT. RICE PADDIES - DAY Rambo half-supports Banks with one arm and FIRES his AKwith the other. The rifle is empty and he drops it. MORTAR ROUNDS EXPLODEon all sides. They watch the A109 skimming in low acrossthe tree tops, almost to them... hovers and then... It veers in a tight bank and climbs out. Heads away. The dust swirls around them. A MORTAR SHELL LANDS soclose it knocks them down. EXT. RICE PADDIES - DAY - CLOSEUP - RAMBO as he looks at Ericson. CLOSEUP of Ericson. EXT. RICE PADDIES Framed against the grey sky, Rambo watches as the A109diminishes over his shoulder until it's a black dot. Heis so consumed with rage that his expression goes slack...blank... a murderous disconnection from conscience. Banks looks stunned, lost. He sags to one knee. Rambo just keeps looking in the direction of the A109. EXT. RICE PADDIES - NVA - DAY From both sides the NVA soldiers advance like ants to thetop of the ridge... EXT. RICE PADDIES - RAMBO - DAY Rambo glances down almost disdainful then back at thenearly diminished chopper. EXT. RAIN FOREST - HILL NEARBY - DAY Co, watching from behind foliage, as the NVA's converge onRambo and Banks. Her expression enigmatic. She turns anddisappears into the forest. INT. MURDOCK'S QUARTERS - DAY Murdock is pouring scotch over ice in a glass as the DOORbehind him BANGS OPEN. Trautman is furious. TRAUTMANWhat're you doing? Do you know whatthe hell you've done?!! Murdock stands up quickly, a glass of scotch in his hand. MURDOCKDon't act so innocent, Colonel. Youhad your suspicions, and if yoususpected then, you're sort of anaccessory, aren't you? Trautman smashes the glass from his hand. TRAUTMANDon't ever count me with you andyour scum. It was a lie, wasn't it?Just like the whole damn war, a lie! MURDOCKWhat are you talking about? TRAUTMANThe camp was supposed to be empty.Rambo goes in... a former decoratedVet. He finds no P.O.W.'s. TheCongress buys it, case closed. Ifhe gets caught, no one knows he'salive except you and your computers,and you can reprogram that, can'tyou? MURDOCKWho do you think you're talking to,Trautman? TRAUTMANA stinking bureaucrat trying tocover his ass! MURDOCKNot just mine, Trautman, a nation's!It was your hero's fault. If your"warrior" had done what the hell hewas told, we'd be out of this cleanand simple. All he was supposed todo is to take pictures! TRAUTMANAnd if the pictures showed somethingthey would've been lost, wouldn'tthey?! Murdock is terribly on edge. MURDOCKLook, I don't think you understandwhat this is all about, Trautman! TRAUTMANSame as it always is, money. In'72 we were supposed to pay the"Cong" four and a half billion inwar reparations, we reneged, andthey kept the P.O.W.'s, and nowyou're doing it all over again! MURDOCK(exploding)And what the hell would you suggestwe do if some burnt-out P.O.W. showsup on the six o'clock news -- fightthe war all over again? Have aninvasion! Bomb Hanoi? Do you thinkanybody is going to get on the floorof the United States Senate and askbillions of dollars for a couple offorgotten ghosts! TRAUTMAN(roaring)Men! Men who died for theircountry, you bastard! MURDOCKEnough, I'm going to forget thismeeting ever took place, and I'dadvise you to never make the mistakeof bringing this subject up again. Trautman turns, starts out, then turns back to Murdock. TRAUTMANYou're the one who's making themistake... Murdock pauses. MURDOCKWhat "mistake?" TRAUTMAN(dryly)... Rambo. As soon as Trautman utters the name, we hear SHOUTING inVietnamese and the SOUND OF A BACKHAND ACROSS FLESH. EXT. PRISON CAMP - RAMBO - DAY He's hung above the slime pit. His muddy face grimaces asit is hit by Sgt. Tay. Tay curses him in Vietnamese. EXT. SLIME PIT - SGT. TAY - DAY Powerful and vicious-looking as a rabid ferret. He raisesone fist, and smashes it down, hitting Rambo. There is another SICKENING IMPACT against flesh. INT. PRISONERS' CAVE - CELL - DAY Another WHACK! heard from across the compound. All theP.O.W.'s are there. Two of them, b.g., seem completely autistic. The othersseem to wince, as one, with Banks, as the WHACKS ECHOacross the compound. EXT. PRISON YARD - SLIME PIT - DAY Off to one side of the camp in a gloomy shaded area is thepit that is filled with slime. It is ten feet deep, eightfeet wide. CAPTAIN VINH, a severe-looking tyrant,observes Sgt. Tay standing on a pair of planks near Rambo,who is being slowly submerged in the slime up to his neck. Sgt. Tay looks to Capt. Vinh who nods and Tay backhandsRambo across the face. Rambo spits. Tay has Rambo's special knife tucked in his waistband. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - WIDE SHOT - DAY The GRINDING SOUND of two arriving transport trucks, drawseveryone's attention... Out of the truck climb a troop of15 Russians. Soldiers, members of the elite SovietAirborne Division, dressed in dark fatigues. From truck two 15 Vietnamese soldiers emerge. EXT. CAMP - HUEY - DAY A thunderous WHIPPING SOUND is heard and the camp beginsto fill with spinning dust as an American made "Huey"helicopter descends, landing near the guard towers. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - HUEY - DAY The Viet officers and guards cringe against the rotorblast as the ship settles. The side door slides open. EXT. SLIME PIT - RAMBO - DAY Rambo tries to see through his watering eyes, but isblinded by the blast. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - HUEY - DAY Out step three Russian giants in black fatigues andberets. They are also members of the elite Soviet 3rdAirborne Division. Lastly two Russian officers disembark.They eye the Russian soldiers standing at attention. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - OFFICERS - DAY They glance at Rambo for a split second and motion toCaptain Vinh to remove Rambo. Vinh yells an order at apair of guards who start to pull at a pair of ropes andslowly hoist Rambo from the slimy pit. EXT. SLIME PIT - RAMBO - DAY Rambo is pulled upright and we can see that he is bound toa pole in a crucified position... Upon closer inspectionwe see his body is covered with at least twenty hugeblood-gorged leeches. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - OFFICERS - DAY The two Russian officers approach and coldy eye Rambo whois slightly suspended above them... Capt. Vinh and Sgt.Tay stand near the Russians. PODOVSK, the shorter,brighter-looking of the two, pulls Rambo's knife fromTay's waistband and, with a casual air, uses the tip ofthe razor-sharp knife to sever a black leech from the baseof Rambo's neck... He handles the knife like a masterfulsurgeon. PODOVSKThese people are so vulgar in theirmethods. They lack compassion. Iam Lieutenant Podovsk. I do notknow who you are yet -- But I will.(Viet/subtitled)... Inside. INT. PRISON CAVE CELL - DAY Through the bars, Banks and the two other P.O.W.'s cancatch a fleeting glimpse of Rambo being dragged away. Anolder PRISONER speaks up in a weak voice. P.O.W. (OLDER MAN)He's dead now. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY Vinh sends the gawking guards scurrying with stridentyells as he follows the two Russians into the room. TheSoviets stand in front of Rambo. He is bare from thewaist up. Lt. Commander Podovsk has a hard face, sharpfeatures. His bearing is erect, arrogant. He still hasRambo's knife in his hand, which he uses like a painterwhen he speaks. The other, SGT. YUSHIN, is another story. A tall, broadslab of combat muscle. His hair cut short as a scrubbrush. Thick and functional as state sculpture, hisfeatures cannot fill his broad, flat face NordicMongolian-Circassian heritage... He wears a pine treepatch on his shoulder denoting his status as a "plastune"or cossack scout. PODOVSK(in Russian)In the chair. Yushin hauls Rambo into a wooden stool against the wall.In front of him is a radio and a transmitter. Yushin'seyes move over Rambo's wounds. He looks quickly intoRambo's eyes, then moves away from him. Podovsk sits next to him on a small metal desk. The only light is from a single bare bulb. PODOVSK(continuing, in Vietto Vinh)Thank you, Captain Vinh. Leave oneguard please. Vinh exits with Tay and the other three Viets. Yushinprepares torture equipment. Podovsk adjusts his wire-rim glasses and considers Rambo.He turns Rambo's bruised face gently, and examines themarks left by the leeches. Podovsk walks behind him and notices the long crisscrossedscars on Rambo's chest and back. PODOVSK(continuing, paintingwith the knife)I see you are no stranger to pain...(pause)Is it possible you have been amongmy Vietnamese comrades before? Noanswer. I see. Do you wish to tellme your name -- what harm can thatcause? Rambo stares through Podovsk. PODOVSK(continuing)Pride is a poor substitute forintelligence... Well, no matter.What you must understand is that wehave to interrogate you. We willfind out what you were doing. He gestures to his massive assistant. PODOVSK(continuing)To Sergeant Yushin, you are a pieceof meat, a laboratory experiment.To me, you are a comrade similar tomyself just opposed by a matter offate. Rambo eyes the torture equipment in Yushin's hands. PODOVSK(continuing)I know you were trying to facilitatethe release of war criminals held bythis republic. I can appreciatethis -- Rambo just stares. PODOVSK(continuing)But this -- your capture -- thisincident is -- embarrassing. Youmust understand. We must haveexplanation. First I wish for youto radio back to your headquartersand say you found no prisoners, thatyour operation was a failure. Podovsk holds up the microphone. Still no response. PODOVSK(continuing)No? You wish to test your strength-- very good.(to Yushin)Proceed. Podovsk slips the knife into a pan of smoking hot coalthat is situated in clear view of Rambo. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - YUSHIN - DAY Yushin walks forward. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - MAIN GATE - NIGHT The guard in the hollow of the tree, glances up at theSOUND OF AN APPROACHING MOTORBIKE. A young woman, wearingan ao-dai and coolie hat, rides up on a scooter and stopsby the shack. Strapped onto the scooter is the pouchcontaining the bow. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - MAIN GATE - NIGHT OVER the girl's shoulder as she steps up to the guard boxand coos something to the sentry. He grins to see a new face among the whores from thevillage, and one so pretty... EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - MAIN GATE - REVERSE ON GIRL - NIGHT It is Co. She dickers price through the sentry boxwindow. He unlatches the gate. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT An iron bedframe has been brought in and leaned verticallyagainst the wall opposite the door... Charcoal smoke fillsthe room. Rambo has been tied to the frame spread-eagle by length ofwire around his ankles, neck and forearms at the elbows.His body is contorted in agonizing pain as electricitycourses through his flesh. PODOVSKThe name -- No response from Rambo and Yushin twists a large rheostatknob. Rambo convulses with an explosive muscle contraction.Slams against the springs. His veins swell as if toburst. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP COURTYARD - NIGHT The lights of the camp dim, flickering, under the currentload. INT./ EXT. MESS HUT - NIGHT Vinh and Russians are eating together. They react to thecamp lights flicker. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT Rambo slams convulsively against the electric grid formedby the steel bed. His teeth are clenched as if he hastetanus. INT. PRISONERS' CAVE - NIGHT They watch the lights outside come up to normalbrightness. Banks closes his eyes, sharing a ghost of thepain. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT Rambo hangs from his bonds, heaving and shivering. Podovsk turns to him conversationally, as if he were anacquaintance at work. PODOVSKComrade, here is something you mightbe interested in. He draws a folded piece of paper from his pocket. Opensit. PODOVSK(continuing)A transcript of the conversationbetween your helicopter pilot andhis commander we intercepted.(reading)Mmmm. "Dragonfly... Slam Dunk."Colorful names. Here we are -- "Ah,Coach One... we have them in sight."And the reply -- "Abort theoperation immediately. Return tobase camp." He jerks Rambo's head back and he graciously shows Rambothe printout. PODOVSK(continuing)It seems they abandoned you ondirect orders. These are the peopleyou protect with your pain? -- Youmay scream. There is no shame. Podovsk snaps his fingers and Yushin turns the knob. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP COURTYARD - NIGHT Co, moving stealthily out of a barrack... as she moves theCAMERA ANGLES DOWN to reveal the outstretched legs of adead soldier. INT. INTERROGATION CELL - NIGHT Rambo hangs so limply that he might be dead. Podovskmoves in to check as Rambo's head begins to rise. PODOVSKGood... You are strong -- Thestrongest so far -- but you arenearly dead -- for what? Make theradio call... yes? The door opens and Banks is shoved by Sgt. Tay. Aroundhis neck is a then wire that is being twisted by Tay...Yushin takes Banks and flings him brutally against thewall. PODOVSK(continuing)Yushin has a memento for you ofthis occasion. Yushin presses the molten tip against Rambo's cheekleaving a shearing triangular smoking scar... through itall, Rambo remains trance-like, not moving at all. Podovsk motions to Yushin, toward Banks. PODOVSK(continuing, bored)... Put it in his eye. Yushin turns as Tay jerks Banks' head back. PODOVSK(continuing)If your life means nothing, perhapshis does. Yushin takes the knife and begins to slowly direct thepoint into the center of Banks' eye... PODOVSK(continuing)You will talk. INT. INTERROGATION CELL - TIGHT ON RAMBO - NIGHT His eyes seem like diamond drills. There is suchdetermination born of rage in his expression that Podovskstops. Takes a step back. PODOVSK... Yes? The knife moves closer to Banks' pupil... BANKSDon't say nothin'!(to Yushin)Do what you want. The knife moves closer. Podovsk looks at Rambo for ananswer. PODOVSK... Yes? Rambo weakly nods. Podovsk nods to his assistant wholoosens his death grip on Banks who chokes. Yushinreplaces the knife in the hot coals. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - NEAR INTERROGATION CELL - NIGHT Co ducks out of sight as a pair of NVA guards pause in herpath to have a cigarette. They are distracted by thesudden THUNDER and lightning that follows. INT. INTERROGATION CELL - NIGHT Rambo is helped to the table. He seems on the verge ofcollapse... Banks leans against the wall still in theclutches of Yushin. THUNDER shakes the room. PODOVSKOnly fools die for a lost cause. Rambo is roughly pushed onto a stool by an NVA guard.Podovsk motions for Sgt. Tay to leave. PODOVSK(continuing)I trust you know the proper transmitcoordinates, yes? Rambo nods. PODOVSK(continuing)You will state your name -- thatyou've been captured as a spy! Youwill state that the mission was afailure and all missions will fail.Tell them not to attempt suchhostile aggression again. Do youunderstand? BANKSDon't do it! Yushin tightens the wire around Banks' neck. PODOVSKDo it now! Podovsk motions to Yushin who releases Banks andbalefully stares at the agonized American. RAMBO... 220-56 Lone Wolf -- receive. BANKS(softly)Don't -- Banks is viciously slammed to the floor and we CUT onimpact -- He is now unconscious. INT. HANGER - NIGHT The center is still manned by an assortment of militarypersonnel who are starting to dismantle some of the spaceage equipment. Trautman stands in the hanger. He looks like a forlornsoul as he stares blankly into the darkness. Rambo's weak voice transmission manages to break throughthe DIN of the operations center. RAMBO (V.O.)Wolf Den -- This is... Lone Wolf --do you read? Over. Trautman along with nearly everyone present snaps toattention -- RADIO OPERATORLone Wolf! This is Wolf Den.Transmit location and status, over. Murdock is seen rushing in, followed by Ericson. MURDOCKWhat is it?! RADIO OPERATOR... It's Rambo, sir. Murdock looks sharply at Trautman. INT. INTERROGATION CELL - NIGHT Rambo sits at the radio sweating profusely. This appearsto be the hardest mental task for a tight-lipped soldierof his caliber to perform. RADIO (V.O.)We read you, Lone Wolf -- what isyour position -- over. Banks is slumped unconscious against the wall. Yushin pulls Rambo's head back with a vicious snap. RADIO OPERATOR (V.O.)What's your position, over? PODOVSK... Your position will be death ifyou do not answer. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - EXTREME CLOSEUP - NIGHT Yushin lets Rambo's head loose. Beads of sweat drop fromRambo's nose as his hands tighten around the rustedmicrophone. INT. HANGER - NIGHT Trautman snatches the microphone away from the operator. TRAUTMANJohn, this is Trautman -- where thehell are you? INT. INTERROGATION CELL - NIGHT Rambo leans closer to the microphone, but still remainssilent. TRAUTMAN (V.O.)Johnny, come in! Rambo shifts his gaze to Podovsk, then his eyes hardeninto orbs of defiant granite. RAMBO... Murdock. TRAUTMAN (V.O.)He's here! INT. HANGER - NIGHT Murdock moves forward, his body stiff with apprehension --Trautman hands him the microphone. Murdock looks aroundas all eyes are riveted on him. MURDOCKRambo -- This is Murdock -- we'reglad you're alive... where are you?Give us your position and we'll comeand get you, over. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT Rambo leans forward until his lips nearly touch themicrophone. (Lightning and THUNDER effect.) RAMBO(chilling)... Murdock, I'm coming to get you. Rambo strikes Yushin across the face with themicrophone... Podovsk goes for his weapon. Yushin rises and goes for Rambo. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT The floor EXPLODES and we see Co under the floor boardswith gun in hand. She kills the NVA soldier whose rifleis aimed at Rambo. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT Rambo slams the pistol into Yushin's temple and elbowsPodovsk in the jaw. He flings Yushin against the electricbedframe, which jolts the huge Russian. Rambo grabs hisknife and is about to run Podovsk through when the doorslams open. Sgt. Tay and three soldiers enter, his expression agape. Rambo bolts to the window. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP NEAR INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT Rambo jumps through the window -- Co joins him and theyrun through the darkness as the camp comes alive. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP NEAR INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT Sgt. Tay and his three men turn the corner in pursuit. Cocuts two of them down. Sgt. Tay drops back and yells for reinforcements. EXT. P.O.W. COURTYARD - NIGHT A Russian runs up, AK-47 in hand. Before he can fire,Rambo spins into him with a flying kick which pitches himonto his back, an inert heap... Rambo takes the AK-47 andblows one of the spotlights and the guard to bits. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - NIGHT The camp goes nearly black. The second tower swings its light toward Rambo and Co.Rambo OPENS FIRE, shattering the light and causing theguard to dive for his life. With Co close behind him, Rambo runs toward the compoundfence. A running Russian and Co OPEN UP with their assaultRIFLES. Lightning and THUNDER continues simultaneously. The Russian is hit in the leg and dives for cover. Rambo lifts the wire for Co to wriggle under. His handsbleed as the wire cuts deeply into his flesh. Co FIRES atseveral approaching guards as Rambo slips under the wireon his back, holding the wire up with his hands, shreddinghis pants. Rambo and Co make it into the forest, running full out.More AK's OPEN UP behind them. Both tower PK's have beenmanned again. EXT. RAIN FOREST - NIGHT Preceding Rambo at a dead run, as he crashes throughfoliage. The forest is a blur. TRACERS WHIP BY, ruler-straight lines of red light. BARK EXPLODES from tree trunks around them. Leaves areripped into confetti. RAMBOThis way! They angle away from the blind FIRING and spring awayalong the trail, disappearing in a moment. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - NIGHT Podovsk's nose and mouth are bleeding, he strides out ofthe interrogation blockhouse followed by Yushin. He jerksSgt. Tay to his feet by the collar. He points to theforest. PODOVSK(Viet/subtitled)Find! Now! Yushin releases the Viet Sergeant. Tay weakly yellsorders to his men. PODOVSK(continuing, to theRussians)Find and kill him. INT. HANGER - NIGHT Murdock pacing in front of the computers. EXT. RAIN FOREST - NIGHT Rambo and Co at a dead run, zigzag along the dark gametrail. The path steepens and he claws at exposed roots...climbing as much as running. Behind them is the risingSOUND OF HELICOPTER ROTORS. EXT. RAIN FOREST - NIGHT Using hand lights to follow his footprints, Tay's squad ofsix guards jogs into the jungle. Behind them, through thetrees, the Huey rises into the night. The chopper switches on the high intensity searchlights asit THUNDERS overhead. Shafts of light pierce the jungle.Sweeping. Searching. EXT. FOREST - NIGHT Rambo and Co are climbing rapidly, using roots as hand-holds to ascend the steep trail. The WHUMP-WHUMP of the HELICOPTER approaches and the glareof light flickering behind them. Rambo moves into a densely woven thicket. Russians movequietly f.g. EXT. FOREST - NIGHT Rambo and Co run down into a dip and into thick jungle. EXT. FOREST - NIGHT Rambo and Co crash through foliage as a searchlight sweepstoward them. It races over them backlighting them as they dive off thetrail. The searchlight flicks past them. Snaps back. Tay andhis men in b.g. INT./ EXT. HELICOPTER - NIGHT POV of figures running followed by spotlight. EXT. FOREST TRAIL - NIGHT TRACERS rip down through the trees from the helicopter. EXT. FOREST TRAIL - NIGHT Rambo and Co tear through the jungle. They dive over the edge of a muddy ravine, droppingthrough tangled vines. Catching, clawing, dropping. Theyrun on. EXT. FOREST TRAIL - NIGHT The Russians can't target them. EXT. FOREST - RAMBO AND CO - NIGHT They hit a solid trail and sprint, really covering ground.The shaft of light scans back and forth behind them. Thenfarther away. They've lost them. For the moment. EXT. ABOVE JUNGLE CANOPY - NIGHT as the chopper circles, probing with lances of light. CUT TO: EXT. ELEVATED OVERHANGING ROCKS - DAWN Rambo and Co have taken shelter in the protective contoursof the rocks and overgrowth... The helicopter moves off in the opposite direction... Coand Rambo catch their breath. CO(softly)... We safe for now -- you look likehell, Rambo. RAMBOTough night. Rambo stares at her and almost has to smile. She handsover Rambo's bow kit, which was slung over her shoulder. CO(continuing)... maybe need this again. Rambo takes the bow kit and Co looks at his bleedinghands. CO(continuing, movingvery close)You hurt bad... Not so in-vo-nerableafter all. RAMBO... No. COYou rest a while, I watch. RAMBO(shakes his head)... I'll watch. CO... What you do, Rambo? Try to getacross to Thailand? RAMBOYes. COThen America. Rambo nods. CO(continuing)You take me with you, Rambo? I giveyou one more chance. RAMBO... You don't know me. COI know enough -- you take me? Rambo stares at her and nods. CO(continuing)I think you make a good choice. RAMBO... Yeah.(rises)Better move. Co rises and trails behind Rambo. NOISE. She turns and FIRES... And Tay with four soldiershit the deck. EXT. FOREST - DAY Russians and Viets nearby react, then head toward theshots. EXT. FOREST - DAY Sgt. Tay OPENS FIRE with a small machine gun then thesoldiers open up on Co and she is riddled to the ground. RAMBO... No!!! Rambo leaps to her fallen rifle and rolling behind aprotective object, FIRES BACK and blows two of thesoldiers away... Rambo moves to another position. EXT. FOREST - DAY Tay barks something in Viet to a soldier and slipsfearfully away. EXT. FOREST - DAY Rambo flanks the soldier and soldier turns to see smokingdeath racing toward him. He falls dead... Rambo rushes toCo. He cradles her for a moment and his expression transformsinto insane rage. Co rolls her glazed eyes to Rambo. CO... You good man, Rambo... good.Not forget me. Co dies in his arms and Rambo roars with grief. Thehunted man becomes the hunter... Rambo scoops her up anddisappears into the forest. INT. HANGER - DAY Trautman is there, nervously pacing, agitated. Murdocksits solidly behind his desk... Ericson sits on the otherside of the room. MURDOCKDo you really think that you canthreaten me, Colonel? TRAUTMANI want the rescue team ready to goin one hour. MURDOCK(almost amused)You're risking your career, yourreputation and your family'ssecurity -- do you think any oneperson is worth that, Trautman? TRAUTMAN... Yes, I do. MURDOCKI'm giving you a direct order towithdraw from this project. TRAUTMANDo I get the rescue team, or do Ihave to go over your head? MURDOCKColonel, it's time you understandI'm in charge here -- here you're atool, we're the machine --(to Ericson)I want him placed under arrest.He's not to leave the base. TRAUTMANHe never had a chance did he? MURDOCK... Like you said, he went home. EXT. FOREST TRAIL - DAY A small band of Viet soldiers are moving through thejungle searching for Rambo. EXT. FOREST - TIGHT ON RAMBO'S FACE - DAY Starts to rain. Eyes closed, he has smeared the goo thoroughly over hisface. It is a neolithic, feral visage. He has buried Coand pauses on one knee at the gravesite... around his neckhangs her "good luck" medallion. He has cut a strip ofher garment and with great deliberation ties it around hishead. Rambo rises with his bow in his hand and arrowsacross his back... He is the warrior and the war has nowbegun. EXT. FOREST - ON SEVEN RUSSIANS AND A SERGEANT - DAY Moving forward cautiously, they glide through the denserain and thicket. EXT. FOREST - DAY Rambo watches motionless -- and then kills the sergeantand Russian #2 with arrows. EXT. FOREST - DAY Through rain Russians materialize searching for Rambo.Into f.g. comes a Russian, parts bushes with rifle, turnspast hollow tree. An arm comes out and pulls him in. Hestiffens as Rambo's knife kills him. EXT. FOREST - MED. RAMBO - DAY moving in absolute silence nearby. He freezes and raiseshis bow. Thirty meters away are the Russians... An arrowsinks into Russian #3's chest... Russian #4 and #5 sprintaway... To a different position for defense they motion tosplit up and a second arrow burrows into Russian #4'schest and lungs as he moves. He falls dead and Russian #5is frozen, until he sees what appears to be Rambo'sfleeing form and takes chase. EXT. FOREST - VIET GUARDS - DAY wave their AK's, looking for some sign of Rambo. Theyhear SOMETHING CRASHING through the downpour andundergrowth. Movement in dense brush. They OPEN FIRE. The CRASH OF SUSTAINED FIRE is deafening. They BLASTblindly. Their attention is so focused, the DIN SO LOUD, they donot notice a dark figure moving up behind them. Rambo snatches the wayward last guard into a thicket. Aknife slashes, one Viet guard drops dead. Tay shouts repeatedly to cease firing and the othersfinally stop. TAY(Viet/subtitled)We got him! They move away, advancing on their "target". Tay gingerlyparts woven branches, revealing Russian #5 riddled withhundreds of 7.62mm rounds. EXT. FOREST - VIET GUARDS - DAY Tay barks at his men to sweep the area in an arc. Theguards advance, stricken with a growing unease. EXT. FOREST - BLACK HOLE - DAY Rambo traps Russian #6 with a vine around his feet. Heslides down into a black hole and Rambo slits his throat. EXT. FOREST - TWO RUSSIANS - DAY They separate near a mudbank, one going over theembankment... the other near the river's edge. RUSSIAN #8No, this way... where are you? In the incessant rain, Russian #8 moves cautiously to hiscomrade's last position. Ahead, face down in the mud, isthe body of Russian #7. Approaching the body, the frightened Russian looks aroundin full circle. Nothing. He moves by a mudbank. EXT. FOREST - MUDBANK/MUDHOLE - DAY Rambo comes out of the mudhole and breaks Russian #8'sneck. EXT. FOREST - DAY Realizing they are without their flankers, Tay and fourViet Guards call out and move toward their last positions.They stand together at the top of the mudbank, gaping atthe two bodies of Russian #7 and #8. Tay stares around,outraged. He yells to his squad to take up the chase. EXT. FOREST - DAY Rambo bursts out of the dense tangle, dragging streamersof vines, and finds himself in an EXPLOSION OF SQUAWKINGCHICKENS. He is in the muddy door-yard of a rural hutch, part of asmall hamlet, of about a dozen buildings. Pigs scatter,GRUNTING their surprise, as Rambo sprints across the yard.Over a low rail fence. Between the hutches. EXT. HAMLET - DAY Soldiers charge down the slope behind him. EXT. HAMLET - DAY Rambo emerges onto the main "street" at a dead run,tearing a swath through the everyday village activities. The Viet peasants scatter as the fierce American chargesthrough their midst. A giant by their standards to beginwith, Rambo is now a mud-caked nightmare, trailing vinesand brambles... his face a mask of dark streaks topped byencrusted hair... Villagers scream and flee... Rambo dropslow looking frantically for something beneath a hutch...not finding it, he moves quickly to another... noticing alarge can, opens it, and smells its contents. EXT. HAMLET - DAY WIDE FROM BEHIND the soldiers as they pour into thevillage. A figure dashes from the hutch into the field oftall grass, disappearing. EXT. ROAD - EDGE OF GRASS - DAY Two troop trucks are deploying 40 soldiers. Directingoperations is Capt. Vinh. Vinh motions the soldiers impatiently toward where hestands at the edge of the elephant grass, and they wadeinto it. Beyond them the coarse grass becomes animpenetrable wall almost eight feet high. Vinh snorts in disgust and points at some trampled stalks.There is a bright smear of blood, and beyond, another. VINH(Viet/subtitled)You see? Not a demon. A man. Now,we find where he's crawled to die. EXT. TALL GRASS - DAY A line of 20 regulars and three Russians move into thegrass. Only the radio antennas of the squad leaders arevisible above the waving stalks. Yushin's helicopter arcsin from the distant ridgeline, converging. EXT. ELEPHANT GRASS - DAY POV MOVING SLOWLY THROUGH THE GRASS. The point man partsthe stalks ahead. It is a quiet, eerie world, with onlythe SWISH OF THE GRASS and the occasional SOUND-OFF CALLSof the troopers. There is a clear trail of blood smearedon the grass, indicating a serious wound. VARIOUS CLOSEUPS of the regulars as they advance, each manrealizing how utterly isolated he really is, in his ownisland of space in the green sea. It is hot. EXT. GRASS - DAY One of the Russians has his fatigues unbuttoned, sleevesrolled up. Sweat pours off all of them. EXT. GRASS POV - DAY POV FOLLOWING the trail of blood. The grass is partedahead and a small clearing comes INTO VIEW. Slowly movingup on something lying in the grass. Two chickens, theirthroats cut, are lying beside a kerosene can, which isupright with its cap off. A bizarre little shrine. Thereis no sign of Rambo. EXT. GRASS - DAY REVERSE on Capt. Vinh, puzzled, wary. VINHEveryone back!! EXT. GRASS - INSERT RAMBO - DAY INSERT/RAMBO'S HAND striking a match, igniting a wet trailof spilled gas, a WHOOSH. EXT. GRASS - DAY Capt. Vinh looks up, seeing the river of fire snakingtoward him through the waving stalks. He turns, panicked. Crashes into the men behind him. Shrieks at them to move. They trample over each other torun as the trail of fire reaches the can. VOOM! EXT. GRASS - DAY Vinh sees a tremendous fireball erupt ahead. HearsSCREAMING. He freezes in his tracks as the nightmarebegins again. Shrieking, a man runs toward him, on fire,charging past. Vinh shouts futilely into a radio as he'sengulfed in fire. EXT. GRASS - DAY FIRING blindly, several troopers OPEN UP until they areengulfed in the fire. EXT. HAMLET ROAD - DAY From the trucks it is apparent that the grass is burningon its own, in a long line where the "fuse" was laid outand in a widening circle around the explosion site. EXT. EDGE OF GRASS - DAY Black smoke rolls through the grass, and troopers stumbleabout, coughing as the wind carries it toward them. EXT. HILL ABOVE ELEPHANT GRASS - DAY CLOSEUP of Rambo as he drops a small silver explosivecharge into arrow shaft and screws on the razor tip. EXT. HILL ABOVE ELEPHANT GRASS - DAY Rambo draws back his bow to full extension, and from hiselevated position, takes aim at the first troop truck...The arrow buries itself near the truck and EXPLODES...missing the truck. EXT. HILLSIDE - RAMBO - DAY Rambo adjusts the sites on the bow and releases anotherarrow. EXT. HAMLET - DAY This time the arrow finds its mark and the truck EXPLODES. EXT. ELEPHANT GRASS - DAY On the edge of the elephant grass, troopers help eachother flee. Random FIRING is everywhere. The DIN is incredible, thepandemonium absolute. EXT. HILL - RAMBO - DAY Rambo looks down into the field at devastation as flamescurl high into the morning mist... He pauses and almostlooks reflective for a moment... the copter moves closerto Rambo's position. CUT TO: EXT. FOREST - DAY Rambo's sixth sense causes him to glance behind and hespots Sgt. Tay's men approaching... Tay spies Rambo andthey OPEN FIRE. EXT. FOREST - RAMBO - DAY With his bow still in his hand, lunges from view behind atree... He starts to belly crawl into the brush, as Tayand three other soldiers think they have him pinneddown... EXT. FOREST - TAY - DAY He signals and orders the men to flank the tree. They do,but are flanked by Rambo who steps INTO VIEW at a rightangle to their position and CUTS THEM DOWN, but is soonout of ammo. EXT. FOREST - TAY - DAY From his hiding spot Tay observes this and starts towardRambo after FIRING off a couple of shots. EXT. FOREST - RAMBO - DAY He flees and takes cover behind a tree just as the bark isripped off near his head by Tay's AUTO-FIRE... Rambo divesinto the brush and instantly disappears from view. EXT. RAIN FOREST - TAY - DAY With growing apprehension, he moves forward, his bodytense, sensing the kill! He hears Rambo's voice frombehind. RAMBOHere! Tay turns and with his rifle at the ready, faces Rambo onone knee with his bow fully extended. The arrow sinksinto his chest, and Tay FIRES spasmodically. For a splitsecond he grabs the un-extractable shaft and Rambo divesfor cover. Tay's eyes widen with sudden realization, andthe next second his body EXPLODES into fragments. CUT TO: INT. HUEY - DAY Yushin talks into his radio headset. YUSHIN(Russian/subtitled)Drop the napalm! EXT. HUEY - YUSHIN'S POV RAMBO - DAY Through the trees' canopy, Yushin can see Rambo flashingin and out of view. EXT. FOREST - RAMBO - DAY watching as two long metal cylinders detach from thehelicopter and drop, tumbling toward the forest. EXT. FOREST - RAMBO - DAY Rambo recognizes the napalm canisters and sprints evenharder. EXT. RAIN FOREST - DAY Rambo slashes through the trees like a madman. Behind him, the napalm cannisters hit the ground. An enormous FIREBALL blossoms through the jungle, spewingtwenty-meter-long arcs of flame, silhouetting the tinyrunning figure of Rambo. EXT. RAIN FOREST - DAY Just as the firestorm reaches him, he dives at a dead runoff an embankment into a mountain river. EXT. RIVER - RAMBO - DAY Rambo dives in as a sun-bright canopy of fire rushesacross the surface with a MUFFLED ROAR. EXT. RIVER - DAY Surfacing, Rambo, moves at giddy speed over the tortuousstream bed. EXT. RAVINE - WATERFALL - DAY Rambo tumbles clear of the falling water as he drops downthe face of the cataract. He hits the surface of the pool with a tremendous splash. EXT. POOL OF WATER - DAY Boiling with turbulence as he surfaces, gasping. Above, on the escarpment, a fire-storm rages, lighting upthe jungle. EXT. HUEY - TREELINE - DAY as the Huey swoops down past the treeline, scanning thejungle along the riverbank. INT. HUEY - DAY Yushin swoops down toward Rambo who gasps for air. TheMINIGUN BLASTS at him. YUSHIN(Russian/subtitled)Goddamn him!! CUT TO: EXT. RIVER - DAY as Rambo breaks the surface of the water, eyes theapproaching chopper and dives again as the BULLETS startpouring forth from the MINIGUN. EXT. RIVER - DAY as the Huey descends over the treeline. Yushin orders hispilot down for a closer look. The Huey hovers only inches from the water. The waterswirls from the power of the rotor blades. EXT. RIVER - HUEY - DAY as the surface EXPLODES and rising like a spirit fromhell, Rambo springs up from the river and grabs hold ofone of the skids. EXT. HUEY - DAY Yushin's door gunner swings his M-60 around to bear onRambo. But it's too late. Rambo's hand shoots up and pulls him out. INT. HUEY - DAY The pilot feels the weight shift and looks back, seesRambo on the skid. He "pulls pitch" hard. EXT. HUEY - DAY The Huey climbs, arcing radically. EXT. HUEY - DAY Rambo slips. Dangles. EXT. HUEY - DAY He crashes through the upper branches of a tree as theHuey climbs, banking in a tight arc. He manages to heave himself up. INT. HUEY - DAY Yushin spins to see a filthy, blood-encrusted Rambo comingthrough the gun door. Yushin charges as Rambo swingsinside. Yushin draws his revolver but Rambo tackles him and driveshim into the control panel. With his free hand, Yushin grabs Rambo violently by theface digging his fingers into his eyes. Rambo grimaces in agony. He takes the side of his handand drives it into Yushin's throat. He breaks the hold.Rambo elbows him across the jaw. Yushin grabs Rambo and flings him roughly against theopposite side of the chopper. He then kicks Rambo twiceand is about to stomp him when Rambo rolls to his kneesand drives his shoulder into Yushin's crotch and standing,rams the Russian forward. Yushin grabs Rambo's neck andis crushing the life out of him... Rambo manages to dropand twist free and kick Yushin in the face. The pilot sees what is happening. He banks hard, tryingto get Rambo to fall out the open door. Rambo stumbles backward, but manages at the last second tograb the barrel of the M-60 doorgun and is suspended outthe door. Yushin grabs his pistol and aims as Rambo grabs his bootknife with his free hand and flings it into Yushin'schest... The Russian staggers back then forward and raises hispistol at Rambo. At the last second he collapses andfalls forward and past Rambo who manages to pull his knifefrom the Russian's body as he is falling. The pilot struggles to maintain control and looksterrified as Rambo swings up and advances on him. EXT. RIVER - DAY A figure tumbles from the low-flying Huey and splashesinto the estuary. The Huey dips and bucks, then rightsitself and flies off. INT. HANGER - DAY Murdock looks like he hasn't slept in days. Ericson approaches. ERICSONIt's time... MURDOCKYeah. Alert everyone, startpacking, we're pulling out now. Trautman walks in and hears the above. TRAUTMANYou're what? MURDOCKIt's finished, Colonel... Murdock exits. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - DAY The SOUND OF A ROTOR gets louder. A shadow falls upon the ten Viets and four Russians leftto guard the camp. A shape, an outline... in the glare of the sun. Then... EXT. RAMBO'S HUEY - DAY Rambo unleashes the MINIGUN. The left guard towervanishes in a cloud of falling splinters as THUNDER rollsacross the valley. The Huey pivots nimbly. The MINIGUN ROARS again. Anorange lightning bolt vaporizes the right tower. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - GUARD BARRACKS - DAY Three guards in the guards' barracks SHOOT at Rambo...They are destroyed. EXT. PRISONERS' CAVE - DAY Prisoners watch from their cell. INT. RAMBO'S HUEY POV - DAY The guard barracks seems to disintegrate as the MINIGUNsweeps across it... a shock wave of destruction behindwhich only flying kindling remains. He pivots a last time and annihilates the sentry post witha one-second BURST. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP TRUCK - DAY A few soldiers have managed to take cover behind a truckby the main gate. They begin FIRING. EXT. HUEY - LOW ANGLE - DAY A ROARING silhouette in the metallic mist. The MINIGUNSPEAKS. The truck is ripped open like aluminum foil, shrapnelflying. The soldiers cease to exist. It is all over in seconds. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - DAY The Huey settles to earth in the center of the compound. EXT. CAMP - DAY Out of the boiling, blasting dust and smoke, the figure ofRambo suddenly emerges. Death incarnate encrusted with dried mud, dried blood,streaked with rivulets of sweat. Rambo has detached the door gun from its sling and withthe feed belt over his shoulder, carries it like a rifle.He runs forward. EXT. PRISONERS' CAVE - DAY Rambo moves to the prisoner's cage in a battle-readystance... Everywhere around him is smoking destruction. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP TREE - DAY Hidden behind a tree, one Russian OPENS FIRE... Next tothe Russian is a mound of smooth rock. EXT. P.O.W. CAVE - RAMBO - DAY Rambo FIRES at the rock. EXT. P.O.W. CAMP - TREE - DAY The bullets ricochet off and kill the Russian who staggersout and falls face down. EXT. P.O.W. CAVE - DAY Rambo runs to the prisoner's cage. He shoots off the lockand rips open the gate. The five prisoners stare at himin wide-eyed amazement. RAMBOLet's go! EXT. P.O.W. CAMP COURTYARD - DAY The five prisoners are helping one another into the Hueyas Rambo carries a sixth. INT. HUEY - DAY Once aboard, the P.O.W.'s turn and look at their savior,tears clouding some of their eyes. EXT. HUEY - DAY Banks is covering Rambo who is hauling the last of theP.O.W.'s onto the chopper. Banks has an RPG slung overhis shoulder, and an AK in his hand. A wounded Russianopens fire and badly wounds the last P.O.W. EXT. HUEY - DAY Banks levels his AK, killing the Russian and assists thewounded P.O.W. on board, then climbs in himself. EXT. HUEY - CLOSEUP - DAY The TURBINE WHINE INCREASES, and the Huey slowly liftsoff. RAMBO HUEY/RUSSIAN HELICOPTER ATTACK SEQUENCE TO BE FILMEDAS PER STORYBOARDS. INT./ EXT. HUEY - DAY Rambo seems drained of color, flying on nerve. P.O.W.'s look forward as a broad river appears beyond aridgeline less than a kilometer ahead. BANKSThat's Thailand? Rambo nods, eyes riveted straight ahead. BANKS(continuing, to themen)We're home! We're home! INT. HUEY - DAY Rambo picks up the microphone. RAMBOLone Wolf to Wolf Den -- Do youread? INT. HANGER - DAY Trautman and Murdock who have been waiting for furthertransmission suddenly hear Rambo's transmission. TECHWe hear you, Lone Wolf. Come in. INT. HUEY - DAY Rambo talking into the microphone. RAMBOPrepare for emergency landing.Arriving with American P.O.W.'s!Over? INT. HANGER - DAY Everyone freezes as they wait for orders from Murdock...He remains silent -- eyes are shifting. Ericson looks atTrautman who yells... TRAUTMANYou heard. Prepare for arrivingP.O.W.'s. The personnel await Murdock's confirmation -- there isnone forthcoming. They look at Trautman, then suddenlybegin to scatter. EXT. HANGER - DAY Rambo's burning Huey descends toward the landing field.As the techs and other camp personnel stand watching,Murdock raises a pair of powerful field glasses. EXT. HANGER - MURDOCK'S POV - TELEPHOTO - DAY The image of the burning, mortally wounded Huey seems towaver through the long lens. It looks like a death ship,the Flying Dutchman with a crew of corpses and a demon atthe helm, coming in out of the sky. EXT. HANGER - MURDOCK - DAY He slowly lowers the glasses. Face ashen, Murdock heads into the operations hanger. INT. HUEY - DAY The chopper is burning badly and filling with black smoke. EXT. HUEY - DAY The Huey sheers sideways across the staging area. Itsskids clip the top of the wires shearing offcommunications gear. It hits the ground. Bounces and plows forward into theoperations hanger. INT. HANGER - DAY Firefighters with extinguishers envelop the burningchopper in foam. INT. HANGER - HUEY - DAY The P.O.W.'s are pulled from the chopper. INT. HANGER - RAMBO - DAY He slides out of the flight seat and goes out the door.He quickly eyes Trautman then moves off into the hanger. INT. HANGER - DAY DOLLYING with Rambo as he heads past the mountain ofcommunications equipment with relentless determination.The technical personnel fall back, letting him pass...Dust is everywhere. INT. HANGER - TRAUTMAN - DAY He sees Rambo and strides forward to intercept him, thenpauses. INT. HANGER - RAMBO - DAY He shoves the equipment aside that is blocking his path toMurdock, who is seen retreating. Ericson stands in hisway. Rambo, without breaking stride, clubs him with thebutt of his knife. INT. HANGER - DAY Rambo moving, silhouetted, closer to the HUMMINGcommunications area, reeking of jungle, blood and death...Murdock is against the wall... no where to hide. INT. HANGER - DAY Rambo closes in on Murdock, looming. Murdock starts tomove away, Rambo grabs him from behind, spins him down ontop of a crate and raises his knife. RAMBOWe win... you lose! MissionAccomplished! And with all his strength impales it next to Murdock'sterrified face. RAMBO(softly)There's more men still out there,find them, or I'll find you. EXT. HANGER - DAY Rambo steps steadily out into the waning light. He takesa deep, slow breath. Starts to walk and sees Banks in thedistance. BANKS(weakly)... Thanks. Rambo nods back... In the b.g., they are carrying the P.O.W.'s stretchers orpushing them in wheelchairs toward the medical facility. Everyone stares at Rambo with respect. EXT. HANGER - DAY Trautman steps in alongside Rambo. TRAUTMANJohn... Where are you going? RAMBO... I don't know. TRAUTMANYou'll get a second medal of honorfor this. RAMBOYou should give it to them...(indicates P.O.W.'s)They deserve it more. TRAUTMANYou can't keep running. You're freenow... Come back with us. RAMBOBack to what? -- My friends diedhere... part of me died here. TRAUTMANJohn, the war, everything thathappened here may have been wrong,but dammit, John, you can't hateyour country for it. RAMBOHate? -- I'd die for it. TRAUTMANThen, what is it you want? RAMBOWhat do I want? I want what theywant...(indicates P.O.W.'s)And what every other guy who cameover here and spilled his guts andgave everything he had wants... forour country to love us as much as welove it... That's what I want. Andthat's what they wanted.(indicates P.O.W.'s) TRAUTMANHow will you live, John? RAMBODay by day. Rambo walks with his head held high until he fades intothe smoke and distance. FADE OUT. THE END
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