8 life lessons we learned from Rambo

After five movies, an animated series and a Bollywood remake, Rambo is cemented in our culture. Sylvester Stallone is now 73. He shows no signs of getting soft.

An on-screen body count of 445 in the first four movies is significant. In the first film, the count is one. In the fourth instalment, it is 254. This is a 25300% increase. Following this trend, the latest movie could feature over 700 stiffs.

Rambo movies are often dismissed as mindless bloodshed. Closer inspection reveals something more profound. These are the lessons learned from John Rambo.

1 Persevere

Face your problems head-on. If an evil general shoots a pistol at you at close range, there is no way around it. Raise your bow slowly. Shoot an exploding arrow at him. Do not blink.

2 Take that leap of faith

Sometimes you must let go of what you have and dive blindly into the woods. It is hard. It is not impossible.

3 Keep your cool

Maintain composure no matter what. If a communist tortures you with electricity, do not show signs of displeasure. The best option is to insult your tormentor in a profane manner. This throws him off balance. Then kill everybody.

4 Sometimes violence IS the answer

You might find yourself at peace and living in harmony with the universe. But when you guide missionaries through the jungle, you should be packing heat. It usually ends in bloodshed.

5 A tool is only as good as the person using it

When you know your craft, you can work miracles with primitive instruments. It is entirely possible to kill an entire platoon of heavily armed soldiers with a hunting knife. Ask any professional.

6 The line between right and wrong is blurred