History TearJerker / RamboIV

* The RealLife situation in Burma (at the time) is just as horrible and violent as the film portrays it to be. When the movie was released, the Burmese government banned the film in Burma and tried to encourage countries around them to do the same; see SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome for their response.
* Several years after this film was released, [[HopeSpot political and religious freedoms]] finally seemed to be making headway into Burma. But then in late 2016, it was revealed by humanitarian organizations that the Burmese government had yet again begun committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing against minority groups, [[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38362275 with the Rohingya people being the primary targets this time around.]] And with the 2021 Myanmar coup d'etat, the situation has now, unfortunately, come full circle.

* Due to Richard Crenna passing away in 2003, [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Col. Trautman is confirmed dead in this movie]]. This in itself is a tear-jerking moment alone, but [[FridgeHorror once you think about the events of the last three movies and knowing what happened to Rambo and his men in Vietnam]], it becomes much more saddening considering that John Rambo is now the last of his kind.

* Among other scenes, the ending has to be mentioned. After years of not going back home, Rambo finally headed there after all the hell he went through and "cleansed" the demons in him. Without any corrupt cops stopping him.

* Brian Tyler's musical motif [[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj8_ZBeb-2E "Battle Adagio."]] It would take one with a heart of stone to not get teary-eyed to this theme.

* Due to Richard Crenna passing away in 2003, [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Col. Trautman is confirmed dead in this movie]]. This in itself is a tear-jerking moment alone, but [[FridgeHorror once you think about the events of the last 3 movies and knowing what happened to Rambo and his men in Vietnam]], it becomes much more saddening considering that John Rambo is now the last of his kind.

* Due to Richard Creena passing away in 2003, [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Col. Trautman is confirmed dead in this movie]]. This in itself is a tear-jerking moment alone, but [[FridgeHorror once you think about the events of the last 3 movies and knowing what happened to Rambo and his men in Vietnam]], it becomes much more saddening considering that John Rambo is now the last of his kind.
* The nightmare Rambo has mid-way through the film symbolizes the struggle he's dealt with since the first film. In the nightmare, Rambo recalls the difficult situations he was in during the last 3 movies, and how violence seemed to follow him at every stage of his life no matter how much he tried to run away from it. Right before Rambo wakes up, in his dream, he wakes up as his younger self when he was navigating his way out of the cave in the first film. That's who Rambo really is: on the run, outgunned, back against the wall, desperate to survive at all costs -- the warrior he was back then never went away. No matter how much he wanted it to go away, he just can't turn it off.

* Due to [[AuthorExistenceFailure Richard Creena passing away in 2003]], [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Col. Trautman is confirmed dead in this movie]]. This in itself is a tear-jerking moment alone, but [[FridgeHorror once you think about the events of the last 3 movies and knowing what happened to Rambo and his men in Vietnam]], it becomes much more saddening considering that John Rambo is now the last of his kind.

* The massacre of the Karen Villagers, as well as the bittersweet finale when the titular old warrior looks over the carnage he has caused. The music climaxes when Sarah finally finds Michael, symbolizing that Rambo and the others had done their jobs ("This is what we do. Who we are."). Yet it immediately becomes somber and mournful, with Sarah staring tearfully at Rambo and the others, who all remain silent and stoic. She's crying because she realizes that it's ''her fault'' that they had to go through this. '''They had to risk their lives, kill countless others, and will endure nightmares for the rest of their lives''' (as Rambo does early in the movie). '''Yet, ''they don't even ask for a simple "Thank you"''.''' That in itself is a Tear Jerker.

* Several years after this film was released, [[HopeSpot political and religious freedoms]] finally seemed to be making headway into Burma. But then in late 2016, it was revealed by humanitarian organizations that the Burmese government had yet again begun committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing against minority groups, [[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38362275 with the Rohingya people being the primary targets this time around.]] And with the 2021 Myanmar coup d'etat, the situation has now unfortunately come full circle.
* Brian Tyler's musical motif [[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj8_ZBeb-2E "Battle Adagio."]] It would take one with a heart of stone to not get teary eyed to this theme.

* Due to [[AuthorExistenceFailure Richard Creena passing away in 2003]], [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Col. Trautman is confirmed dead in this movie]]. This in itself is a tear jerking moment alone, but [[FridgeHorror once you think about the events of the last 3 movies and knowing what happened to Rambo and his men on Vietnam]], it becomes much more saddening considering that John Rambo is now the last of his kind.
* The nightmare Rambo has mid-way through the film symbolizes the struggle he's dealt with since the first film. In the nightmare Rambo recalls the difficult situations he was in during the last 3 movies, and how violence seemed to follow him at every stage of his life, no matter how much he tried to run away from it. Right before Rambo wakes up, in his dream he wakes up as his younger self when he was navigating his way out of the cave in the first film. That's who Rambo really is: on the run, outgunned, back against the wall, desperate to survive at all costs -- the warrior he was back then never went away, no matter how much he wanted it to go away, he just can't turn it off.

* Several years after this film was released, [[HopeSpot political and religious freedoms]] finally seemed to be making headway into Burma. But then in late 2016, it was revealed by humanitarian organizations that the Burmese government had yet again begun committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing against minority groups, [[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38362275 with the Rohingya people being the primary targets this time around.]]

* Due to [[AuthorExistenceFailure Richard Creena passing away on 2003]], [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Col. Trautman is confirmed dead in this movie]]. This in itself is a tear jerking moment alone, but [[FridgeHorror once you think about the events of the last 3 movies and knowing what happened to Rambo and his men on Vietnam]], it becomes much more saddening considering that John Rambo is now the last of his kind.

* At a meta level regarding Maung Maung Khin, the actor who played the main antagonist Major Tint. His family was imprisoned by the Burmese government for his role in the film and Khin himself was forced to keep a low profile due to the likelihood of further reprisals.
** As of 21/02/2018, [[https://coconuts.co/yangon/features/rambo-star-rebel-peace-activist-trip-jungle-ko-min-htay/ he's a free man still working as a resistance fighter.]]

* The massacre of the Karen Villagers, as well as the bittersweet finale when the titular old warrior looks over the carnage he has caused. The music climaxes when Sarah finally finds Michael, symbolizing that Rambo and the others had done their jobs ("This is what we do. Who we are."). Yet it immediately becomes somber and mournful, with Sarah staring tearfully at Rambo and the others, who all remain silent and stoic. She's crying because she realizes that it's ''her fault'' that they had to go through this. '''They had to risk their lives, kill countless others, and will endure nightmares for the rest of their lives''' (as Rambo does early in the movie). '''Yet, ''they don't even ask for a simple "Thank you"''.''' That in itself is a Tear Jerker (doubly so because many -- particularly the critics -- just don't get it. This is a movie about soldiers, nothing more and nothing less).

* Due to [[AuthorExistenceFailure Richard Creena passing away on 2003]], [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Col. Trautman is confirmed dead in this movie]]. This in itself is a tear jerking moment alone, but [[FridgeHorror once you think about the events of the last 3 movies and knowing what happened to Rambo and how men on Vietnam]], it becomes much more saddening considering that John Rambo is now the last of his kind.

* The RealLife situation in Burma (at the time) is just as horrible and violent as the film portrays it to be. When the movie was released, the Burmese government banned the film in Burma and tried to encourage countries around them to do the same; see CrowningMomentOfAwesome for their response.

** As of 28/08/2018, [[https://coconuts.co/yangon/features/rambo-star-rebel-peace-activist-trip-jungle-ko-min-htay/ he's a free man still working as a resistance fighter.]]

** Fortunately there's a glimmer of hope, as he played a role in a movie three years later, meaning that Burmese Intelligence hadn't caught him yet.

* The massacre of the Karen Villagers, as well as the bittersweet finale when the titular old warrior looks over the carnage he has caused. The music climaxes when Sarah finally finds Michael, symbolizing that Rambo and the others had done their jobs ("This is what we do. Who we are."). Yet it immediately becomes somber and mournful, with Sarah staring tearfully at Rambo and the others, who all remain silent and stoic. She's crying because she realizes that it's ''her fault'' that they had to go through this. '''They had to risk their lives, kill countless others, and will endure nightmares for the rest of their lives''' (as Rambo does early in the movie). '''Yet, ''they don't even ask for a simple "Thank you"''.''' That in itself is a Tear Jerker (doubly so because many - particularly the critics - just don't get it. This is a movie about soldiers, nothing more and nothing less).

** Several years after this film was released, [[HopeSpot political and religious freedoms]] finally seemed to be making headway into Burma. But then in late 2016, it was revealed by humanitarian organizations that the Burmese government had yet again begun committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing against minority groups, [[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38362275 with the Rohingya people being the primary targets this time around.]]

* At a meta level. Maung Maung Khin, the actor who played the main antagonist Major Tint, his family was imprisoned by the Burmese government for his role in the film and Khin himself was forced to keep a low profile due to the likelihood of further reprisals.

* The massacre of the Karen Villagers, as well as the bittersweet finale when the titular old warrior looks over the carnage he has caused. The music climaxes when Sarah finally finds Michael, symbolizing that Rambo and the others had done their jobs ("This is what we do. Who we are."). Yet it immediately becomes somber and mournful, with Sarah staring tearfully at Rambo and the others, who all remain silent and stoic. She's crying because she realizes that it's ''her fault'' that they had to go through this. '''They had to risk their lives, kill countless others, and will endure nightmares for the rest of their lives''' (as Rambo does early in the movie). '''Yet, ''they don't even ask for a simple "Thank you"''.''' That in itself is a Tear Jerker (doubly so because many - particularly the critics - just don't get it. This is a movie about soldiers, nothing more and nothing less. And the RealLife situation in Burma (at the time) is just as horrible and violent as the film portrays it to be.