Alarming and yet unsurprising news from AICN as the synopsis for newly sci-fi'd sequel Rambo V: The Savage Hunt finds our lone hero with a young 'Robin'-style friend in tow.

The synopsis reads as Predator Meets The Thing, with John Rambo tracking the ghastly and deadly result of a military experiment with DNA across the arctic. Of course the nasty is heading for civilisation, Thing-style, so it's up to Mr. R and his 'hunting partner' Beau Brady to do what the useless old US government can't, as usual.

Stallone is 63, so getting in a side-dish for the younger set to either emulate or desire is belt-and-braces from a marketing point of view, and the set-up of the story permits very little dialogue if John Rambo takes on the mission alone (not that that's ever stopped a Rambo movie before).

The sequel is based on a novel that Stallone purchased an option on some time back. James Byron Higgins' 1999 novel Hunter (thanks to /Film for indicating the link). I've not read the book, but comments over at the Amazon page indicate a 'strong secondary female character' too, and I'm wondering if that character has changed sex? With the cheapest copy £50 at Amazon UK, I think I'll just wait and see.

It's not the first time that a standalone novel has been drafted into service in an action franchise: Walter Wager's 1987 novel 58 Minutes provided the core story for Die Hard 2.

Part of me thinks that what's being done with Rambo V is a bit disrespectful, as well as horrendously cynical; when a franchise is arguably played out on its own terms, it's kind of a shame to see it go the Abbott & Costello Meet route.

On the other hand, I have to admit that Rambo V crosses over from the action genre which half-interests me into the action/SF genre, which interests me a lot; truth be told, I can't wait for this movie...

AICN