History Film / RamboIII

** Colonel Zaysen wears something barely resembling "M1969" service tunic for an enlisted men. In real life, by the end of the 1980s he will be wearing tan-colored battledress with a field cap, or a service uniform with open-collared tunic.

* ShownTheirWork: Rather bizarre example, considering how many things are this film got wrong. Second Faux Hind helicopter (marked "45") have "excellent aircraft" marking. This award was given to maitenance crews for meeting exceptional standards in keeping aircraft in working and combat-ready.

* TheWarSequence: Rambo and Trautman face down an entire Soviet army.

** To put things in to perspective, typical position for a colonel would be CO of motorized rifle regiment, comprised out of 2000 men equipped with hundreds of APCs and own tank battalion.

** Soviet invasion is portrayed as a full-blown conquest without a cause, rather than fighting in support of pro-communist regime. Afghan government and its forces not even mentioned.

* HollywoodTactics: Soviet gunships circle on very low altitude right above attacked village, firing from point blank range. In real life helicopters are very vulnerable to machinegun fire, and dozens of Soviet choppers were lost in Afghanistan to automatic rifle and heavy machinegun fire. Correct attack run pattern would include firing rockets from 2km away, cannons from 1.5-1km, and turning off the target at 1km.

* TanksButNoTanks: All of the Soviet armor in the FinalBattle as a result of the production crew being forced to move to the US (most of the movie was shot in Israel). Doubles as PropRecycling.

* CrewOfOne: In the climatic battle, Rambo is able to drive a Soviet tank while at the same time loading and firing the main gun and coaxial machine gun.

* TooDumbToLive: At the end of the film Colonel Zaysen decides to ram Rambo with his Mi-24 helicopter while Rambo is in a Ti-72 tank. Just to make things clear: a fully-loaded Hind Helicopter weighs 9 tons, while a Ti-72 tank weighs ''42 tons''. Helicopters need to be light enough to fly, while tanks are only expected to be heavy enough and tough enough to survive bullets and shells. It ends as exactly as you would expect.

** One of the Mujahadeen is a little boy who follows Rambo on a secret mission despite Rambo’s protests; instead of being an assist, the kid gets wounded by a Soviet bullet and doesn’t even get to do anything badass.
In a darker movie, this kid would’ve been killed.
* In desperation, Colonel Zaysen tries to attack Rambo head on with the Hind chopper after Rambo commandeers a tank. This ends up biting Zaysen in the ass since he can’t aim his missiles properly at Rambo’s tank at close range and, since he’s so close to the ground, Rambo ends up taking him out using the tank’s machine guns and by ramming the helicopter with the tank, obliterating it due to the tank out weighing the Hind.

* ArtisticLicenseMedicine: The famous scene where Rambo cauterizes his gunshot wound with gunpowder would burn more layers of skin and possibly cause organ damage.

%%* ImYourWorstNightmare

* RecycledSoundtrack: Quite a bit of Music/JerryGoldsmith's original score for this film was replaced with music from the second movie.Goldsmith himself wasn't too happy with the recording sessions in Budapest.

%%* TakeMyHand
%%* TankGoodness

* UnwillingSuspension: Realistically portrayed, especially in the third film. Being lifted up by chains on your wrists is painful.

* RecycledSoundtrack: Quite a bit of Music/JerryGoldsmith's original score for this film was replaced with music from the second movie.

* ColonelBadass: we finally get to see Trautman kick some RedsWithRockets ass in this film.

%%* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Fate of the film's [[TheDragon dragon]].

* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Afghans. Truth in television, too.

* RammingAlwaysWorks: Rambo destroys the BigBad in his Hind gunship by ramming it with the main gun of his tank.
* RecycledSoundtrack: Quite a bit of Jerry Goldsmith's original score for this film was replaced with music from the second movie.

* ArtisticLicenseMedicine: the famous scene where Rambo cauterizes his gunshot wound with gunpowder would burn more layers of skin and possibly cause organ damage.

* TooDumbToLive: At the end of the film Colonel Zaysen decides ram Rambo with his Mi-24 helicopter while Rambo is in a Ti-72 tank. Just to make things clear: a fully-loaded Hind Helicopter weighs 9 tons, while a Ti-72 tank weighs ''42 tons''. Helicopters need to be light enough to fly, while tanks are only expected to be heavy enough and tough enough to survive bullets and shells. It ends as exactly as you would expect.

->''Col. Zaysen:''' It is just a matter of time before we achieve a complete victory.\\

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rambo_iii_7989.jpg]]

->'''Col. Zaysen:''' Who are you?\\
'''Rambo:''' Your worst nightmare.

!!This film provides examples of:

* PineappleSurprise: This is how Rambo dispatches [[spoiler:Sergeant Kourov]].

* TheGreatPoliticsMessUp: In this movie, the Afghan mujahideen are portrayed as heroic characters, fighting back against the DirtyCommies trying to invade their land. Nowadays, such characterization is practically unseen in mainstream Western media post 11-S.

* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: the Mujahadeen assistung two American Special Forces soldiers. Terrible irony considering that the film is dedicated to their struggle against the Soviets. However, it should be noted that not all members of the Afghan Mujaihideen joined the Taliban.

* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: the Mujahadeen assistung two American Special Forces soldiers. Terrible irony considering that the film is dedicated to their struggle against the Soviets.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: While the movie claims Afghanistan has never been conquered throughout all of its history to portray its people as {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s, this is not quite the case. While the various peoples of Afghanistan perfectly constitute a badass warrior race, the country ''has'' been conquered, occupied and pacified by several empires including Alexander's, the ancient Persians, the first three Islamic caliphates, the Kwarezmians, the Mongols and succeeding states, the Timurids, the Safavids, the Mughals and several others. Though in fairness, some of these empires may be considered indigenous to the region,

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: While the movie claims Afghanistan has never been conquered throughout all of its history to portray its people as {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s, this is not quite the case. The country has been conquered, occupied and pacified by several empires including Alexander's, the ancient Persians, the first three Islamic caliphates, the Kwarezmians, the Mongols and succeeding states, the Timurids, the Safavids, the Mughals and several others.

->'''Col. Zaysen:''' Who are you?
->'''Rambo:''' Your worst nightmare.

* AcrophobicBird[=/=]RammingAlwaysWorks: Rambo destroys the BigBad in his Hind gunship by ramming it with the main gun of his tank.

---> '''Soviet Commander''': Who do you think he is? God?\\
'''Trautman''': God would have mercy. He won't.

---> '''Rambo''': Are you listening?\\
'''Soviet Commander''': Who are you!?\\
'''Rambo''': Your worst nightmare.

-->''Rambo and Trautman stand alone against an entire Soviet battalion*''\\

* EnemyMine: See TheGreatPoliticsMessUp below.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Fate of the film's [[TheDragon dragon]].
* HumanShield: Used briefly by the film's [[TheDragon dragon]].

-->'''Colonel:''' "Got any ideas?"\\
'''Rambo:''' "Well, surrounding 'em's out."
* LaResistance: The Mujahadeen

* RailingKill

* TakeMyHand
* TankGoodness