Blu-ray disc of the week: Son of Rambow review

Is the Son a worthy pretender to the father?

Plot

Set in 1980s England, schoolyard bully Lee (Will Poulter) and sheltered cult-member Will (Bill Milner) strike an unlikely friendship over the film First Blood. Together they set about making their very own action classic: Son of Rambow.

The Review

Brit flicks have developed a knack, of late, for following the young adolescent as they verge off the beaten track on the treacherous road through puberty.

Billy Elliott's flair for the eccentric arose through dance, the little thug in Shane Meadows emerged in This is England, and sexual experimentation was the pre-occupation of My Summer of Love.

Son of Rambow bounces merrily along on this dysfunctional breeze in an enjoyable, typically quaint, often imaginative comedy that'll have many recalling youthful exploits on the battlefield as make-believe action stars.

When 12-year-old Will Proudfoot, catches an impromptu glimpse of a rampaging John Rambo his awakening is skilfully crafted by director Garth Jennings, splicing footage from the movie with clever childlike re-shoots and Will's imaginative doodles. Some boyish bonding between Will and "blood bruvva" Lee Carter, searching for his very escapism, make it a happy shoot.

The real-life bond between the two fabulous young actors shines through until French exchange student Didier arrives to captivate the school. The dynamic duo becomes a burgeoning ensemble and it's up to Will to rescue his friendship with Lee and complete their epic.

Son of Rambow feels like a strikingly imaginative tale at times, confined by a familiar rites-of-passage formula. It has a big heart but isn't ever moving. It's a fun adventure, but never feels adventurous.

A Blu-ray buy?

Although invariably shot on the kids' old camcorder, this film still looks great in the 1080p format. The fields, streams and woods of the English countryside look fabulous, adding to the feel of the adventure and the freedom felt by the two young lads.

Extras

An interesting insight into the bond experienced by the two young actors (they're pretty good pals now). As in the movie, Will Poulter seems insanely mature and worldly for a nipper, and Bill Milner as shy and reserved as Will. Set diaries and deleted scenes also feature.

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Son of Rambow bounces merrily along on this dysfunctional breeze in an enjoyable, typically quaint, often imaginative, comedy that'll have many recalling youthful visions of taking to the battlefield as make-believe action stars