This is how the Asian jungle of Stallone’s classic became
In 1985, ‘Rambo: Cornered II’ transported audiences to the jungles of Vietnam with devastating realism. But what the viewer took to be the Vietnamese jungle were the banks of the Coyuca Lagoon, the slopes surrounding the El Salto waterfall and the hangars of the Military Air Base No. 7 in Pie de la Cuesta, Acapulco. All in the state of Guerrero. And the interior scenes, the Churubusco Studios in Mexico City. What happened. The production initially considered filming in Thailand, a destination with the most appropriate geography and vegetation density to recreate Vietnam, but the plan did not prosper. Producer Andy Vajna attributed the change to logistical and economic considerations (filming in Mexico was significantly cheaper and operationally less complex), although Stallone even mentioned in an interview that what made it unviable were the insects, something that Vajna denied. Whatever the real reason, filming began in August 1984 in the surroundings of Acapulco. She’s not the only one. The practice of using Mexico as a substitute for Asia was not unique to this production. For example, in 1987 ‘Predator’ was filmed in Palenque, Chiapas; and several Reagan-era films resorted to the same device. Mexico offered dense rainforest, real military structures available for filming, and a technical industry already consolidated around the Churubusco Studiosoperational since 1945 and still active today in the Coyoacán mayor’s office of Mexico City. Where was it. That the viewer did not notice the deception speaks well of the localization work. Each of the outdoor settings was chosen for its ability to suggest a remote and hostile landscape, and they were these: The El Salto Waterfallin the Valle del Río community, municipality of Coyuca de Benítez, more than two thousand meters above sea level. It was a practically virgin place, which made filming a lot easier. There Rambo ascends among rocks brandishing his bow. A specialist died in the waterfall. The Coyuca de Benítez Lagoon and the area known as “The Jungle” in Pie de la Cuesta served for the scenes in which Rambo sails towards his objective. He Omitlan Bridgein Tierra Colorada (municipality of Juan R. Escudero), was the scene of the destruction of three jeeps with explosive arrows, perhaps the most remembered action sequence of the film. The Military Air Base No. 7 of Pie de la Cuesta. Their hangars appear as the base from which the mission departs. The Mexican military themselves acted as extras and the real equipment of the installation served as props. To “Vietnamize” the Mexican landscape, rice fields, quarries and a giant Buddha statue made of gold-painted polystyrene were built. The consequences. The then Federal Directorate of Security (DFS) prepared detailed reports on the filming, later declassified and revised. In 1984, union leaders, the General Directorate of Radio, Television and Cinematography (RTC) and representatives of the Ministry of the Interior met to resolve a filming interruption caused by union demands. Filming later resumed, creating employment for approximately 500 people in the port. Four decades after filming, the Guerrero locations are still open to the public. El Salto Waterfall receives visitors and is known, even today, as Rambo’s waterfall. In Xataka | The special effects of 2025 are worse than those of 2010. And part of the blame lies with us viewers