Rambo: First Blood
Sylvester Stallone is a former Green Beret and Vietnam Vet drifter driven to the edge to defend himself against a redneck sheriff in the Oregon mountains - a battle that escalates into an all-out assault on a town!. The first in the popular film series.
Member Reviews
Best if the trio - brentb
"First Blood" has to be, without a doubt, one of my favorite action films of all time. I believe that I enjoy it so much because it does a nice job of balancing action scenes with drama. Thus, this film does not reek of the overkill violence that plagues the two sequels (as well as the films of other action stars). Stallone actually does some acting in this film. His performance as a Vietnam Vet come home to find a thankless country is compelling and his emotional breakdown near the end of the film is fantastic. There is a lot of suspense in this film and the characters are certainly memorable. Rambo has a clear enemy in this film, played by Brian Dennehy. He is not taking on the country of Vietnam or the Russians-he is simply defending himself from a small-town cop.
My recommendation is to see this film and forget about the two sequels. Of course, any die-hard Rambo fan will tell you that the action sequences only become better as the movies progressed, but they sacrifice much to do this in my opinion. If you enjoy action films with a little class, you'll love "First Blood."More than just an action movie - DisposableHero
For some reason I had never seen any Rambo movie until the 4th one came out a few years back, so I had a completely different perception of the originals. I expected all out action, tons of cheesy explosions and killings. Instead I am greeted with this sort of sombre narrative of a mentally abused Vietnam vet in Rambo. Stallone was actually really good portraying a Green Beret putting his skills to use outrunning the authorities in the woods (filmed in Hope, BC). I was surprised to see only one cop get killed by Rambo which was basically in self defense, just crippling many others. You see the introduction of the infamous M60, Rambo's weapon of choice. The closing scene with Rambo's rant was chilling and really was a social commentary on the treatment of Vietnam vets at the time.Pinnacle of Stallone's Career - MidnightRambler
The original Rambo is the best of the three, and possibly Stallone's best work as an actor and writer. The sequels are derivative of their time, but the original still stands up today.
Stallone plays a depressed vietnam veteran who comes to a quiet town years after the war looking for one of his old war buddies. Soon the local sherrif(played by Brian Dennehy) is muscling him to leave town, assuming him to be just another worthless drifter, which pushes the emotionally damaged vet over the edge. What ensues is one man's stand against an entire police force and eventually the national guard.
After a series of bloody confrontations with the law, Stallone's old army commander(Richard Crenna) is called in to mediate. It is then that the full extent of the sherrif's miscalculation of Rambo's abilities is revealed.
Filmed in the rugged mountainous regions of British Columbia, Canada, the film drips with atmosphere as John Rambo wages a desperate battle for his freedom against the forces that would just as soon see him dead.
Member Reviews
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Best if the trio - brentb
"First Blood" has to be, without a doubt, one of my favorite action films of all time. I believe that I enjoy it so much because it does a nice job of balancing action scenes with drama. Thus, this film does not reek of the overkill violence that plagues the ...More than just an action movie - DisposableHero
For some reason I had never seen any Rambo movie until the 4th one came out a few years back, so I had a completely different perception of the originals. I expected all out action, tons of cheesy explosions and killings. Instead I am greeted with this sort ...Pinnacle of Stallone's Career - MidnightRambler
The original Rambo is the best of the three, and possibly Stallone's best work as an actor and writer. The sequels are derivative of their time, but the original still stands up today.
Stallone plays a depressed vietnam veteran who comes to a quiet ...