Ultimately, I'm not sure that I agree with every position First Blood takes. Maybe it is heavy handed, and maybe it is sentimental, but Stallone's eloquent handling of a difficult scene ends up making a strong statement about a sad chapter in U.S. But it is in the film's surprisingly emotional climax that First Blood truly elevates itself to the top ranks of the genre. Yes, there is yet another one-on-one battle between the good guy and the bad guy (or in this case, two anti-heroes). The film's unexpected and unusual ending certainly would not have worked without him. As we learn in the included supplements, Stallone had a significant hand in crafting the screenplay, as well and the input proved essential. In the character of John Rambo, he found a role second only to Rocky Balboa.
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First Blood is the rare '80s action movie to create such a believable and realistic portrayal of its hero that the consequences of what he does actually mean something.įirst Blood certainly remains notable in the career of Stallone. Every event in the film, though a bit larger than life (this is a movie, after all), remains plausible. He's flesh and blood, relying on only his training and his wits to survive, which grants the character a palpable realism.
It is refreshing to see the audience not condescended to - Rambo is not the warrior with superhero-like powers as he became in the sequels. And unlike its successors, this is no ridiculous, over-the-top comic book. Directed with efficient craftsmanship by Ted Kotcheff, and based on the little-known novel of the same name by David Morrell, the film is very well paced, gripping and always exciting. But has Rambo passed the point of no return?Īs an action movie, First Blood works. Only the calling in of Rambo's Vietnam Colonel, Samuel Trautman (Richard Crenna) can hope to save him from his one-man assault. Triggered by his war experiences, Rambo jumps into action, escaping confinement and leading the police on a statewide manhunt that will have highly destructive consequences. Jobless and lost in a world that no longer has a place for him, Rambo visits a small town to connect with old war buddies, only to be arrested and abused by local Sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy).
John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) has just returned from Vietnam. The story should be familiar to even those who have never seen the film. Though First Blood contains plenty of action and graphic violence, it is not a mindless or manipulative film.
What makes First Blood so vital and refreshing is that it not only dares to ask tough questions about America's participation in the Vietnam War, but perhaps more importantly, how we treated the soldiers we sent there. It's a far more intelligent and challenging action film - superior not only to its sequels but to just about every comparable effort of its time. As I learned when I finally watched the film on standard-def DVD in the late '90s, First Blood is a film that was demeaned by its follow-ups. So I figured First Blood could only be more of the same, and simply wrote the film off completely.īoy was I wrong. Despite the immense box office popularity of the Rambo character in the '80s, the comic-book excesses and callous attitude towards violence of those two sequels were a big turn-off to me. I had avoided seeing First Blood until years ago, largely because I made the mistake of seeing Rambo III first, and then Rambo II. (Written by Peter Bracke for his review of the original Blu-ray.)
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