This time he's fighting for his life.
When former Green Beret John Rambo is harassed by local law enforcement and arrested for vagrancy, he is forced to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.
Log it
Sign in to log this.
Character
Classical in form, earnest, grave and bleak.
- classical in formformally daring
- earnestironic
- gravecomic
- warmbleak
- sparerichly built
Who loves it, who doesn't
30 profiled raters. Loved most by The Prestige Hunters; disliked most by The Ironists.
Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- MovieGuyson TMDB · Jul 20268/10
"First Blood" is the only "Rambo" film that warrants genuine attention. The Vietnam War was hardly a distant memory when this film was made. Its message of social isolation and alienation from mainstream society, combined with conflict trauma that makes moving on difficult to impossible, no doubt resonates with veterans of that unpopular war. This is a surprisingly sophisticated action film when viewed from this perspective. The fact it's able, with seeming ease, to marry up its thoughtful back story with gritty, intense and well-executed action is really a credit to the writers of the screenplay. Stallone hands in a suitably understated performance as a lost soldier, looking for a form of understanding and acceptance from a world that has moved on without him. A man pushed to his limit, who responds to violence and cruetly, the only way he knows how. In summary, "First Blood" is the only time the "Rambo" franchise shines, but it does shine brightly. A cinema classic that's a must watch for action fans.
Read the whole review on TMDB - CinemaSerfon TMDB · Jun 20226/10
Sylvester Stallone Is "John Rambo", a Vietnam War veteran who is shocked to learn that the only other survivor from his crack team of Green Berets has died of a pretty pernicious cancer. He wanders aimlessly looking for a cheeseburger when he is escorted out of town by the sheriff "Will Teasle" (Brian Dennehy), who takes him for a vagrant. When he tries to come back into town, he is arrested and that sets off a chain of events that ends up pitting him against not just a rather brutal collection of local law enforcement, but ultimately the pretty useless national guard and his old CO "Trautman" (Richard Crenna). There is certainly a serious message here. This man has served his country at no small risk to himself, he even has a Congressional Medal of Honour, but has been pretty much abandoned by his government. We learn fairly early on that he has clearly been traumatised by his wartime experiences and the hostile behaviour of the local cops serves to rekindle his serious ninja skills in self-defence that quickly - though reluctantly - became self-offence. The action scenes set amongst the cold, wet and dense forest are tautly directed and quite compelling to watch, but I am afraid
Read the whole review on TMDB - Wuchakon TMDB · May 20209/10
**_Action/adventure masterpiece about a one-man-army_** Vietnam vet John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) drifts into a Rocky Mountain town looking for a war buddy, only to learn that he died due to exposure to Agent Orange the prior summer. The town's sheriff (Brian Dennehy) tries to steer Rambo out of town and winds up arresting him. Big mistake because Rambo is an ex-Green beret, a virtual one-man-army, who takes on both the police and the National Guard using jungle warfare tactics. "First Blood" (1982) is an action/adventure of the first order. It's easy to lose sight of this in light of the two comic book sequels that made a caricature of John Rambo: "Rambo: First Blood Part II" (1985) and "Rambo III" (1988). Thankfully, the series made up for it with the outstanding "Rambo" in 2008, which is grim, gritty and deep. The Great Northwest locations are picturesque, albeit drizzly and dreary, while Dennehy is perfect as the arrogant, pushy sheriff. He essentially plays the same role in the Western "Silverado" (1985) albeit his character in that film is even worse. Stallone is in his physically prime here, although he's not quite as bulked-up as in the two sequels. His waist is only abou
Read the whole review on TMDB
Cast
- Sylvester StalloneJohn Rambo
- Richard CrennaCol. Samuel Trautman
- Brian DennehyHope Sheriff Will Teasle
- Bill McKinneyState Police Capt. Dave Kern
- Jack StarrettDeputy Sgt. Arthur Galt
- Michael TalbottDeputy Balford
- Chris MulkeyDeputy Ward
- John McLiamOrval the Dog Man
- Alf HumphreysDeputy Lester
- David CarusoDeputy Mitch
Crew
- Ted KotcheffDirector
- Michael KozollScreenplay
- William SackheimScreenplay
- Sylvester StalloneScreenplay
- David MorrellNovel
- Andrew LaszloDirector of Photography
- Jerry GoldsmithOriginal Music Composer
- Joan E. ChapmanEditor
- Buzz FeitshansProducer
Where to watch
Checking availability…
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
Criss Cross 194986% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
Fixed Bayonets! 195186% alikeBoth grave, earnest, classical in form.
Along the Great Divide 195185% alikeBoth grave, earnest, classical in form.
A Better Tomorrow 198684% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
Three Days of the Condor 197582% alikeBoth earnest, classical in form, grave.
Cry of the City 194882% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
Silver Lode 195482% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
Pushover 195482% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
Combat! 196278% alikeTelevision · Both earnest, grave, classical in form.
Dancing on the Edge 201376% alikeTelevision · Both grave, classical in form, earnest.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds
