First and best of the series has former soldier John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) traveling through a small town in the hope of visiting an old army friend. He is spotted by bigoted sheriff Teasel (Brian Dennehy) who promptly escorts him off his turf. When the peaceful Rambo turns around and defiantly starts walking back into the town, Teasel has him arrested. Mocked, mistreated, and beaten at the police station, Rambo snaps with agonized flashbacks of Vietnam, escapes the police, and flees off to the woods where he is pursued by law officials. What they don't realize is that Rambo is a Green Beret, trained for survival and conditioned to endure pain and weather. Teasel and his men have now set Rambo off, and he wages a personal war on them that "they won't believe". Rambo's old commanding officer (Richard Crenna) arrives on the scene to try and calm things before his man goes too far.
This is surely one of Stallone's finest films and characters, and Sly looks his best in FIRST BLOOD. His John Rambo here is someone we can sympathize with, and his balance of calm followed by extreme self-preservation intensity is well realized. This film is smaller and more independent in feel than the sequels which came after it, and this gives it more appeal. Brian Dennehy is quite good as the hateful town sheriff whose prejudice has resulted in Rambo's wrath. Richard Crenna was a last minute substitute for Kirk Douglas (who backed out eventually), and perhaps occasionally appears a tad theatrical in his approach. The ending of the movie contains an emotionally charged speech by Stallone which is often criticized as being incomprehensible, but if you pay close attention you can decipher just about all of it. ***1/2 out of ****
This is surely one of Stallone's finest films and characters, and Sly looks his best in FIRST BLOOD. His John Rambo here is someone we can sympathize with, and his balance of calm followed by extreme self-preservation intensity is well realized. This film is smaller and more independent in feel than the sequels which came after it, and this gives it more appeal. Brian Dennehy is quite good as the hateful town sheriff whose prejudice has resulted in Rambo's wrath. Richard Crenna was a last minute substitute for Kirk Douglas (who backed out eventually), and perhaps occasionally appears a tad theatrical in his approach. The ending of the movie contains an emotionally charged speech by Stallone which is often criticized as being incomprehensible, but if you pay close attention you can decipher just about all of it. ***1/2 out of ****