'First Blood' follows John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone), a green beret who had a successful and violent career in Vietnam but has terrible memories from the war that plague his life. He is also trying to find a way back into society and recover from the hell he experienced. When he wanders dazedly into a small town called Hope in the Pacific Northwest, he falls foul of an over-zealous hick, the town sheriff. Soon the local law enforcement officers detain him and harass him to a breaking point, giving him flashbacks of the torture he experienced in Vietnam. Rambo snaps and goes on the run, hunted by the authorities who don't realize how dangerous he really is.
At this point the film turns essentially into a chase movie with Rambo foiling his pursuers at every turn. Hiding in the dense woodland and mountainous terrain, he fends off the local posse using guerrilla methods he learned in Vietnam. Described by his former commanding officer as "a killing machine", we soon learn that Rambo isn't a cold-blooded killer. He's almost a Boy Scout, and a phenomenal Boy Scout at that, who concentrates not on revenge, not on unmotivated mayhem, but on survival in the wilderness. The violence continues to escalate through the movie, all leading up to an apocalyptic conclusion.
Boasting some of the best use of rugged landscape seen in years, First Blood is an effective, if outlandish, picture that offers several big-screen thrills. The plot may seem preposterous, but as directed by Ted Kotcheff, the movie has a crude but undeniable momentum. He knows how to stage an action scene with flair and keeps the film moving along at a rapid pace. The emphasis is clearly on toughness and versatility, as a battered, bloody Mr. Stallone demonstrates a wide range of scouting skills, from building traps to exploring a pitch-black cave; he also slaughters wild animals and gives himself stitches. He barely says a word in the entire film, save for one long and laughably pat speech that comes up at the end, about how Vietnam has affected him and why he has lashed out against the small town, which has him sounding even more incoherent than the screenplay warrants. But as a powerful, silent, hollow-eyed presence, he is unexpectedly commanding. He makes sure that Rambo is seen as a tormented, misread, amazingly resourceful victim of the War, rather than as a sadist or a villain, by allowing us to look into the disturbed psychological head-space of a lone man, bent on survival.
Call it macho crap. Call it mindless escapism. Call it Sly's grand posturing. In fact, call it all of the above. First Blood is still a captivating and wickedly enjoyable action/thriller, with a degree of intelligence and substance.
At this point the film turns essentially into a chase movie with Rambo foiling his pursuers at every turn. Hiding in the dense woodland and mountainous terrain, he fends off the local posse using guerrilla methods he learned in Vietnam. Described by his former commanding officer as "a killing machine", we soon learn that Rambo isn't a cold-blooded killer. He's almost a Boy Scout, and a phenomenal Boy Scout at that, who concentrates not on revenge, not on unmotivated mayhem, but on survival in the wilderness. The violence continues to escalate through the movie, all leading up to an apocalyptic conclusion.
Boasting some of the best use of rugged landscape seen in years, First Blood is an effective, if outlandish, picture that offers several big-screen thrills. The plot may seem preposterous, but as directed by Ted Kotcheff, the movie has a crude but undeniable momentum. He knows how to stage an action scene with flair and keeps the film moving along at a rapid pace. The emphasis is clearly on toughness and versatility, as a battered, bloody Mr. Stallone demonstrates a wide range of scouting skills, from building traps to exploring a pitch-black cave; he also slaughters wild animals and gives himself stitches. He barely says a word in the entire film, save for one long and laughably pat speech that comes up at the end, about how Vietnam has affected him and why he has lashed out against the small town, which has him sounding even more incoherent than the screenplay warrants. But as a powerful, silent, hollow-eyed presence, he is unexpectedly commanding. He makes sure that Rambo is seen as a tormented, misread, amazingly resourceful victim of the War, rather than as a sadist or a villain, by allowing us to look into the disturbed psychological head-space of a lone man, bent on survival.
Call it macho crap. Call it mindless escapism. Call it Sly's grand posturing. In fact, call it all of the above. First Blood is still a captivating and wickedly enjoyable action/thriller, with a degree of intelligence and substance.