Directed by:
Ted KotcheffCinematography:
Andrew LaszloComposer:
Jerry GoldsmithCast:
Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, Bill McKinney, Jack Starrett, Michael Talbott, Chris Mulkey, John McLiam, Alf Humphreys, David Caruso (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Sylvester Stallone stars as ex-Green Beret John Rambo, a shell-shocked Vietnam vet adrift in the Pacific Northwest. Harassment by an unsympathetic small-town sheriff brings on nasty flashbacks of torture at the hands of the Viet Cong; after busting out of the jail where he has been unjustly imprisoned, our psychically-scarred hero vows to get revenge on the ungrateful sheriff. Before blowing the sheriff and his town away, however, Rambo must use his jungle smarts to elude the relentless posse of state troopers and National Guardsmen who pursue him through the forest. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (12)
This is a kind of timid oscillation between action and psychological thriller, which can be watched with a certain amount of nostalgia - even though the action parts have become outdated and the psychology therein has never been a focal point. It’s a neat little monument to the 1980s that is still worthy of maintenance.
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Today's rewatch wasn't my first, of course, but I felt it was time to jot down my thoughts on the movie. Well, I have to admit that the film still resonates with me after all these years. It's got well-executed action, suspense, and that gloomy atmosphere. However, now that I'm not twelve anymore, I couldn't overlook what was, and I think still is, its main message. When a country sends its soldiers into a war conflict that ends in defeat, these soldiers become, in a way, unwanted upon their return, serving as a reminder of that loss. The United States essentially cast aside the Vietnamese veterans, and I'm not just talking about the politicians. Many of these guys were sent to a place they didn't want to be, to do things they didn't want to do, and upon their return (if they returned), they often believed that human life, including their own, had little value. Instead of help, they found everyone turning their backs on them. This movie highlighted that stark reality. / Lesson learned: When someone points "the pig" at you, it may not be as funny as it sounds.
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Today this film is an action classic, but it failed to dazzle me enough to draw me into the plot. And that's despite the well crafted and brisk screenplay and the great Sylvester Stallone, whose role as a retired war hero fighting against a handful of lawmen deserves nothing but thumbs up and admiration for his successful traps. But when the film leaves the dark and suspenseful environment of the woods and Rambo isn't hiding behind a tree with his hunting knife, it's not that good and the ending didn't feel very spectacular or original. In any case, there is almost no boredom and the action is more than satisfying, so 80%.
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In my profile, I indicate that I don't like action movies, but that's not entirely true. There are quite a few exceptions that confirm the rule, especially those that don't take themselves seriously, like the Die Hard series. However, Rambo is a different case. The film embodies elements and genre clichés that I don't like in action movies. It is one of the first films in its subgenre and essentially defined this category of films, and is considered its symbol. I don't feel the need to argue with the cult, as I generally agree that it is the most valuable film in the series about the indestructible jungle fighter and also the only film in the series that can be taken at least somewhat seriously or has some value in terms of cinematic art. The script and direction still try to portray certain psychological aspects of the characters, and there are several decent supporting actors - by the way, Richard Crenna certainly isn't one of them, but Brian Dennehy deserves full recognition. However, in terms of the technical quality of today's action films, the high rating of the original Rambo is clearly influenced by nostalgia and the average age of users. Overall impression: 40%.
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Where the John Rambo sequels degenerated into crystalized totally uninventive B-movies where the fearless American hero takes out dozens, if not hundreds of enemies of the good American people, First Blood puts its money on low-key, inventive and raw presentation of his fight for survival. Where the sequels are ridiculous, part one is full of suspense. The biggest mistake of First Blood is that the writers eventually abandoned their idea for an ending where the central character died, thereby opening the way for unworthy sequels...
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