A Vietnam veteran is harassed by the police in a small
town and wages a one man war against the cops. ACTION
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First Blood (1982)Directed by Ted Kotcheff
Written by Michael Kozoll, William Sackheim, Sylvester Stallone Starring Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy, Richard Crenna, Jack Starrett, Michael Talbott, Chris Mulkey, David Caruso Based on the novel by Michael Kozoll |
First Blood is arguably Stallone's most action-packed and provocative film. It is a fantastic depiction of how soldiers were treated upon returning from the Vietnam War and introduces us to one of the most iconic action heroes of all time: John Rambo.
I've always enjoyed "one-man army" stories and First Blood is the king of those stories. Stallone does a great job playing Rambo, which is strange because he usually doesn't. He stretches his acting chops more than once, most notably in the final scene where Rambo dramatically describes the death of his friend in the war. That scene alone proved to me that Stallone has what it takes to be a great actor. There's no doubt that First Blood is one of the best action films of all time and is one of Stallone's most reliable franchises. The first film works as both a great action flick and a dramatic look at post-war America in the 1980's. I definitely recommend it. |
First Blood still stands as my personal favorite Stallone film. It is both a great action film and searing look at the treatment of Vietnam vets in the 1980s. It shows that Sylvester Stallone can actually be a good actor and introduces one of cinema's most iconic action heroes, John Rambo.
While the later films became all out action movies, the first entry balances a lot of dramatic elements like with how Rambo is kicked out of the town for no reason whatsoever. The plot, along with the more dramatic elements, help provide a social commentary on how Vietnam vets were treated after returning from the war. This is further helped by the performance of Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo. He creates a troubled character who just wants to be left alone. The end scene where he tearfully describes the death of his friend in the war is one of his finer moments as an actor. Not to worry though, as the film also features several standout action scenes with Rambo showing off his combat skills. First Blood still stands as one of the best action films of all time and the best best in the series. It furthered cemented Stallone's career as an action star and gave him another standout franchise. This is a film that every action film fan should check out. |