First Blood

*Spoilers for the original Morrel novel of the same name*

Regardless of what any one's reasons are for not liking Rambo, their opinion is void on this film. First Blood is not what you'd expect it to be; It's not a brainless action film with a musclebound invincible warrior. It's an incredible story of survival from one of the most emotionally detached action heroes in America. God bless Rambo.


First Blood is the relative story most of us have heard, but with more of a vengeance bite. John Rambo is a Vietnam Veteran who won a congressional medal of honor and is an ex-Green Beret. Like most vet's of their time, he is shunned in his society and all of his friends have abandoned him or are now deceased. Rambo is drifting through a quiet suburban town, when a fat fascist pig (played by Brain Dennehy) picks him up, denies him food, and insults his appearance. He drops Rambo off at the edge of town and tells him to walk another 30 miles for food.

Rambo being the bad ass that he is, he don't take no shit, and marches back in the town. Seeing this, the Sheriff gets all hyped up and arrests him. In jail, things turn towards the worst when many of the officers get rough with Rambo, using him as a pawn in their sick game. Rambo freaks out, injures many officers, and escapes in the woods which results in one of the most intense survival films ever made. This movie comes from a vicious book sharing the same title, written by David Morrel.

The stories are the same, but the differences are many. Rambo kills almost every police officer he comes against. He ever guts an officer with a straight razor. He had it coming. Another difference is that Rambo does not survive in the novel. As that would have been fitting, it would have pissed a lot of simple-minded Yankee's off, and warranted no sequels.


This isn't a brainless action film at all. There are explosions, but the maniacal face of Rambo illuminated by the smoldering remains of a society that neglected him is a beautiful image. If only every town had their own Rambo. It seems his films do good things for society, in all honesty. Rambo does what he does best; home-grown propaganda. The music for the film is done by Hollywood's musical slut Jerry Goldsmith. It is an exceptional score which sets the mood for his adventures aloft in the jungle of his soil.

Richard Crenna plays the only confidant that Rambo has, his maker. Colonel Trautman is a stern man, who has much appreciation for his soldier. He is the only intelligence throughout the film. As Rambo said "They drew first blood", it sets the tone that has also been felt in such films as La Haine. Many of these police officers feel incredibly real, from having their head stuck up their ass, and the bewilderment from being incapacitated by the Italian Stallion.

Just like Friday the 13th, and Halloween, the sequels became more and more silly, involving cartoonish Russians over-acting and using torture techniques. His newest film, aptly titled Rambo, improves and actually delivers a similar feel to the original classic. His original film has been looked down upon due to his "Gung-ho" classic sequels. Quite a shame, but damn are they entertaining. It's official, anyone who says Stallone cannot act, is a fucking retard. That, or they haven't seen the ending of this film. Either way, no one cares about their opinions and should be shot immediately.

Rambo is a one man army, who is only beset by his harrowing experiences in 'Nam which gave him haunting visions of the past and his inability to create a future. Rambo is everything that embodies an American; brutish looks, kindness, arrogance, and the ability to look bad-fucking-ass in a bandana.

-Maq