“In town you’re the law. Out here it’s me. Don’t push it.” —John Rambo
Today’s quick review: First Blood. John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone), a Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret, leads the life of a drifter, wandering the Pacific Northwest with no job or place to call home. When he runs afoul of a touchy small-town sheriff (Brian Dennehy), Rambo unintentionally sets off an escalating conflict with the local police, one that leads to bloodshed when the sheriff pits his undisciplined men against Rambo’s Army training.
First Blood is a gritty action movie about a maladjusted Vietnam veteran and a town that meets him with hostility. First Blood matches the larger-than-life conflict of the action genre with grounded themes about pride and the scars of war. The film features a solidly constructed plot, nuanced characters, and a healthy dose of action in the form of Rambo’s guerrilla tactics and survival skills.
John Rambo cuts an unusually human figure for an 80s action hero: taciturn, haunted, and capable of great violence. His private war against the police is justified but tragic, the consequence of a petty dispute that spirals out of control thanks to bruised egos and the outbreak of violence. Both the plot and the action ramp up at the same steady pacing, building from the film’s mundane beginning to its suitably explosive, and even poignant, finale.
Still, First Blood is first and foremost an action movie. As innovative as its dramatic themes are, they come second to the action. The combat is a shade more plausible than the typical action fare, but it still requires suspension of disbelief. The premise itself walks a tenuous line between far-fetched and believable. None of the issues will hurt the movie in the slightest for action fans, but those in it for the drama should be forewarned.
First Blood is a skillfully executed take on what turns out to be a fruitful premise. It imbues the action genre with humanity without sacrificing spectacle or concision. Action fans will find everything they could want except humor, while the extra layer of drama gives the film broader appeal and staying power. For a sci-fi survival movie with a harder edge, try Predator. For more fanciful action, try Commando.
7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for solid action and an excellent main character.