Review of First Blood (1982) by Patrick E — 12 Aug 2010

On the face of it, First Blood is a simple action film about a Vietnam War veteran going bonkers and attacking a load of police officers in a small rural American town. The reality is that it's a much more complex film than that and one that has a strong message to go with its excellent entertainment.

John Rambo is a Vietnam War veteran who travels across America to visit the last surviving member of his platoon, or so he thinks. Having found out that his friend is dead; the police try to run him out of town for being a drifter. When he refuses to leave he is arrested and treated to a gold old dose of police brutality. He escapes and takes flight to the nearby woods where he is pursued by the local police. Rambo has a few tricks up his sleeve though and a bloody and brutal battle commences where Rambo tries to make sense of why he is being persecuted.

What makes First Blood not just another action film is its strong anti-war message and its portrayal of how badly Vietnam veterans were are treated. Rambo is a messed up man who still suffers from delusions and flashbacks of his time in a Vietnamese prison camp and the torture he endured there. He finds it hard to distinguish between real life and his delusions which lead him to become increasingly frightened as the police persecute him. Admittedly the middle section is entirely action based but there is a strong ending scene involving Rambo and his former commander where he tells of the life he has to endure now and how much people hate him for fighting for his country. It's a powerful scene that elevates what came before it over simple action scenes.

Stallone is great as John Rambo as is Brian Dennehy as the cop determined to get his man. The action is original and bloody and is mostly based in reality. The film is perfectly paced and offers up wonderful entertainment. Yes it is an action film but it's one with a message that it gets across better than most war films. First Blood is a very good film and by far the most intelligent of the series.