Review of First Blood (1982) by Jon L — 17 Aug 2010

While the sequels easily outgun it on the blowing s**t up meter, the original "First Blood" is still the most emotionally satisfying of all the Rambo films, and one of the better executed action films in the genre.

This is also the adaptation of David Morrell's phenomenal novel of the same name, with a shell-shocked Vietnam vet finding himself in a battle of wills against a small-town sheriff. While the book was tense to the max, surprisingly very little is lost in the translation, as Stallone's screenplay (which makes Rambo more sympathetic than he was in the book) and Ted Kotcheff's stellar direction keep the story flowing and the bullets flying.

Fiery and powerful, this movie is electric stuff.