First Blood (1982) Review

"They drew first blood!"
-John Rambo



Troubled Vietnam veteran, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone), is passing through Hope, Washington, where he is harassed and unjustly arrested by the sheriff, Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy).  Several of the cops abuse Rambo to the point where he snaps and violently escapes the police station.  Teasle and his men give chase into the wilderness where they soon realize that they aren't hunting Rambo, he's hunting them.


What Works:

The first half of First Blood is utterly thrilling.  It's one long chase sequence and it doesn't let up.  We get get plenty of awesome and intense moments that make the film fly by; Rambo's escape, the car chase, his cliff-hanging duel with a helicopter, and his face-off against Teasle.  It's an absolute blast and incredible action.

The action sequences themselves are all really well done.  There's a wide variety and it isn't just mindless explosions and guns firing.  Rambo isn't trying to kill anyone and watching him go to war in a nonlethal manner is nothing short of thrilling.

Stallone does a fantastic job as Rambo.  He doesn't get much in the way of dialogue, but he's very easy to root for and extremely intimidating.  His breakdown at the end of the film is heartbreaking and impossible to look away from.

Finally, Brian Dennehy is great as the villain.  We understand his motives right away and he's utterly despicable.  He's easy to hate and we can't wait to watch Rambo take him down.  He's a memorable villain and gives a great performance.


What Sucks:

 My only real problem with the movie is the second half isn't quite as strong as the first.  It loses a little steam when Rambo defeats the cops for the first time and the national guard is brought in.  It's still good, but the adrenaline wears off a bit.


Verdict:

 First Blood lives up to its reputation and is a truly great action movie.  Stallone and Dennehy gives excellent performances, the action is awesome, and the first half of the movie is utterly thrilling.  It can't maintain the breathtaking pace throughout the whole film, but we end with a heartbreaking monologue that redeems that.  Without a doubt, First Blood has got it going on.

 9/10: Great 

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