First Blood Review
Overall Rating: 8.3
First Blood is an action film directed by the likes of Ted Kotcheff, which was released in 1982. Sylvester Stallone played the film's protagonist John Rambo, a Vietnam war veteran with PTSD that went looking for an old friend that he later finds out is dead. After Rambo hears of his friend's death, he drifts into a small town, where he meets an intolerant cop that offers him a ride out of his town. Rambo accepts his offer but after some argumenting about directions, he is placed in custody. Rambo is ridiculed by the other officers at the station, and his environment sets off his PTSD, which puts him in self defense mode. He fights his way through the cops and then escapes into the mountainous/forest region of Washington state. He is then tasked with surviving the harsh elements of the forest and avoid getting caught by the cops. This film in its entirety is very well made, with good action, a great score, and a very good look into the impact that the Vietnam war had on its soldiers. The action is what makes this film so enjoyable to watch, it makes up for some of the corny, tedious dialogue. The Forest scene is a great example of what makes this film so thrilling, it captivates who John Rombo was, a fighting machine that would stop at nothing to survive. It shows us how intelligently he was able to pick each officer off leaving them in suspense of who his next victim will be. The score is equally as compelling, with production by Jerry Goldsmith, he makes us feel like we’re fighting alongside Rambo, pumping us up for the action that lies ahead. I think one of the most overlooked aspects of this film is the deteriorating effect that PTSD has on its soldiers. These are seen most prominently in the beginning of the film when he has flashbacks to Vietnam while held at the police station and at the end, when he confesses all of his past trauma. His condition is what made him so violent against the cops, making him feel like he was back in vietnam. The best on screen portrayal of this is Rambo’s mental breakdown, confessing to the atrocities that he went through in Nam. Stallone’s acting is raw emotion as he explains how badly he has been treated and how his friend died in his arms. This is one of my personal favorites and is in my opinion, a 8.3/10.