5. Rambo: First Blood
Perhaps one of the most misunderstood franchise-starters of all time,
Rambo: First Blood is not the mindless run-and-gun action-fest that many will presume from the title. It is a fiercely intelligent and visceral film about post-traumatic stress disorder in the wake of the Vietnam war, as Sylvester Stallone's vet John Rambo returns to America and tries to re-integrate into society. Faced with aggression by the local authorities, specifically Brian Dennehy's Sheriff Teasle, he is forced into a violent, aggressive fight with the police, which of course ends with Rambo's arrest at the end of the film. Not only is the film far from the shooting gallery that many think of it as - in fact, only one person dies - it's also a brilliant showcase for Stallone, who acts his heart out in a stunning final sequence as Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna) tries to convince him to surrender. A mixture of character-driven drama and pulse-racing, adrenaline-infused action, the film was a hit with critics and audiences, such that a sequel was inevitable. However, none of the sequels came close to matching the original film's nuance, even though the
First Blood Part II did end up grossing a huge $300m against a $44m budget. The third film, which was nominated for a shedload of Razzie awards - including Worst Picture, Worst Director, and Stallone actually winning Worst Actor - enforced the series' reputation as a brainless bunch of shoot 'em up scenarios, though the fourth film,
Rambo, did redeem the series slightly, with a little more sensitivity and, frankly, a totally badass climax. Still, the original film's brilliance is consistently overlooked due to the absent-minded approach of the sequels for the most part, and it's a real shame, because even those not into action films would find plenty to like, in both the film's political subtext, and Stallone's searing performance.