10 Movies That Are Popular For All The Wrong Reasons

7. First Blood

Fight Club
Optimum

It seems like a large swath of the people who've seen and proclaim to love the first Rambo film, First Blood, actually don't remember it much at all.

First Blood is often held up as one of the greatest "guy movies" ever, that it's a supremely badass film in which Sly Stallone's John Rambo fights back against the cops who dare to challenge him.

The public perception of First Blood is coloured massively by its sequels - especially the first two - which majorly upped the ante in terms of violence and action, in turn solidifying Rambo as an action hero in his own right.

Yet it might surprise many of those who haven't seen First Blood in quite some time that it's actually a much quieter, less bloodthirsty, and less jingoistic movie than its successors.

Instead, it's a comparatively restrained thriller about American society's lack of quarter for Vietnam veterans, and more to the point, a film in which Rambo kills just a single person - by accident no less.

Yet people profess to love First Blood because it's an awesome action movie, no matter that mass opinion has been hugely influenced by its schlockier, more action-packed sequels.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.