10 Sequels That Contradicted The Previous Movie's Message

The original First Blood was based on a novel that dealt with a Vietnam veteran's PTSD and how destructive it can be. It has a clear anti-war message that paints Rambo, sympathetic as he may be, as a victim of the war and how it has damaged him. In fact, the original conclusion ended with our protagonist killing himself in front of Colonel Trautman.

Then comes the sequel, Rambo: First Blood Part II, where our titular character is tasked with going back to Vietnam to rescue soldiers. He even asks the Colonel if they get to win this time.

Gone are the horrors of Vietnam and the anti-war message, and instead we spend most of the running time seeing Sylvester Stallone shirtless as he guns down numerous enemies with his big machine gun. All of a sudden, the movie is about how great war is and how cool explosive-tipped arrows are.

While the sequel would define Rambo in the years to come and elevate him as a pop culture icon, it is a huge departure from the serious issues and themes being discussed in the original film.