15 Action Films From The 1980s You Must Watch

Due to the explosive nature of its sequels, many people might assume that the Rambo series consists of nothing more than mindless gunfights, explosions and a lot of blood and gore. But it did not start out that way, as First Blood proved not only to have everything fans of action films could ask for, but also a compelling story.

After John Rambo is unlawfully arrested by the prideful Sheriff Teasle and is abused by his deputies, they trigger flashbacks in Rambo to when he was a POW in Vietnam, causing him to go berserk, overpower all the police officers and flee into the woods.

What follows is a manhunt for an expert in guerrilla warfare and survival tactics. But despite the film's finale featuring a massive barrage of bullets and plenty of explosions, it ends on a sombre note.

Of course, the film gives fans all the thrills and excitement one could ask for from an action film, but it also does an exceptional job as a commentary on the way the Vietnam War affected its soldiers and holds a mirror to the society that would rather shun them than help them.