20 2000s Movies Audiences Loved, But Critics Hated

The law of diminishing returns comes for most franchises that churn out a trilogy or more, but for Rambo it came quicker than most. By the time of the first sequel, the poignant and thought-provoking story told in 1982's First Blood, of John Rambo's (Sylvester Stallone) emotional trauma and manipulation at the hands of the government, was traded in for gratuitous violence and a direct contradiction of the original's powerful message.

By the time of Rambo in 2008 - the series' fourth film - the franchise had devolved further into a mindless shoot 'em up action romp, with the true meaning and message never escaping 1982.

That being said, the action offered in the first and only instalment in the franchise with Stallone in the director's chair was strong. Strong enough certainly to leave audiences happy upon leaving the cinema, but perhaps this was without the thought of what once was in their minds.

If this was a popcorn flick without any ties to First Blood, it may not have offended the critics quite so much as it did, but seeing what had become of an original film so brave in its themes and commentaries was arguably the final nail in the Rambo franchise's coffin.