Frequently misidentified as "Rambo," First Blood sees Vietnam war veteran John Rambo - played well by Sylvester Stallone - coming home to the very opposite of a warm reception in one of the most famous of all action movies. Indeed, "like Rambo" has become such a popular phrase to describe an unstoppable force of nature that even those who haven't seen the movie understand the reference. Despite being hailed as an action movie, though, there's a lot of relevant drama here, too. But who are we kidding? The highlight of this movie, of course, is the bloodshed, as Ted Kotcheff's film pits the troubled hero of the title against a small town sheriff with a weighty vendetta. Surprisingly, very few people die over the course of the film (especially when compared to its sequel, which has Rambo going back to 'Nam to rescue POWs), but there are iconic scenes of action scattered throughout, including one which has our hero unleashing his trademark M60 upon an unsuspecting gift shop.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
