First Blood (1982)

So I just watched First Blood, the first Rambo film (released in 1982), for the first time in its entirety today. The reputation of the film is an over the top, full out, mindless action piece. Now that kind of reputation has some appeal, haha, but fortunately, there's a lot more to this film than just the action.

In these reviews I'll keep the actual story/film details light and attempt to extract the themes in the film not readily apparent from "pre-impressions."

Sylvester Stallone starred in this in 1982 just as he finished Rocky III (the one with Clubber). I also listened to Stallone's commentary, which brought further insight into the rough making of this film and misconceptions associated with it. Stallone said that this film can be compared to the novel, Frankenstein, which is also one of my favorite novels. The line from Frankenstein that always stuck with me was "If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear." Rambo is analogous to the creature of Dr. Frankenstein. He's been created and is on the loose and in the end, he's just looking for respect and acceptance. There is a search for human dignity here which, again I mention --seems to be a running theme in our lives and in our world, our communities.

Along with this Frankenstein analogy there is the huge theme of alienation and the chance for rehabilitation. John J. Rambo is a Vietnam Veteran, with nothing left. Funny when "art" puts reality into perspective (Seeing as in San Diego at least, there's a good amount of Veterans who need help). The events in the film cause him to "go back" through flashbacks into how he was in Vietnam as a Green Beret.

I'll give this film a recommendation. You gotta love Rambo's knife..

I also have Rambo First Blood Part II and Rambo III on hand. We'll see how the character of Rambo holds up.