While Sylvester Stallone’s most iconic role is undoubtedly Rocky Balboa from the starring vehicle that the actor wrote to launch his own career, a close second is John Rambo. Since his introduction in First Blood, Rambo has mowed down legions of faceless henchmen in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Burma, and Mexico. But it was the sequels that made Rambo a gun-toting soldier of fortune.
The focus of First Blood was survival. Some small-town cops drove Rambo to his breaking point and he fled into the woods to evade capture. None of the sequels have managed to recapture the suspense and poignancy of First Blood.
Rambo Was Turned Into A Relentless Killing Machine
First and foremost, the biggest change made to the Rambo franchise after First Blood is that the title character was turned into a relentless killing machine. From First Blood Part II onward, Rambo was known for carrying heavy artillery and gunning down droves of people. The franchise has since set records in terms of body count.
In First Blood, Rambo wanted to avoid killing at all costs. One of the cops pursuing him was killed, but only after falling from a helicopter they were using to try to kill Rambo.
First Blood Was More About The Character Than The Violence
Above all, First Blood is a character study. It’s about a man who returns from war, suffering serious psychological consequences of seeing action in a warzone, and doesn’t know his place in the world as he’s become an outcast from society.
The sequels have all focused on the violence, with character work taking a backseat. First Blood’s focus on character with the violence in the background made it a much better movie.
Sylvester Stallone Gave One Of His Best Performances In First Blood
While his lead performance in Rocky will always be his greatest, Sylvester Stallone gave his first starring role some strong competition with his riveting portrayal of John Rambo in First Blood.
Stallone has always brought plenty of passion to his performances as Rambo, but his acting in First Blood was much more nuanced and compelling than in the sequels.
The Story Of First Blood Was Handled With Care
Drawing from David Morrell’s novel of the same name, First Blood’s screenplay tells its story with care. The first act economically establishes Rambo’s character and his standing in a post-Vietnam world, building toward the manhunt in the woods.
The first acts of the sequels all have a similar economy, but suffer in their second and third acts as they devolve into generic shoot-‘em-ups. The second act of First Blood gradually raises the stakes, while the third reaches a satisfying climax.
First Blood’s Political Message Was Both Subtle And Poignant
Although Sylvester Stallone claims otherwise, all the Rambo movies are political. 2008’s Rambo and Last Blood are loud and clear in their criticisms of Burma and Mexico, respectively. First Blood is the only one whose political message is subtle, in that it isn’t blatantly spelled out to the audience. In First Blood Part II, Rambo has a long speech about how war vets want their country to love them as much as they love it.
The politics of First Blood were also incredibly poignant back in 1982, as the film tackled the PTSD suffered by Vietnam veterans and the indifference they faced when they returned home. There’s also a veiled nod to the effects of Agent Orange.
Rambo’s Relationship With Colonel Trautman Was Emotionally Engaging
All the Rambo movies before Richard Crenna passed away revolved around the titular hero’s relationship with Colonel Trautman. Trautman is the one who talks him down in First Blood, recruits him to save P.O.W.s in First Blood Part II, and needs rescuing in Rambo III.
This father-son relationship was at its most emotionally engaging in First Blood, with the final scene at the police station telling audiences everything they needed to know about their complex dynamic.
First Blood Had Real Subtext
There’s no subtext in Rambo blowing up Mexican gangsters or jamming his knife through the insides of a Tatmadaw soldier, but there is a real subtext in Rambo fleeing from a trigger-happy small-town police squad.
The conflict in First Blood can be viewed as a powerful metaphor for the U.S. government’s treatment of its troops when they got back from Vietnam.
The Suspense In First Blood Was Palpable
All great action movies need suspense. Building up to the action is a lot more effective than just diving right in. As Rambo is chased through the woods in First Blood, the suspense is palpable.
The sequels were lacking in this tension. Rambo was called into action, showed up, and killed a bunch of people. There was no build-up in between.
War Was Condemned In First Blood, But Glorified In The Sequels
The sequels to First Blood delivered the opposite message to their predecessor. In First Blood, Rambo is a walking, talking symbol of the devastating effects of war.
But in the sequels, as Rambo’s glorious bloodshed liberates P.O.W.s and missionaries, war seemed like a great solution to institutionalized sadism the world over. Where First Blood condemned war, its sequels glorified it.
First Blood Was More Of A Drama Than An Action Movie
The Rambo sequels are all straight action movies that don’t beat around the bush. But the original was so much more than that. Although there’s plenty of action in First Blood, it’s more of a drama than an action movie.
With its heavy themes and character-focused plot, First Blood feels a lot more like a “real” movie (i.e. the kind of movie that warrants analytical discussion) than its sequels.