Before the age of digital blood splatter, sets made of green screens built in airport hangars, there were the days of squibs, blood packs, and real life locations. Mind you, this isn't to say that either way of filmmaking is better than the other. Both achieve excellent finished products. However, the pre-contemporary effects utilized in First Blood create a nostalgia for the classic action movies of the 1980's.
John Rambo is a grizzled Vietnam veteran passing through town, and all he wants is something to eat. However, the Sheriff mistakes him for a drifter and attempts to drive him out of town. When they trigger Rambo's PTSD, the sheriff will regret the day that he drew First Blood.
What separates First Blood from the usual 80's shoot em' up fare (including the films own sequels), is that through the massive carnage and destruction that John Rambo leaves in his path, the movie is quite thought provoking. It offers an interesting look at PTSD and how easily it can be triggered. What we also learn is not to judge every thing by its appearance, and how dangerous the consequences can be if you do it to the wrong person. The action itself (no matter how implausible it may come across as) is an interesting conundrum. One has to ponder who the actual victim is in this film. Is it John Rambo who wanted nothing more than to sit down and eat on his way home? Or is it the brigades of officers that Rambo hunts in the woods? It is all a matter of the viewers perception, and left to your own imagination.
In my review of Escape Plan, I said that Sylvester Stallone had lost his way of late. For an example of what Stallone is capable outside of the Rocky movies, here is where to look. He captures the essence of John Rambo with the hardcore aggression that he is known for nowadays, but he is also quite soulful and more human than he has presented himself recently. He is scared, flawed, and above all crafty. He portrays Rambo as someone who knows how to get out of any situation, and there is only one man who can stop him.
Enter Richard Crenna as Colonel Trautman, the leader of Rambo's platoon in Vietnam. Rather than just being a one note man from his past who comes in to say "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Crenna's character serves almost as a father figure to Rambo. He is hard-nosed militarily, yet comes across as the sole person who could possibly understand what Rambo is going through.
Check out this movie. Some of the stunts teeter on the edge of believability, but otherwise, it is a very solid action flick that will actually wake up your brain.
B
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