FILM REVIEW: First Blood

[diebitter]

RAMBO!

You read this word, and what do you think? If you're anything like me, you think over-the-top cheesy 80's action.

But the first in the rambo trilogy, 'First Blood' is very unlike the 2 Rambo flicks that followed. This is no journey into the fantastic, It's tense, exciting, about as realistic as a wham-bam-action flick can be, and well-acted and directed. The script is sub-par, but it really doesn't matter, this is a very engaging and exciting little number.

A loner wanders into town, but sheriff warns him to move on. When he doesn't they take him in, and he proves to be a Vietnam vet. When they try to restrain him, he has flashbacks that cause him to turn on his special services training, and break out, prompting a man-hunt. But these guys really picked the wrong man to hunt...

Stallone is tip-top here, and I'd say this particular film, along with Rocky and 'Paradise Alley', are among his best work.

Likewise, Brian Dennehy plays the enraged sheriff excellently, combining both a covert and overt menace and anger with a sense of confusion when things don't go his way. Kirk Douglas was originally outlined to play this role, but it's hard to imagine anyone doing it better than Dennehy.

If you've seen it, maybe this review will make you want to see it again - ifyou haven't, you got a nice little film treat in store!

Overall, a smart, pacy, exciting action film - no epic, but a head and shoulders above most of the action pack, because it has the virtue of being much more realistic than the others..


OVERALL: 3/5
REWATCHABILITY: Yearly
Suitable for 13+, I'd say.

RATINGS (out of 5):
0 - This is a complete waste of time, and you will regret wasting it
1 - don't bother unless no other options at all
2 - okay for a single watch, if you've got time
3 - Definite watch if you get a chance
4 - See it very soon, at least once before you die
5 - See it immediately, no excuses


Opinions/comments/arguments please, especially if you think I missed anything worth of discussion/expansion, or violently agree or disagree.

PM me any films you'd like reviewed

Recent Reviews: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=3839187&an=&page=0&v c=1), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=3820477&an=&page=0&v c=1)

[daveymck]

See stallone is looking to do a new Rambo film once he finishes up Rocky.

[jakethebake]

The books was much better. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.


BOOK SPOILER: <font color="white">Rambo dies at the end. </font>

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
The books was much better. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.


BOOK SPOILER: <font color="white">Rambo dies at the end. </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

They filmed this part but didn't end up using it. It's on the DVD as an extra, though. I say this not having read the book, so it might not be exactly the same but I'm guessing it's close.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The books was much better. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.


BOOK SPOILER: <font color="white">Rambo dies at the end. </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

They filmed this part but didn't end up using it. It's on the DVD as an extra, though. I say this not having read the book, so it might not be exactly the same but I'm guessing it's close.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the movie edit did... <font color="white">Trautman blow Rambo away with a shotgun? </font>

[diebitter]

I'd agree, the book is a cracking good read. Lots about his special forces training background too, I think (he catches and eats an owl, for example, IIRR)

I think it'd be great in audiobook format too - it's a very fast-paced, driving narrative.

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The books was much better. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.


BOOK SPOILER: <font color="white">Rambo dies at the end. </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

They filmed this part but didn't end up using it. It's on the DVD as an extra, though. I say this not having read the book, so it might not be exactly the same but I'm guessing it's close.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the movie edit did... <font color="white">Trautman blow Rambo away with a shotgun? </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

If I remember correctly... <font color="white">yes. It may not have been a shotgun, but it was definitely Trautman. He's holding a gun on Rambo in the sherriff's office - they're close to each other - Rambo pulls the muzzle to his chest and it goes off. He wanted to be shot.</font>

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
If I remember correctly... <font color="white">yes. It may not have been a shotgun, but it was definitely Trautman. He's holding a gun on Rambo in the sherriff's office - they're close to each other - Rambo pulls the muzzle to his chest and it goes off. He wanted to be shot.</font>

[/ QUOTE ]

That's actually different. In the book... <font color="white">Rambo gets all shot up, but crawls away. Trautman tracks him down then blows his head off iirc. But yea, I think the point was he wanted to die. No sequal in that though. </font>

Also, David Morrell's other books are very good if you like light action reads.

[drewjustdrew]

[ QUOTE ]
That's actually different.

[/ QUOTE ]

They probably knew... <font color="white"> they weren't going to win an academy award, so they went for the feelgood ending instead of the powerful one. I don't know why I had to hide this, but I didn't want to spoil that there was a better ending. </font>

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
about as realistic as a wham-bam-action flick can be,

[/ QUOTE ]

Huh. This is the movie where he hides in the jungles of the midwest, isn't it? Isn't there a scene where he jumps off a mountain and falls about ten miles through trees and brush, only to sustain a single cut on his arm? I thought this film stretched its credibility pretty thin, really. Not that it's not enjoyable. Stallone's ending speech might be my favorite bit of gibberish ever.

[diebitter]

Well, okay, it's not that realistic, but I meant comparatively. compared to Rambo 2, Commando etc etc

[ QUOTE ]
Stallone's ending speech might be my favorite bit of gibberish ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, yeah, good point!

This and the old coot in Blazing Saddles have got the entire history of cinema tied up on this point.

[samjjones]

Brian Dennehy plays one of the great film assholes of all time in this.

[diebitter]

"Greatest Assholes in cinema" - we got to do a thread on this sometime...

My minds blank on possible contenders at the moment though...

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
Brian Dennehy plays one of the great film assholes of all time in this.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't remember it this way at all. As I recall, he didn't want vagrants in town, but he also sympathised with Rambo. Or maybe that was all from the book too and I just read it into into the movie myself.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
"Greatest Assholes in cinema" - we got to do a thread on this sometime...

[/ QUOTE ]

Very good idea.

[ethan]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Brian Dennehy plays one of the great film assholes of all time in this.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't remember it this way at all. As I recall, he didn't want vagrants in town, but he also sympathised with Rambo. Or maybe that was all from the book too and I just read it into into the movie myself.

[/ QUOTE ]

He was pretty decidedly an [censored] in the movie.

[drewjustdrew]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Brian Dennehy plays one of the great film assholes of all time in this.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't remember it this way at all. As I recall, he didn't want vagrants in town, but he also sympathised with Rambo. Or maybe that was all from the book too and I just read it into into the movie myself.

[/ QUOTE ]

He was very much like the sheriff in Unforgiven. Had a job to do, did it ruthlessly, but seemed to understand.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
He was very much like the sheriff in Unforgiven. Had a job to do, did it ruthlessly, but seemed to understand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't see them as the same at all. In Unforgiven, Hackman was just a giant ego that enjoyed being an [censored]. I didn't get that from Dennehey's character. IIRC in First Blood, Dennehey reigned in the deputies a couple of times after the arrest, etc.

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Brian Dennehy plays one of the great film assholes of all time in this.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't remember it this way at all. As I recall, he didn't want vagrants in town, but he also sympathised with Rambo. Or maybe that was all from the book too and I just read it into into the movie myself.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? I remember reading underlying malice right from the get-go (hence my reference to 'covert menace' in the OP).


Could be a memory thing - I'll have to rewatch it sometime.

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
He was very much like the sheriff in Unforgiven. Had a job to do, did it ruthlessly, but seemed to understand.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't see them as the same at all. In Unforgiven, Hackman was just a giant ego that enjoyed being an [censored]. I didn't get that from Dennehey's character. IIRC in First Blood, Dennehey reigned in the deputies a couple of times after the arrest, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with the assessment of Hackman's character in Unforgiven, it's actually one of my problems with the movie that all the characters are so clear cut. "Look, the hookers and killers are good guys and the cops bad guys" is a lot more fun when the hookers and killers don't act completely noble, and the cops don't act like total scum.

Dennehy's character is a bit more complex, but I was never sure he was meant to be. You do get the impression in the opening scenes that he feels for Rambo and is just trying to enforce the law; but his behavior later in the movie goes against any sympathetic understanding of his character. He never seems as malevolent as HackMan in Unforgiven, just dense, stubborn and non-understanding. I felt someone dropped the ball on Dennehy's character, that it started as a decently complex guy and then just turned into the stock movie bad cop when it became convienent to do so. It seemed to me that either the writer or director got lazy with that character.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
Dennehy's character is a bit more complex, but I was never sure he was meant to be. You do get the impression in the opening scenes that he feels for Rambo and is just trying to enforce the law; but his behavior later in the movie goes against any sympathetic understanding of his character.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought this was reasonable. He started out sympathisizing for a fellow war veteran who's lost his way. But once the guy starts killing his deputies, he wants to kill the guy.

[samjjones]

I'm pretty sure he was a huge a-hole. How about when he first meets up with Rambo, and offers him a ride to the end of town. Rambo is like "Is there somewhere in town I can eat?", and Dennehy says "There's a diner about 30 miles up the road". And it just progressed from there. A-hole.

[slamdunkpro]

Hackman in Unforgiven
Hackman in Crimson Tide

There may be a pattern here.... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[swede123]

[ QUOTE ]

it's actually one of my problems with the movie that all the characters are so clear cut. "Look, the hookers and killers are good guys and the cops bad guys" is a lot more fun when the hookers and killers don't act completely noble, and the cops don't act like total scum.

[/ QUOTE ]

This makes a lot of sense, and it supports why you picked the avatar you have. He was just awesome at making you unsure about whether he was a good guy or a bad guy, or something else entirely.

Swede

[astroglide]

does your alias mean 'die bitter' like 'THE BITTER' in german or something, or does it just mean 'die bitter' as in to pass away with venom?

[swede123]

-No, it really is German for "The Bart, The."

-How could anyone speaking German cause any harm?

Swede

[astroglide]

neither of the points in your post make any sense to me

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

it's actually one of my problems with the movie that all the characters are so clear cut. "Look, the hookers and killers are good guys and the cops bad guys" is a lot more fun when the hookers and killers don't act completely noble, and the cops don't act like total scum.

[/ QUOTE ]

This makes a lot of sense, and it supports why you picked the avatar you have. He was just awesome at making you unsure about whether he was a good guy or a bad guy, or something else entirely.

Swede

[/ QUOTE ]

Funny, I was just watching "The Maltese Falcon" again recently. I can never decide if Spade is a scumbag or just pretending to be. I lean towards thinking he's almost scum, and clearly not likeable. It's one of the reasons I like that movie so much.

[swede123]

Does the words Sideshow Bob help at all? That episode is what came to mind when I read your post.

Swede

[diebitter]

Its from trying to register somewhere else, I tried to register as 'diehard' and it wouldn't let me, and suggested 'diebitter', which I liked. I then happened to register here next.

I ain't a Herman, so take it as 'pass away with venom' /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Yawn!

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
about as realistic as a wham-bam-action flick can be,

[/ QUOTE ]

Huh. This is the movie where he hides in the jungles of the midwest, isn't it? Isn't there a scene where he jumps off a mountain and falls about ten miles through trees and brush, only to sustain a single cut on his arm? I thought this film stretched its credibility pretty thin, really. Not that it's not enjoyable. Stallone's ending speech might be my favorite bit of gibberish ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I remember thinking, what the hell kind of crap is this? at his speech. I first saw this on t.v., and had no desire to see it again. As for the next one, that was a big no-thanks, too.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Stallone's ending speech might be my favorite bit of gibberish ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I remember thinking, what the hell kind of crap is this? at his speech. I first saw this on t.v., and had no desire to see it again. As for the next one, that was a big no-thanks, too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wasn't Rambo II the one with the bad speech? Where he shoots up the command center first? Or was it both of them?

[Blarg]

I forget. I seem to remember Richard Crenna telling him not to do something drastic at the end, and him doing it anyway. Cuz that's just the kind of red-blooded American he is. I think that was the first one. Or maybe that's all of them.