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First Blood (Rambo: First Blood) (1982)

tomatometer

86

Average Rating: 7.1/10
Reviews Counted: 36
Fresh: 31 | Rotten: 5

No consensus yet.

80

Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 1

No consensus yet.

audience

81

liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 116,471

My Rating

Movie Info

First Blood is the Sylvester Stallone film that unleashed "Rambo" onto an unsuspecting world. Wandering into a small, hostile town, ex-Green Beret John Rambo (Stallone) is targeted for persecution and abuse by potbellied Sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy). When he can stand no more, Rambo goes bonkers, killing a deputy and heading into the surrounding hills, armed to the teeth. Only after Rambo has picked off practically every law enforcement officer within a radius of 50 miles do the local

Aug 29, 2000

Orion Pictures

Cast

All Critics (36) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (5) | DVD (31)

The darker tone, somber subtext, and generally non-exploitative violence allow viewers to enjoy the film not only as an action/thriller but as something with a degree of intelligence and substance.

April 30, 2009 Full Review Source: ReelViews | Comment
ReelViews
Top Critic IconTop Critic

This action film hangs on an interesting reversal, taking the crazed-killer-in-the-woods theme from Friday the 13th and turning it inside out-- the psychopath is now our hero, a maladjusted ex-Green Beret played by Sylvester Stallone.

March 1, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Director Ted Kotcheff has all sorts of trouble with this mess, aside from credibility.

March 1, 2007 Full Review Source: Variety | Comments (11)
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Sylvester Stallone is one of the great physical actors in the movies, with a gift for throwing himself so fearlessly into an action scene that we can't understand why somebody doesn't really get hurt.

October 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comments (2)
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

First Blood is ragged and flashy; it ought to be a big success with audiences that value action for its own sake.

August 30, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

First and most popular Rambo; and yes, bloody.

December 14, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

As befits a story of internal conflict, Ted Kotcheff lays out the action in an adroit style derived from Anthony Mann

February 6, 2010 Full Review Source: CinePassion | Comment
CinePassion

The entryway to the disturbed psychological headspace of a single man, one bent evermore on survival, instinct trumping all.

June 14, 2008 Full Review Source: UGO | Comment

...does get loonier as it goes along, yet for a while it's actually a mournful and sobering action-movie treatment of postwar stress.

May 13, 2008 Full Review Source: LarsenOnFilm | Comment
LarsenOnFilm

Now that's ballsy.

February 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Stranger Song | Comment
Stranger Song

One of the all time most kick ass movie.

January 29, 2008 Comment (1)

...First Blood primarily comes off as a relatively tame survivalism flick...

January 24, 2008 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | Comment
Reel Film Reviews

An effective, if outlandish, picture that exists merely for its big-screen thrills.

March 1, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

The film is just too somber and preachy.

December 30, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comments (4)
Combustible Celluloid

The film that introduced John Rambo is a gripping survival adventure with an emotional ending that's downright moving. Jerry Goldsmith contributes an excellent musical score.

February 16, 2006 Comment (1)
FulvueDrive-in.com

As a Stallone vehicle this is sleek, slick and not unexciting, but crassly castrates the David Morrell novel on which it is based.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

Stallone's dogged tale of survival seems so fresh you'd swear it was made last week . . . except for the sad truth that they don't make 'em like that anymore.

January 7, 2005 Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | Comment
Arizona Daily Star

Rambo defeats the United States!!! The reason there shouldn't be sequels.

December 21, 2004 Comment
Greenwich Village Gazette
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for First Blood (Rambo: First Blood)

Great beginning to a legendary series.

June 25, 2011
DreamExtractor
Brad Wright

Super Reviewer

Sylvester Stallone had already carved himself a niche with the Rocky films. But to me, the ultimate Stallone films has got to be the Rambo franchise. First Blood is the first of four flawless action film, and it set the standard of many action film that would follow. After returning from the war, Vietnam vet John Rambo

May 10, 2011
TheDudeLebowski65
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

Super Reviewer

    1. John Rambo: You know there's more men out there. You know where they are. Find 'em, or I'll find you.
    – Submitted by Kos G (23 days ago)
    1. John Rambo: I could have killed them all. I could have killed you. In town you're the law, out here it's me. Don't push it. Don't push it or I'll give you a war you won't believe.
    – Submitted by Kos G (24 days ago)
    1. John Rambo: They drew first blood, not me.
    – Submitted by Dann M (2 months ago)
    1. Trautman: You want a war you can't win?
    2. Teasle: Are you telling me that 200 men against your boy is a no-win situation for us?
    3. Trautman: You send that many, don't forget one thing.
    4. Teasle: What?
    5. Trautman: A good supply of body bags.
    – Submitted by Dann M (2 months ago)
    1. Trautman: I don't think you understand. I didn't come to rescue Rambo from you. I came here to rescue you from him.
    – Submitted by Dylan C (5 months ago)

Movies Like First Blood (Rambo: First Blood)

Latest News for First Blood (Rambo: First Blood)

May 14, 2010:
Rambo Without Stallone?
Sylvester Stallone says he's really, truly done with the "Rambo" franchise -- but it could move on...

April 7, 2008:
Director Garth Jennings on Son of Rambow: The RT Interview
We catch up with one half of Hammer & Tongs to talk First Blood, a return of innocence, and why an...

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Foreign Titles

  • First Blood (DE)
  • First Blood (UK)
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