A ONE-MAN WAR.

John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone), a Vietnam veteran, arrives in a small town and is subsequently harassed by the police and hunted into the forest where he exacts revenge.

Having made three Rocky flicks, Stallone launched his other commercially successful franchise. The first Rambo movie is not exactly believable, but the California woods stand in pretty well for the jungles of Vietnam; the whole film is an allegory about that war.

As long as it remains a straight action picture, everything’s fine, but the sentimental touch near the end is less than satisfying. Stallone is good as the misunderstood veteran.

1982-U.S. 97 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Ted Kotcheff. Screenplay: Michael Kozoll, William Sackheim, Sylvester Stallone. Novel: David Morell. Music: Jerry Goldsmith. Cast: Sylvester Stallone (John Rambo), Richard Crenna (Sam Trautman), Brian Dennehy (Will Teasle), David Caruso, Jack Starrett, Bill McKinney. 

Trivia: Richard Brooks, Martin Ritt and Mike Nichols were considered for directing duties; Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro and Clint Eastwood as Rambo; George C. Scott and Kirk Douglas as Trautman. Followed by four sequels, starting with Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).

Quote: “God didn’t make Rambo, I made him!” (Crenna)