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First Blood

Play trailer 2:19 Poster for First Blood R 1982 1h 35m Action Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 50 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Vietnam veteran and drifter John J. Rambo wanders into a small Washington town in search of an old friend, but is met with intolerance and brutality by the local sheriff, Will Teasle. When Teasle and his deputies restrain and shave Rambo, he flashes back to his time as a prisoner of war and unleashes his fury on the officers. He narrowly escapes the manhunt, but it will take his former commander to save the hunters from the hunted.
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First Blood

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Critics Consensus

Much darker and more sensitive than the sequels it spawned, First Blood is a thrilling survival adventure that takes full advantage of Sylvester Stallone's acting skills.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) Jun 24, 2022
4/5
Stallone brought intense physicality, obviously, but also hangdog vulnerability to a character who takes revenge on a cruel, unfeeling establishment and utters some of the most iconic lines in shoot’em’up history. Go to Full Review
Peter Bradshaw Guardian Jun 23, 2022
3/5
Watchable if entirely preposterous... Go to Full Review
Michael Sragow Rolling Stone Jun 21, 2022
An ambitious, bloody, talented but pulpy mess. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Apr 17, 2026
3/4
The first and best of the franchise. Go to Full Review
Rachel Wagner rachelsreviews.net Mar 31, 2026
I didn’t expect to be moved by Rambo’s story but I was. Go to Full Review
Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Jan 14, 2026
Considerably less thoughtful than, say, "Coming Home" on a similar subject, "First Blood" so revels In sadism that Its high-minded pretenses are quickly washed away in blood; first, last and always. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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John R @JJRambo 14 hrs ago Best Movie Ever made. I have seen in atleast .... 250 times See more Dylan R @Dylanlovesmovies 2 days ago Great movie. Love the emotional depth. Fantastic performance by Sylester Salone.Felt ending was a bit cheap.Great soundtrack and music. They did not really tell you why the sheriff hates rambo so much. Apart from my two complaints this movie was great.Just not a masterpiece like people say it is in my option See more Forrest M @RT32281296 Sep 21, 2026 "First Blood" is the first film of the Rambo franchise. It tells the story of a Vietnam War veteran John Rambo, who is suffering from post traumatic disorder and takes upon a small town the traumas he has experienced from the war. It was a start of a new genre of violent action movies which was new during its time. But it was just basically a melodrama and an overdone film to preach anti-war sentiments. See more Robert P @Superbad Sep 10, 2026 First Blood = a *4.5* star Movie See more Freddy V @RT18427309 Sep 5, 2026 What can I say? It's Rambo! See more Romas M @Romas Aug 22, 2026 Greetings from Lithuania. "First Blood" (1982) is a great movie. Saw it many times, most of them when I was 10-15 years old, I owned a VHS. Years later bought 4K UHD and watched many times more. One interesting aspect of this picture I found is that although "Rambo" associates with action, physical force and weapons, "First Blood" isn't about the action at all. Action in this movie is never forced, it is logical consequence of the actions. Later movies became super action flicks, but this was always more about the character - it's actually a superb character study. Sylvester Stallone shines in one of his best acting works, creating unforgettable character. After many years this movie still looks great and most important feels real and authentic. Overall, "First Blood" is a great movie. Iconic music by Jerry Goldsmith, unforgettable main character, and a great performances by character actors Richard Crenna and Brian Dennehy elevated this movie above the premise. Great movie. See more Read all reviews
First Blood

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First Blood

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Movie Info

Synopsis Vietnam veteran and drifter John J. Rambo wanders into a small Washington town in search of an old friend, but is met with intolerance and brutality by the local sheriff, Will Teasle. When Teasle and his deputies restrain and shave Rambo, he flashes back to his time as a prisoner of war and unleashes his fury on the officers. He narrowly escapes the manhunt, but it will take his former commander to save the hunters from the hunted.
Director
Ted Kotcheff
Producer
Buzz Feitshans, Herb Nanas
Screenwriter
Michael Kozoll, William Sackheim, Sylvester Stallone, David Morrell
Production Co
Elcajo Productions, Anabasis N.V.
Rating
R
Genre
Action, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Surround
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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