 | |  |  | | Media: | HD DVD | | Country: | USA | | Studio: | Studio Canal | | Cert: | Unrated | | Discs: | 1 |
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Screen captures are for illustration purposes and may not originate from the item reviewed. | | First Blood Review| HD DVD review written by Simon Crust, published 12th February 2007 | Supplied for review by  | First Blood has a lot to answer for. After the glut of anti-Vietnam war films during the seventies, Mr John J. Rambo esquire, Vietnam Vet, decorated war hero and Green Beret comes along and bursts onto the screen and not only changes the action hero genre but also the entire American way of life. I believe there is a direct correlation between the release of First Blood, the subsequent sequels and copycat heroes that brought about a wave of US national pride securing a landslide (49 out of 50 states) third presidential term for Reagan in 1984. Too grand a statement? Or just coincidence?
However, what is true about First Blood apart from its phenomenal success, is the choice of character for Stallone, which lead to a sharp direction change for his career. Best known for his Rocky films, Stallone had yet to make into the action film genre in any substantial way, but that was all about to change and define his career path for rest of his life. The film is only loosely based on the novel by David Morrell and tells of a Vietnam vet unable to adjust to civilian life and finds himself in bitter man hunt with Sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy). When unjustly treated and having ‘first blood’ drawn against him, Rambo takes it upon himself to start a war with the sleepy town. I won’t embellish the story further, doubtless it has been seen by just about everyone by now. What I did find, though, in this viewing is how mature the film is. It is not the all out actioner that it seems to be portrayed as, and certainly nothing like its ridiculous sequels. But neither is it the character study of the novel either. It skirts both these ideas eventually leaning towards the action.
Stallone was perfect casting for this role, playing it as a down trodden, down on his luck guy (much like reprising Rocky) his first meeting with his dead buddies family shows a depth rarely seen in the action genre. He is like a child, explaining short stories about the picture, and once he knows the truth, as devastated as one that has just broken his favourite toy. Turn this full circle to the cock sure jungle combatant at home on the mountain slopes, running on adrenalin able to take out trained officers as if they weren’t there. And then right back to the child when he breaks down at the end of the film in a passionate speech about the horrors of war and the effects it has had on him. It is this breakdown that adds some incredible depth to the character, there is a motivation and an understanding hitherto unseen in action heroes, especially the needing to be held. It is a break from the book in which Rambo is killed, and one that allowed the two hideous sequels to be made. I think I would have liked to have had the character killed, not because it would have spared us the sequels, well maybe, but rather it would have been a tragic end to what is essentially a tragic character.
In the end First Blood manages to rise above its humble action roots adding a pathos to otherwise standard popcorn fodder.
Movie score : 7 | | 552 word review written by Simon Crust. |  | To comment on this review, click here and post a reply.
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