The first outing for John Rambo is a good one. Not that many dead bodies either.

Rocky with guns. Doesn't get much cooler.

A somewhat crazed survivalist/anti-authoritarian/militaristic/patriotic fantasy that attempts to overcome the dissatisfactions of the Vietnam war: (1) by punishing those supposedly responsible for these dissatisfactions (sacrificing the scapegoat); and (2) by reinvigorating American will and American spirit by sending its protagonist (and hence the audience) through a lengthy sequence of ritualized suffering (purifying the blood). As such, of historico-anthropological interest, but little other.

Great movie, better book

The only movie of the series that can be taken seriously. Quality cast and great action scenes.

Doesn't even feel like a "Rambo" movie, far more character driven than any other film in the series.

The line it straddles between character study and action movie is occasionally an awkward one, but it's still an essential piece of 80s pop culture and Rambo's use of "strategy" in rigging the forest to his advantage is unique and entertaining. Brian Dennehy and Richard Crenna are solid and Stallone is of course a living legend, and seeing him in his prime is always welcome.

Rambo at his best. Show the motivation of the military mind.

Maybe it was the low expectations coming in, but I was pretty impressed by this. The portrayals of small town U.S. and the mental toll of war are distorted for cinematic effect, but still very visceral and effective.