First Blood

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2:19

First Blood

R

1982

1h 35m

Action

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Vietnam veteran and drifter John J. Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) 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 (Brian Dennehy). 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 (Richard Crenna) to save the hunters from the hunted.

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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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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

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.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 24, 2022

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Watchable if entirely preposterous...

Rated: 3/5

Jun 23, 2022

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Michael Sragow

Rolling Stone

An ambitious, bloody, talented but pulpy mess.

Jun 21, 2022

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Allison Rose

FlickDirect

Director Ted Kotcheff offers some stunning visuals, making First Blood not only a pleasure to watch but a study in directing.

Rated: 3.5/5

Apr 8, 2024

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…Ted Kotcheff’s terse action thriller is a significant American film that changed culture and politics back in 1982, and still packs an 89 minute punch today…

Rated: 5/5

Jul 1, 2023

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Pushed-to-the-edge survivalist John Rambo raised the bar significantly for action heroes.

Rated: 9/10

Sep 6, 2020

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Brent A

20% rating ... This film is overrated. The police, and dare I say even Rambo, are pretty unlikable characters in my opinion.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/15/25

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Pablo S

Una de las mejores películas de Sylvester Stallone en la que presenta a su personaje más criticado por su falta de corazón y enorme cantidad de violencia que no están presentes en este filme tanto como en Rambo IV. Excelentes actuaciones condecoran la carta de Presentación de uno mayores ídolos de los años 80: JOHN RAMBO

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/15/25

Full Review

No N

I finally got around to watching this, and I was amazed at how bad it was. The writing, the acting, and the plot were all excruciatingly terrible. There was some beautiful scenery, and it was fun seeing Hope, BC of that era. Otherwise, this was worse than a waste of time.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/08/25

Full Review

Jhon C

Il film è fantastico, il brivido della caccia e tutta la paura e la violenza che fa nascere in un veterano. Purtroppo questa moralità può essere facilmente trascurata nel film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/01/25

Full Review

tim s

First Blood is an excellent introduction to John Rambo—one of the most haunted yet capable action icons. His background as a Vietnam vet is a crucial element of the story, especially since the antagonists—the cops—harbor nothing but disdain for him. What ensues are the consequences that arise when the law falsely targets an innocent man. Stallone, in the lead role, adequately portrays a tortured soul, while the cops on his trail are power-hungry and malicious.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/26/25

Full Review

Zee F

The greatest movie ever made, RAMBO is the definition of alpha male warrior

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/20/25

Full Review

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Ted Kotcheff

Director

Sylvester Stallone

Rambo

Richard Crenna

Trautman

Brian Dennehy

Teasle

David Caruso

Mitch

Jack Starrett

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First Blood: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Vietnam veteran and drifter John J. Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) 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 (Brian Dennehy). 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 (Richard Crenna) 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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