Tag Archives: First Blood

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On The Couch 2011 #18: Rambo

The Rambo franchise is in competition with the Star Wars franchise for the Lifetime Achievement Award for Most Confusing Titles. You might think Rambo is the first movie in the franchise. Nope, it’s the fourth. The first movie with Rambo in the title is Rambo: First Blood Part II, a subtitle that was often dropped until the recent subtitle-less Rambo was released. The only title in the franchise that is clear is the much derided Rambo III. Say what you will about that movie, but it’s got III in the title and it’s the third movie of the series.

Rambo is as full of current over-the-top action movie cliches as Rambo III was for 1980s over-the-top action movie cliches. Yet, it’s Rambo III that Rambo fans will usually apologize for, while touting this one as “OH MY FUCKING GOD! IT’S SO BADASS!” The giant machine gun mowing ripping enemy soldiers in half is as silly as the Rambo lighting fire through his open wound scene in Rambo III. Sure, Rambo’s script doesn’t have the mysticism that romanticized John Rambo’s allies in Rambo III, but at the end of the day, that shooting fire through himself scene from Rambo III cannot be topped.

Seriously, what beats this?

What’s the most disappointing part of Rambo? Without a doubt, it’s the lack of Trautman. Sure, Richard Crenna died in 2003, and they did use flashbacks of Trautman talking to Rambo from First Blood, but it’s not the same. Trautman is favorite character in the Rambo series. He’s as flawed as Rambo. He was one of the few people who cared from Rambo, and at the same time manipulated Rambo when it benefited him. I would have liked to have seen Rambo reacting to the news of Trautman’s death. Maybe the minister travelling up river could have arrived with a recommendation letter from Trautman?

Speaking of Minister Michael, his character seemed to go through the biggest arc in Rambo. After first meeting John Rambo, Michael threatens to report Rambo for killing the pirates that were going to rape Sarah and kill Michael and the rest of his missionary group. He didn’t even say “Thank you for the whole us not dying there thing” before chastising Rambo. But by the end of the movie, he’s beating a soldier’s skull in with a rock.

I really enjoyed the ending, with John walking down the highway to his family homestead. But how awesome would it have been if Brian Dennehy drove up to him at this point and acted like a dick to him again? Just end the movie on Rambo’s eyes right there. They couldn’t even bring Dennehy on set for the day just to make this an alternate ending for the fans?

With the success of The Expendables, the newest Rocky and Rambo, I think it’s pretty safe to guess that if Sly Stallone wants to make another Rambo movie, aka Rambo II: First Blood Part V, it will get made.

My favorite Rambo movie remains Son of Rambow
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On The Couch 2011 #6: Rambo: First Blood Part II

Like First Blood, now that I’ve seen Rambo, I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to see this movie. I loved it. I don’t know which I like better, First Blood or Rambo. Both First Blood and Rambo had a strong message about how we treat veterans, though First Blood handled it a little better. The action in Rambo was just unbelievable though. Both were great.

Who gets in a helicopter with John Kreese and expects it to go smoothly. Does John Kreese only wear sleeveless tops? IMDB says he was a good guy lawyer on Cagney & Lacey in t he 1980s. I never saw it, but I presume he showed up at court in suit with the sleeves ripped off.

“John Kreese don’t wear no jive sleeves. Uh, I mean, sweep the leg.”

In the special features, it’s mentioned that there was debate about Rambo and Co kissing right before she’s killed. I’m glad they went with the kiss. It definitely made for a bigger sense of loss when she was gunned down. It looked like Rambo was finally going to get a happy ending. That lasted a whole minute. I’m also glad they decided to drop the triple zoom on Rambo’s anguished scream when she dies. How did they possibly think that wasn’t going to come across as ridiculous?

I’m really excited to see Rambo III. I’ve been told there is a big quality dip between Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III (which I always thought should have been named Rambo II: First Blood Part III), but that hasn’t soured my desire to see it.

Wasn’t there a Rambo cartoon series at one point? Or did I just imagine it? Was it any good?

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On The Couch #41: First Blood

Continuing, my thematic movie watching, I watched First Blood on Veterans Day.

But my real reason for watching First Blood was that one my friends recently challenged my manhood because I had never seen it (or any of the Rambo movies for that matter). I hope that I have redeemed myself a bit in his eyes now that I’ve seen the first one.

Before this, the only connection I had to Rambo was a Rambo action figure’s Uzi I received in a bag of hand-me-down toys as a kid. The Rambo figure never made it to me, but that I didn’t mind as I now had the only He-Man on my block armed with both a mystical sword and an automatic weapon.

Little know fact: He-Man is a card-carrying NRA member.

I wonder how much First Blood influenced Bruce Springsteen in the writing of Born in the U.S.A. Bruce left out the one-man-taking-a-town-under-siege finale in the song, but the movie plays out as an hour and half long version of Born in the U.S.A.

At least Bruce was inspired by Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot

In the battle of 80’s action movies I’ve seen this week, First Blood is definitely the better film over Top Gun. Top Gun had some great fighter-jet sequences, but the bad in Top Gun was really bad. First Blood, on the other hand, was great the whole way through.

Included on the Blu-Ray is an alternate ending, where John Rambo forces Colonel Trautman to kill him. Imagine how much money they’d have left on the floor with Rambo dead! I think it’s safe to say Sylvester Stallone is very happy John Rambo survived his mental breakdown at the end of the film. As am I. I look forward to watching Rambo: First Blood Part II.