First Blood Movie Review

Featuring David Caruso without sunglasses! John Rambo, as embodied by Sylvester Stallone, became one of the defining action icons of the 1980s. Though Stallone had already earned Oscar recognition for Rocky, his non-Rocky career was wobbling when he signed on to adapt First Blood for the screen. The result was a tense survival thriller that launched a franchise, reshaped Stallone’s image, and even drew admiration from figures like President Ronald Reagan. Now Playing Podcast begins its Rambo retrospective by revisiting the film that started it all. Is this original Rambo just another loud, over-the-top relic of the Reagan era, or does it earn its reputation as a more thoughtful and grounded action drama? Arnie, Brock, and Jakob head into the woods to find out.