First Blood (1982)

Caro finds the film an involving action drama, unlike its cartoonish sequels. He praises Brian Dennehy’s snarling performance and the tautly assembled woodland chase.

Ebert gives the film a positive review. He singles out Rambo’s wounded character as a strength.

The critic regards the film as a politically significant, first-rate action thriller, despite some flaws. They especially praise Kotcheff’s tightly paced motorcycle-and-police-car chase and the film’s evocative cinematography.

The accessible page identifies this as a review, but its verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be determined from the accessible text.

Bradshaw finds the film watchable but preposterous, with limited dramatic wit. He praises its old-school action spectacle, especially the explosions and stunt-glass window crashes.

The critic’s verdict is mixed. The review’s specific praise or complaint cannot be verified from the inaccessible page.

The review is negative, faulting the film for credibility problems and for retreating from its stated social themes. It particularly complains that the film offers no attempt to address the lingering consequences of Vietnam.

The critic calls it an excellent action film with a strong message about the effects of war. He especially praises Stallone’s performance and the supporting work of Brian Dennehy and Richard Crenna, while criticizing the Blu-ray transfer and sparse extras.

The DVD is presented as a mixed package, with good picture and sound but little supplementary material. The reviewer praises the widescreen DVD’s colour and sound quality, while noting that its only extra is a trailer.