In First Blood Sylvester Stallone introduced his second enduring screen character John Rambo, Vietnam veteran of the Special Forces. Those hick law enforcement characters from the Pacific Northwest really didn't know who they were messing with. Even though Richard Crenna did try to steer them straight.
It all begins innocently enough. Sheriff Brian Dennehy the local law where Sly was traveling through gives him a ride out of town and tells him to keep going. Dennehy just doesn't like Sly's looks, not that he's done anything. All Stallone was there to do was visit a Vietnam War buddy whom he finds out has died from cancer most likely gotten from Agent Orange. Not that it was any of Dennehy's business because Stallone wasn't breaking any laws.
But when Dennehy sees him start back to town he then arrests him on the usual charge of vagrancy when they can't think of anything else. But the treatment and disrespect he's shown by the town police brings back memories and he snaps. He injures about six cops breaking jail and Dennehy's hot to get this guy no matter what it costs.
The best I can say for the rest of the film is that Sly makes them pay plenty.
Richard Crenna was Rambo's colonel in Vietnam tries in vain to tell the local and later the state law just what they're up against. Rambo's been trained in survival and killing techniques with or without weapons. He's a pure warrior and even normal fear has been driven right out of him.
For some of us who've had bad experience with the law First Blood was a film we could identify with. Just citizens who get arbitrarily pushed around for one reason or another. I remember wheeling a heavy shopping cart with groceries and laundry on the sidewalk of one of the main thorough fares of my city and a police car just drove right up and blocked my path. When I protested the man in blue threatened to run me in for obstruction of justice. I know exactly how Stallone felt when being pushed around. I suspect many in the theater audiences knew as well.
Stallone makes a lot of mayhem in the Pacific Northwest, the location cinematography for First Blood is just great, it can't be anything else in that part of the country. And Sly Stallone introduced an enduring cinema hero in John Rambo.
It all begins innocently enough. Sheriff Brian Dennehy the local law where Sly was traveling through gives him a ride out of town and tells him to keep going. Dennehy just doesn't like Sly's looks, not that he's done anything. All Stallone was there to do was visit a Vietnam War buddy whom he finds out has died from cancer most likely gotten from Agent Orange. Not that it was any of Dennehy's business because Stallone wasn't breaking any laws.
But when Dennehy sees him start back to town he then arrests him on the usual charge of vagrancy when they can't think of anything else. But the treatment and disrespect he's shown by the town police brings back memories and he snaps. He injures about six cops breaking jail and Dennehy's hot to get this guy no matter what it costs.
The best I can say for the rest of the film is that Sly makes them pay plenty.
Richard Crenna was Rambo's colonel in Vietnam tries in vain to tell the local and later the state law just what they're up against. Rambo's been trained in survival and killing techniques with or without weapons. He's a pure warrior and even normal fear has been driven right out of him.
For some of us who've had bad experience with the law First Blood was a film we could identify with. Just citizens who get arbitrarily pushed around for one reason or another. I remember wheeling a heavy shopping cart with groceries and laundry on the sidewalk of one of the main thorough fares of my city and a police car just drove right up and blocked my path. When I protested the man in blue threatened to run me in for obstruction of justice. I know exactly how Stallone felt when being pushed around. I suspect many in the theater audiences knew as well.
Stallone makes a lot of mayhem in the Pacific Northwest, the location cinematography for First Blood is just great, it can't be anything else in that part of the country. And Sly Stallone introduced an enduring cinema hero in John Rambo.