Rambo Movies in Order
- First Blood (1982)
- Rambo First Blood (1985)
- Rambo 3 (1988)
- Rambo (2008)
- Rambo Last Blood (2019)
First Blood 1982
The film’s success was due to several factors. Its commercial and critical success gave it a lasting impact on the genre and led to many parodies of the film. Its psychological depiction of the Vietnam War and its aftermath on American veterans is particularly striking, even if it was never explored further in the sequels. A number of critics, including Empire magazine, named it one of the best movies of all time. Here are a few things you should know about the film.
First Blood, also known as Rambo outside of the U.S., is an action/thriller film directed by Ted Kotcheff and starring Sylvester Stallone as troubled Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. His nemeses include Sheriff Will Teasle, a former commander, and Hope, Washington policeman Colonel Samuel Trautman. Rambo’s relationship with these characters has a long history and his family has suffered from the Vietnam War.
The film was critically acclaimed and was one of the most successful films of 1982. It was released in China for the first time and grossed over $156 million. In China, the film set a record for the largest number of American movie tickets sold. First Blood has been widely praised by critics and has been hailed as one of the most influential films in the action genre. Several sequels, co-written by Stallone, were also made. It also spawned several comic book and novel series. In India, several remakes of the film have appeared.
Rambo First Blood Part II 1985
After the events of Rambo First Blood Part I, the acclaimed action movie is back with the sequel. In this film, John Rambo (John C. Reilly) is still a prisoner of war. However, a chance encounter with Col. Troutman (Richard Crenna) offers him clemency in exchange for a mission to find American POWs being held in Vietnam. Rambo, meanwhile, is torn between taking on the mission or risking his life.
As a result, Rambo is escorted to a POW camp commanded by Captain Vinh (William Ghent). The captain has him fight several enemy soldiers, but the attack is futile, and he manages to escape with only his knife and a bow. While escaping, he rescues an American POW, Banks (Andy Wood), from a makeshift crucifix. In the end, Banks alerts Rambo about his fellow POWs being held in the camp. In a climactic sequence, Rambo kills a sentry and a prison guard, but not before putting the snitch in jail.
John Rambo’s story begins in prison. After a long stint in prison, he is sprung from jail by his former commanding officer and assigned to a mission to survey American POWs in Vietnam. Rambo is incensed over the way the American POWs are being treated and is assigned to find them. He then teams up with a female freedom fighter named Co Bao and undertakes a mission to rescue the POWs. This mission ends in a deadly confrontation with the Vietnamese and Russians.
Rambo Knife
Who Created The Iconic Rambo Knife?
The original Rambo Knife was designed by Jimmy Lile. It first appeared in Rambo First Blood Part II in 1985 and its popularity exploded soon after.
How Many Rambo Movies are There?
There are five Rambo movies that have been made from 1982 to 2019
Rambo III 1988
The summer of 1988 brought us the two most anticipated action movies of the decade: Die Hard and Rambo III. Both films sounded great, but few of them lived up to expectations. Thankfully, Rambo III proved to be a decent action film. While the movie’s action level falls short of its predecessors, it was still an entertaining watch for many. Rambo III is a classic action movie that’s worth seeing for its evocative depiction of Afghanistan and the U.S. relationship with the Mujahadeen.
In this sequel, Rambo encounters his old friend and weapons supplier, Mousa. Mousa agrees to take Rambo to a remote village in Afghanistan, where Mujahideen refuse to help him. Mousa and a young boy named Hamid are instrumental in his efforts. After escaping the village, Rambo attempts to free Trautman from a Soviet base. In the process, he gets shot through the stomach.
Rambo 2008
The film isn’t overly cerebral, and it doesn’t aspire to be, but it does have some perfectly fitting choices for setting up and mood. The film’s last act is particularly brutal, and it would have benefitted from a bit more stealth and a more subtle approach. Despite its shortcomings, Rambo is still a worthwhile watch, proving that Stallone is still on fire. Just remember that it’s not a spiritual or intellectual journey.
The plot follows the premise of Rambo stepping into the role of a war hero. Rambo is a mercenary who lives in a remote village near the Burmese border. He carries out rescue missions for Christian aid workers in war-torn Burma. The Christian aid workers are being attacked and the missionaries are kidnapped by Major Pa Tee Tint’s soldiers. In order to rescue them, Rambo must send mercenaries and go on a deadly rescue mission.
Rambo Last Blood 2019
While in Mexico, Rambo finds himself in a fight with the Martinez gang. He’s brutally beaten by them and is left for dead in an alley. Carmen (Paz Vega) saves him and tends to his wounds. Rambo then returns to the Martinez’s joint to rescue Gabrielle. The entire film feels like a homage to Taxi Driver. While Rambo is still on the hunt for his granddaughter, his mission is to save her.
This Rambo movie is different in that he doesn’t take on soldiers or corrupt governments. The movie rides the popular Mexican cartel tropes that so many popular movies have as their main villain. Still, the movie’s thematic identity of revenge is intact, so it still works to an extent.
Although the film is closing the Rambo franchise, Rambo: Last Blood has no moral obligation to keep violence to a minimum. Instead, it’s an action-oriented movie that could put the final stamp on the legendary character. The filmmakers didn’t make it clear in the trailers how much they felt that Rambo’s last revenge should be. Despite this, the movie is still a highly entertaining and satisfying action film.
