RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD
On a whim, a friend and I decided to watch RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD (trailer here). Neither of us knew anything about Rambo minus the occasional scene played in Alamo Drafthouse or various pop culture references to the character. I had seen more recent ads for the newer films in the franchise, so I went in with the idea it would be a bit cheesy, 80’s-style action film with Sylvester Stalone looking cool, killing people with a heavy machine gun. Little did I know, this is a top-tier 90-minute action movie that has everything this genre should have. It contains a great supporting cast in the form of Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, and David Caruso, as well as a thrilling score on par with TOP GUN and ALIENS. As John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) crosses the landscape of the Pacific Northwest forest, cinematographer Andrew Laszlo paints the perfect backdrop for a cinematic and beautiful sequence of cat vs. mouse. The practical special effects cement the world that these characters battle in, and create a number of strong action sequences that force you to lean in. The extra weight in both the story and the performances turns a cheesy action prompt into a hit classic that I recommend everyone see.
—Jackson Ingraham, Executive Assistant
