Sylvester Stallone draws ‘First Blood’
The name Rambo has all sorts of connotations, thanks to the living action figure the character turned into – and even a literal cartoon character at one point – but Sylvester Stallone’s portrayal of the role had commendable depth and relevance in the project that launched the movie franchise: “First Blood,” which AMC shows Monday, Jan. 31, and Saturday, Feb. 5.
The 1982 drama positions John Rambo as a war veteran seeking a friend from their days in combat. After getting bad news about him, Rambo becomes the target of a local lawman’s (Brian Dennehy) harassment, ultimately pushing Rambo far enough to launch what he terms “a war you won’t believe.” Richard Crenna, who became a regular in the series, appears as Rambo’s former commander who’s summoned to talk him down; also featured is David Caruso, before “NYPD Blue” and “CSI: Miami” made him a TV star.