First Blood (1982): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
First Blood is a 1982 action thriller directed by Ted Kotcheff, starring Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy and Richard Crenna. It is partly based on First Blood by David Morrell. It runs 1 hour 33 minutes and earned $125.2 million worldwide on a $15 million budget. Critics gave it 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 33m (93 min)
- Director
- Ted Kotcheff
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Orion Pictures Corporation
- Budget
- $15M
- Based on
- First Blood by David Morrell
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
What Is First Blood About?
The premise of First Blood without spoilers, adapted from First Blood by David Morrell. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A troubled Vietnam veteran, John J. Rambo, wanders into a small mountain town seeking peace, but finds himself facing hostility from the local sheriff, Will Teasle. When pushed to his breaking point, Rambo’s past traumas and combat experiences trigger a fierce and desperate response. A tense manhunt follows, and as the situation escalates, it takes the involvement of Rambo's former commanding officer to de-escalate the conflict and explore the underlying issues of tolerance and understanding.
First Blood Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- abuse of power
- vietnam war veteran
- bad cop
- corrupt sheriff
- post traumatic stress disorder
- corrupt cop
- police officer
- sheriff
- small town
- woods
- jail
- green beret
+38 more Show fewer
- manhunt
- social commentary
- loner
- colonel
- escape
- torture
- dark hero
- flashback
- hand to hand combat
- police brutality
- vietnam war
- suspense
- fire
- held at gunpoint
- ambush
- pursuit
- pig
- war veteran
- bare chested male
- 1980s
- combat
- drifter
- forest
- moral dilemma
- bully comeuppance
- guerilla warfare
- action hero
- war hero
- wrongful arrest
- male nudity
- humiliation
- cruelty
- harassment
- bully
- one man army
- motorcycle
- revenge
- death of friend
First Blood Cast
Sylvester Stallone leads the cast, with Brian Dennehy and Richard Crenna. Directed by Ted Kotcheff.
-
Director Ted Kotcheff
More from Ted Kotcheff
More films directed by Ted Kotcheff, best-rated first: North Dallas Forty, Split Image, Wake in Fright (1971) and Borrowed Hearts.
First Blood Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave First Blood 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
-
IMDb 7.7 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 86% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 86%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 61 Metascore
User score 8.2
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 75% User score
See on TMDB
First Blood Plot Summary
What happens in First Blood from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
John Rambo, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, is a former elite member of the United States Army Special Forces, who earned the Medal of Honor for his valor during the Vietnam War. Set in the American Northwest during December 1982, a decade after the conflict, the narrative unfolds as Rambo seeks to reconnect with his old comrade, Delmare Berry, traveling to his farm only to discover through Delmare’s mother that he has succumbed to cancer months prior, a suffering caused by Agent Orange exposure. Unbeknownst to the audience, Rambo realizes he is the last surviving member of his unit.
Full summary
The whole story of First Blood, scene by scene
First Blood Box Office & Budget
First Blood grossed $125.2 million worldwide on a $15 million budget, 8.3 times what it cost. $47.2 million came from the US and Canada and $78 million (62%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$125.2M
8.3× its budget
- US & Canada
- $47.2M
- International
- $78M
- Budget
- $15M
First Blood Trailers & Videos
8 videos: 1 trailer and 7 clips.
- Clip RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD - Forest Hunt Clip [4K] - Starring Sylvester Stallone
- Clip RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD - Jail Escape Scene [4K] - Starring Sylvester Stallone
- Clip Rambo: First Blood | Emotional Scene | Rambo's Breakdown
- Clip Rambo’s Final Standoff with the Sheriff | Rambo I with Sylvester Stallone & Brian Dennehy
How Well Do You Know First Blood?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the protagonist in 'First Blood'?
Cars in First Blood
54 cars on screen, including the 1979 Chrysler Newport and the 1979 Ford LTD II.
-
1979 Chrysler Newport Important role -
1979 Ford LTD II Important role -
1951 GMC M135 Important role -
Yamaha XT 250 Important role
First Blood Also Known As
43 alternative titles, including “Rambo: First Blood” and “兰博, diyidixue”.
- Also known as
-
- Rambo: First Blood
- 兰博, diyidixue
- Krigaren
- Rambo - taistelija
- Rambo: Pŭrva krŭv
- Rámpo: To Próto Aíma
- Rambo - Prva krv
- Rembo: Persha krov
- Rambo: İlk Kan
- 第一滴血1
- Rambo - First Blood
- Rambo: Programado Para Matar
+31 more Show fewer
- Rambo: Acorralado I
- Rambo I: First Blood
- ランボー：1982
- 第一滴血
- Rambo 1
- Rambo 1: First Blood
- Rambo: İlk Qan
- Rambo - Programado Para Matar
- Rambo
- Acorralado
- Rambo: První krev
- İlk Kan
- Рэмбо: Первая Кровь
- A Fúria do Herói
- Taistelija
- Ράμπο: Το Πρώτο Αίμα
- Rambo: Pierwsza krew
- Рамбо - Прва крв
- ランボー
- רמבו: משחק הדמים
- Рамбо: Първа кръв
- Rambo: Primul sânge, partea I
- 람보
- Рембо. Перша кров
- Rambo : Le dévastateur
- Rembo: Pirmasis kraujas
- แรมโบ้, პირველი სისხლი
- Rembo
- Chiến Binh Rambo I
- رمبو: اولین خون
- Acorralat
Seen First Blood?
Movies Like First Blood
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo and Rambo: Last Blood.
First Blood FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of First Blood, each answered in a sentence.
How long is First Blood?
First Blood runs 1 hour 33 minutes (93 minutes).
When was First Blood released?
First Blood was released on October 22, 1982.
Who directed First Blood?
First Blood was directed by Ted Kotcheff.
More films by Ted Kotcheff Who is in the cast of First Blood?
First Blood stars Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy and Richard Crenna.
How much did First Blood make at the box office?
First Blood grossed $125.2 million worldwide ($47.2 million domestic, $78 million international) on a budget of $15 million.
How is First Blood rated?
First Blood has 7.7/10 on IMDb, 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, 61 on Metacritic and 75% on TMDB.
Is First Blood based on a book?
Yes. First Blood is partly adapted from First Blood by David Morrell.
Does First Blood have a post-credit scene?
Yes. First Blood has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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