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1982: First Blood
1982 was another weak year for me, because there were no really great films, only good ones. My runner-up is The Thing. It was very close to being top pick for this year, but First Blood is simply too fun and meaningful for me. Other films I enjoyed from this year are E.T, 48 Hours, Poltergeist, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Night Shift & Rocky III. Many love Blade Runner, but I don't think as highly of it as others.
In the era of mindless action films, First Blood emerges as the one with the most meaning. It tells the story of an ex-Green Beret named John Rambo, who is arrested by a small town sherrif, simply because he looks like a scruffy hood. Rambo makes a daring escape from the police station he is taken to and takes refuge in the wild. He soon mounts a one-man defense against the sherrif and the National Guard.
Rambo is Stallone's most sympathetic character ever. Even moreso than Rocky. Rambo is portrayed as a lonely guy tortured by memories of Vietnam. While the sequels went in different directions, this film is more subtle in it's portrayal of it's main character. And make no mistake, this is Sylvester Stallone's finest performance to date. He's not a very good actor, but he made a good effort to give this character the depth and strength he needed.
Everyone remebers Rambo as a one-man army, taking down armies of bad guys, with giant machine guns. It's a shame, because First Blood is the most interesting approach. Sure, it still has it's fair share of blood and action, but it works more for me as a character study of a man desperate to be a hero.
The film isn't without it's flaws though. The final monologue is very cliched and overplayed and rather unintelligible. And I'm not a big fan of Brian Dennehy's performance as the sherrif. But the good elements are enough for me to consider it one of the best films ever made.
I feel like I'm trying to convince people that a mindless action movie is actually a more complex drama about man's need for heroism. But that's how I really feel about this film. But otherwise, it's one of the top 5 action films of the 1980's.
+
1982 was another weak year for me, because there were no really great films, only good ones. My runner-up is The Thing. It was very close to being top pick for this year, but First Blood is simply too fun and meaningful for me. Other films I enjoyed from this year are E.T, 48 Hours, Poltergeist, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Night Shift & Rocky III. Many love Blade Runner, but I don't think as highly of it as others.
In the era of mindless action films, First Blood emerges as the one with the most meaning. It tells the story of an ex-Green Beret named John Rambo, who is arrested by a small town sherrif, simply because he looks like a scruffy hood. Rambo makes a daring escape from the police station he is taken to and takes refuge in the wild. He soon mounts a one-man defense against the sherrif and the National Guard.
Rambo is Stallone's most sympathetic character ever. Even moreso than Rocky. Rambo is portrayed as a lonely guy tortured by memories of Vietnam. While the sequels went in different directions, this film is more subtle in it's portrayal of it's main character. And make no mistake, this is Sylvester Stallone's finest performance to date. He's not a very good actor, but he made a good effort to give this character the depth and strength he needed.
Everyone remebers Rambo as a one-man army, taking down armies of bad guys, with giant machine guns. It's a shame, because First Blood is the most interesting approach. Sure, it still has it's fair share of blood and action, but it works more for me as a character study of a man desperate to be a hero.
The film isn't without it's flaws though. The final monologue is very cliched and overplayed and rather unintelligible. And I'm not a big fan of Brian Dennehy's performance as the sherrif. But the good elements are enough for me to consider it one of the best films ever made.
I feel like I'm trying to convince people that a mindless action movie is actually a more complex drama about man's need for heroism. But that's how I really feel about this film. But otherwise, it's one of the top 5 action films of the 1980's.
+