The Rambo movies can go on without the actor who released them. Sylvester Stallone recently announced his retirement from the character of John Rambo. However, there has been talk that following the success of 2008’s ‘Rambo’, the studio could continue the Rambo movie franchise without him. Since Stallone’s involvement with the series seems to be over, it’s a good time to sum up his Rambo movies in order. Stallone has been involved in all four films that have been made so far, First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III, and Rambo.
First Blood (1982):
The first of the ‘Rambo’ films, First Blood, was based on the novel by David Morrell. It is sometimes referred to as ‘Rambo: First Blood’. The film features the character John Rambo played by Sylvester Stallone. It establishes Rambo as a Vietnam veteran who is trying to find his place in a society that doesn’t want him. He collides with Sheriff Teasle, who sees him alone as a homeless man who does not want in his city. He arrests Rambo, but the post-traumatic stress of his time as a prisoner of war causes Rambo to panic. He wounds several deputies and escapes. A manhunt ensues, where Rambo is revealed to be a killing machine, and the local police and volunteer army are no match for him. Finally, Rambo’s mentor and former commander, Colonel Trautman, shows up and convinces Rambo to give up.
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985):
John Rambo is in a forced labor camp for his crimes in First Blood. Colonel Trautman visits him and offers him the opportunity for a presidential pardon in exchange for help documenting the existence of prisoners of war still in Vietnam. Instead of simply photographing the prisoners, Rambo rescues one and the person in charge, Murdock, refuses to be picked up in the helicopter and Rambo is captured. Rambo escapes, rescues all the prisoners and destroys all of Murdock’s equipment. Then he refuses to return to the United States and walks away. Officially, George P. Cosmatos directed Rambo: First Blood Part II, but it was later revealed that Stallone actually had most of the directing control.
Rambo III (1988):
Now John Rambo lives in Thailand and is once again visited by Colonel Trautman. Trautman is planning a mission to deliver weapons to Afghan fighters in their war against the Russians. Rambo refuses because he is already fed up with the war. However, he later discovers that Trautman has been captured, so he goes in and successfully rescues him.
Rambo (2008):
In Stallone’s latest outing as John Rambo, the character is still in Thailand. Now he sells snakes to a town near the Burmese border. Eventually, he agrees to take them to Burma on his ship, though he believes nothing good can come of them bringing medical supplies to the war-torn region. You have stopped believing that things can change. As with Trautman in Rambo III, he once again discovers that the missionaries have been captured and enters and successfully rescues two of them with the help of some mercenaries. At the end of the film, he finally returns to the United States, to a ranch that appears to be owned by his father.
