Well, hello there, kind folks. If you’re visiting this blog of mine, I presume that you have a certain interest in the cinema. As for me, even since my early childhood, I have had a deep love of everything related to movies and television. As far as I can remember, I have been more at ease in front of a screen than in the yard, outside, playing. It is a great way to travel, though other people’s stories, without having to foot any kind of steep bill. Over the years, I feel that movie-watching has even fuelled my own creativity.

All that being said, I welcome you in my Cinephile’s Nest. I hope you enjoy it here, feel free to come back at any time. Here you will find reviews of current movies and older ones. TV shows also. Some classics that have remained some of my favourites, some that have disappointed me. I will use a very basic star (*) system to grade them from 1 to 5 (5 being sliced bread level). Remember, these are just my tastes. I will try to explain in each review what I liked about these particular movies, without giving spoilers.

Il y aura aussi des critiques en français pour les films francophones, car j'aime également le cinéma dans ma langue maternelle. Avant d'apprendre l'anglais, plus jeune, je louais des tonnes de films traduits en français, surtout ceux de Bud Spencer et Terrence Hill. Ma mère a eu le choc de sa vie lorsqu'un jour, dans la boîte d'un de ces films, Deep Throat avait malencontreusement inséré. Une expérience formatrice pour le jeune cinéphile que je suis.

Bienvenue à tous, amusez-vous bien.

I welcome you all here, enjoy yourself.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

First Blood (1982)


Genre: Action / Thriller
Directed by: Ted Kotcheff
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy
Running Time: 93 minutes



Based on the David Morrell novel of the same name, First Blood tells the story of John Rambo, a discharged Vietnam vet and Green Beret who decides to visit a former comrade only to find out he passed away from cancer after the war. As he leaves on foot, Rambo crosses the little town of Hope, Washington. He is intercepted by local sheriff Will Teasle, who takes the veteran for a vagrant. After being subjected to abuse at the police station, Rambo snaps and starts waging war on the little community.

While he may not be the best actor of all-time, Stallone has had a knack for picking some characters that would maximize his strengths. In the process, he made us care about these characters, be it the ultimate underdog Rocky Balboa or the killing machine John Rambo.

First Blood, the first title in the Rambo franchise, did a solid job of exposing the life that awaited many Vietnam veteran after that war. Those lines delivered by Stallone, in character, towards the end were quite powerful. Brian Dennehy was the perfect choice as the abusive sheriff who finds himself way over his head. On the other hand, Richard Crenna’s performance felt wooden and false.

In my book, First Blood remains a classic that I love to watch again and again.

Rating: ««««

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