Red Bandana VS Red Gloves: Tussle Association

Rambo: First Blood

Rambo is one of the most iconic action franchises in movie cinema. Period. However it might come to some surprise that the movie franchise of such testosterone and gun-porn would have such humble begginings.
Rambo: First Blood is a movie in which we are introduced to Rambo as he just comes back from Vietnam.

With the anti-war mentality that had swept the United States during the Vietnam war, our protagonist, John Rambo is met with prejudice, fear and open hostility despite him being rather mellow and just trying to make ends meet. This hostile small town only continues further pushing Rambo towards the edge, until he eventualy breaks, and lashes out against his tormentors. Using this as an excuse to prove the "dangerous" nature of this "criminal" the police of the small town escalate things further, forcing Rambo to use all the skills his commando training taught him to take them out in a defencive fight for his own life.

As the events take place before people knew that messing with Rambo is a -very- bad idea, eventually the army itself has to intervene, sending Rambo's superior officer to calm him down.

Rocky IV

With Rocky already a succesful robot gifting wrestler, enjoying the fruits of his hard work with those closest to him, including his foe-turned-bestie Apollo Creed. When a team of Russian forgetable atheletes and Ivan Drago show up boasting about how Communism is the best and Capitalism blows, Apollo Creed gets all patriotic and challenges Ivan to an exhibition match. With Rocky being rather sceptical about the entire thing, he hesitantly agrees to help train Apollo for the match. With a full blown patriotic boner, Apollo begins the match versus Ivan Drago (played by the LEGEND Dolph Lundgren) and starts to lose bad. Despite Rocky and his trainer asking him to quit, Apollo makes them promise they wont stop the match no matter what. In the following rounds, Ivan proceeds to mercilesly pummel Apollo, while the coach begs Rocky to throw the towel to stop the match, Ivan kills Apollo creed.

Due to lack of remorse by the Russians and his own personal guilt Rocky challenges Ivan Drago himself. With the Russians accepting the challenge the game is on

Initially this movie seems to be a slow paced, boring, cliche action flick. Stoic badass finds out his best friend from the war died of cancer he then is harassed by mean cops that smell, and spoiled sheeple that do as told. Our protagonist seems to be always missunderstood, mocked and even assaulted for no reason because society stinks and he is the only smart and cool one that is worth a damn.
When he eventually breaks and starts to respond to violence with violence, you get the kind of stuff you would expect from a Rambo film. Rambo proceeds to do some amazing McGyver stuff, sets up traps, is ominous as hell and kicks tons of ass.

Problem is folks, that during the last act of the film, when Rambo is legit off the rails and the army is called in to calm him the fuck down you see his Colonel showing up to talk to him, in which Rambo breaks down in tears.

And here is where the movie pulls a 180 at you and you realize this is in fact an astute, accurate and well executed social commentary masked as an action flick. Rambo's emotional speech carries weight and addresses issues such as misguided patriotism, abandonment and prejudice against war veterans, lack of rehabilitation etc in ways that are both profound and, sadly, still relevant.

Unlike the movies that came after, Rambo: First Blood is actually a well executed action film with a strong message executed with a type of simplicity that makes it a perfect blend of light hearted action and social commentary, without being on the nose about it.
(Image Credit: Silver Screen Guide)

Rocky IV is a fun film without a doubt. The patriotic boner it strokes throughout the film is both entertaining and hillarious, as the obvious shells of people the Russian side seems to be is a staple of the 80's.
With not just Rocky's honor but AMERICAN PRIDE at stake, Rocky has to fight for revenge and honor versus the mean Soviets that are anti-Freedom communists.

All jokes aside however, Rocky IV is a very simple film. Sure, you have the character growth and emotional moments that are actualy pretty often in Stalone films, but overal there is not much to say.
Ludgren plays his part as being the menacing and big tough guy Stalone has to face, and Stalone does his job at playing Rocky as we know and love.

To be honest however, if you watch this movie as anything but an action/comedy you wont really enjoy yourself as much. I particularly find it extremely funny how the entire anti-communist "Red Fever" has influenced this film.
I mean you have a scene in which Ivan Drago is training on high tech facilities, with tubes (because reasons) and gets injected with shots to get buff, like all modern day American athletes do, eeer I mean, like all baddies that hate proper sportsmanship do.
And on the other hand you have Rocky, your average American (for sure), training on the streets, in the cold, using fences and school kids as weights or something, I dunno

Despite all that, you will find yourself cheering for Rocky and having a genuinely good time. Its a -good- film. A dumb film for sure, but a good one nonetheless.

Hands down the superior film.

Lets be honest here guys.

I love both films. They are equally entertaining for vastly superior reasons.
Both movies are strocking Patriotic boners for the United States, and both movies are entertaining, action packed and just simple plain fun regardles.

Where Rambo takes the lead is because even when you strip it down from all the fun, dumb action and view it with your serious/objective goggles, Rambo manages to deliver a serious and relevant message even for today, while Rocky does not.

Though perhaps a Rambo: First Blood versus Rocky I would have been a different thing, Rocky IV is a product of an era of Stalone Films when all attempts at making serious films has vanished and instead all his films are about Patriotism and action. Rocky IV, Rambo First Blood part 2 and every Rambo following that spare the recent one etc.

Rambo First Blood is an honest film, presenting itself well, establishing its character well and seeing him change throughout the experience. Stalone seems to get almost -way- into character, as his silent moments are extremelly well played, and his emotional speech manages to get to you even if you are here just for the shooting.

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