First Blood

John Rambo, a former elite U.S. Army soldier, travels to visit his old comrade Delmare Berry. Upon arriving at Delmare's farm, he learns devastating news from Delmare's mother that his friend has died from cancer, a consequence of exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.

Rambo enters the small town of Hope, Washington, where his disheveled appearance attracts the attention of Sheriff Will Teasle. The sheriff has little patience for drifters and swiftly expels Rambo from the town, setting off a chain of events that will lead to conflict.

After being expelled, Rambo chooses to return to Hope and is subsequently arrested by Teasle. Inside the police station, he faces brutal treatment from Deputy Art Galt, which evokes harrowing flashbacks of his own torture during the Vietnam War.

As Galt and two other officers attempt to humiliate him during a dry shave, Rambo reaches a breaking point. The traumatic memories overwhelm him, and he uses his military training to escape, overpowering the officers in a moment of desperate self-defense.

Following his escape, Rambo commandeers a motorcycle and leads the police on a frantic chase into the nearby mountains. The deputies scramble to catch him on foot, underestimating Rambo's resourcefulness and survival skills in the wilderness.

While searching for Rambo from a helicopter, Deputy Galt makes a deadly error by disregarding safety protocols. He is struck by a rock thrown by Rambo in self-defense, leading to his fall from the helicopter, which fuels Sheriff Teasle's desire for revenge.

Rambo, utilizing his extensive combat experience, begins employing guerrilla warfare tactics against the deputies sent to capture him. He incapacitates several officers in quick succession, showcasing both his skills and his unwillingness to kill unless necessary.

Colonel Sam Trautman arrives to handle the escalating situation, knowing Rambo's capabilities as a skilled soldier. He advises Sheriff Teasle to allow Rambo to escape and regroup instead of pursuing him aggressively, underscoring the gravity of the conflict.

Trautman manages to communicate with Rambo via a stolen CB radio, urging him to surrender. However, Rambo, embittered by the treatment he faced, fiercely retorts that 'they drew first blood,' shutting off the radio and further deepening the conflict.

Eventually, Rambo finds himself cornered by the National Guard while hiding in an abandoned mine. The rookie unit launches an attack, mistakenly believing he is dead after a missile strike, leaving him free to navigate the mine's tunnels.

Rambo demonstrates his resourcefulness by crafting an improvised torch to navigate out of the mine. Using flame to detect air currents, he skillfully escapes to the surface, once again evading capture.

In a bold move, Rambo hijacks a military cargo truck and barrels back into town, causing panic. He causes a gas station explosion, using the chaos as a strategic cover to dismantle the police station, demonstrating his anger and desperation.

As Rambo prepares to exact vengeance against Sheriff Teasle, he expertly uses the police station's skylights to outmaneuver the sheriff. This intense confrontation culminates in Rambo wounding Teasle, emphasizing the escalating stakes of their conflict.

Just as the situation intensifies, Trautman intervenes, passionately urging Rambo to cease the violence. Rambo, visibly distressed by the memories of war and societal rejection, shares a haunting story of loss before making a pivotal decision.

Ultimately, overwhelmed by the weight of his experiences, Rambo chooses to surrender to Trautman. Their exit from the police station symbolizes the broader struggles faced by veterans as they seek to reintegrate into civilian life and reconcile their past traumas.