History YMMV / FirstBlood

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: The original ending [[spoiler:where Rambo dies]] did not test well with audiences because of this trope thanks to Rambo's [[AdaptationalHeroism more sympathetic portrayal]], so it was [[RevisedEnding revised]] to prevent this [[spoiler:by having Rambo live]]. With the film as bleak as it is, it's hard to blame them.

* JerkassWoobie: In the DVD's director's commentary, Teasle is said to be this due to him having served in the Korean War, which has been forgotten and harbours prejudice and jealousy towards Rambo due to the Vietnam War being a hot topic at the time this film was set and the fact he was highly decorated more than Teasle himself (Rambo was awarded the Medal of Honor, while Teasle was awarded a Silver Star, Purple Heart and ADSC, which Teasle is implied to consider them inferior to the more well-regarded Medal of Honor). Even though he is genuinely grief-stricken at his so-called best friend Galt's death and wants to avenge him, he is completely oblivious that his friendship with him is absolutely one-sided due to Galt's despicable nature and even purposely ignoring Teasle at the time of his death (it's also implied that Galt may have manipulated Teasle to be friends when in reality they weren't just for Teasle get Galt a job that lets him continue committing heinous crimes with no consequence). Also, despite being a somewhat loathsome antagonist, he's not really an evil villain, just a broken, misguided, angry soul and is rounded up as human and fallible. It's made more explicit in the novel with Teasle's Woobie status UpToEleven, as novel reveals his wife had divorced him, worsening his angst, while it is also revealed that Teasle's father was killed in a hunting trip.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Colonel Trautman was such a beloved supporting character that he was the only one brought back for the sequels.

* AwardSnub:
** There were talks of Richard Crenna getting an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
** Many feel Stallone deserved a nomination for his performance.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Oddly enough, Sheriff Teasle is this despite being the BigBad. He is far and away the most memorable part of the film due to being a TragicVillain and a JerkassWoobie despite his despicable unjust actions against Rambo in contrast to the later villains and Galt, his willingness to angrily FaceDeathWithDignity after accepting defeat and his actor Brian Dennehy's [[{{Mundanger}} down-to-earth]] performance, making Teasle a VillainousUnderdog in comparison to the sequels' villains. It helps that this role was a StarMakingRole for the character actor Dennehy, providing an opening for him to accept potential major roles, supporting or leading.

* IdiotPlot: The whole movie (and quite possibly the entire franchise) could've been avoided if a) Teasle didn't bother Rambo at all or b) Rambo just left the town at numerous points in the film.

** Creator/KirkDouglas (the initial actor for Colonel Trautman before Crenna replaced him) and Dennehy had both passed away in the year 2020. Plus, the fact Dennehy passed away at age 81 is ironically also the number of the year when shooting for this film took place and when the film is supposed to be set. Teasle's scoffing "[[AnyoneCanDie Everybody dies]]" towards Trautman just before his final showdown with Rambo has also becomes poignant in light of his actor's passing.

** Creator/KirkDouglas (the initial actor for Colonel Trautman before Crenna replaced him) and Dennehy had both passed away in the year 2020. Plus, the fact Dennehy passed away at age 81 is ironically also the number of the year when shooting for this film took place and when the film is supposed to be set.

** Creator/KirkDouglas (the initial actor for Colonel Trautman before Crenna replaced him) and Dennehy had both passed away in the year 2020.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Teasle would have been an interesting complex JerkassWoobie character like in the novel the film is based on and the most unique antagonist in the ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' films, but he's instead reduced to a little characterized BigBad as shown in the final cut. There's also the fact that he never appears again, despite implicitly surviving this film's events. Also, Dennehy's real-life passing also destroys any chance for the character to reappear again if given.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Teasle would have been an interesting complex JerkassWoobie character like in the novel the film is based on and the most unique antagonist in the ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' films, but he's instead reduced to a little characterized BigBad as shown in the final cut. There's also the fact that he never appears again, despite implicitly surviving this film's events.

* HarsherInHindsight: Brian Dennehy as Teasle and his hatred against Vietnam vets can be hard to swallow to some, considering Dennehy in real-life had [[PhonyVeteran lied about serving in Vietnam while in the military]] and later apologized for the fraud.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Oddly enough, Sheriff Teasle is this despite being the BigBad. He is far and away the most memorable part of the film due to being a TragicVillain and a JerkassWoobie despite his despicable unjust actions against Rambo in contrast to the later villains and Galt, his willingness to angrily FaceDeathWithDignity after accepting defeat and his actor Brian Dennehy's down-to-earth performance, making Teasle a VillainousUnderdog in comparison to the sequels' villains. It helps that this role was a StarMakingRole for the character actor Dennehy, providing an opening for him to accept potential major roles, supporting or leading.
* EvilIsCool: Sheriff Teasle can be considered to be this by some due to more exceptional depth characterization unlike the future villains, showing off some VillainousValor and his actor's grounded performance.

* JerkassWoobie: In the DVD's director's commentary, Teasle is said to be this due to him having served in the Korean War, which has been forgotten and harbours prejudice and jealousy towards Rambo due to the Vietnam War being a hot topic at the time this film was set and the fact he was highly decorated more than Teasle himself (Rambo was awarded the Medal of Honor, while Teasle was awarded a Silver Star, Purple Heart and ADSC, which Teasle is implied to consider them inferior to the more well-regarded Medal of Honor). Even though he is genuinely grief-stricken at his so-called best friend Galt's death and wants to avenge him, he is completely oblivious that his friendship with him is absolutely one-sided due to Galt's despicable nature and even purposely ignoring Teasle at the time of his death. Also, despite being a somewhat loathsome antagonist, he's not really an evil villain, just a broken, misguided, angry soul and is rounded up as human and fallible. It's made more explicit in the novel with Teasle's Woobie status UpToEleven, as novel reveals his wife had divorced him, worsening his angst, while it is also revealed that Teasle's father was killed in a hunting trip.

** David Caruso plays one of the cops.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Oddly enough, Sheriff Teasle is this despite being the BigBad. He is far and away the most memorable part of the film due to being a TragicVillain and a JerkassWoobie despite his despicable unjust actions against Rambo in contrast to the later villains and Galt, his willingness to angrily FaceDeathWithDignity after accepting defeat and his actor Brian Dennehy's down-to-Earth performance, making Teasle a VillainousUnderdog in comparison to the sequels' villains. It helps that this role was a StarMakingRole for the character actor Dennehy, providing an opening for him to accept potential major roles, supporting or leading.

* FirstInstallmentWins: It’s the only film in the franchise that’s been successful with critics, and is widely agreed to be the best among fans.

* FirstInstallmentWins: It’s the only film in the franchise that’s been successful with critics.

* {{Anvilicious}}: War is traumatic. The film manages to be somewhat restrained about this theme until Rambo's monologue at the end hammers ths point home in explicit detail. Creator/RogerEbert called this out in his review, saying that Rambo was more sympathetic when his grievances were implied rather than spelled out.

* {{Anvilicious}}: War is traumatic. The filn manages to be somewhat restrained about this theme until Rambo's monologue at the end hammers ths point home in explicit detail. Creator/RogerEbert called this out in his review, saying that Rambo was more sympathetic when his grievances were implied rather than spelled out.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Teasle would have been an interesting complex JerkassWoobie character like in the novel the film is based on and the most unique antagonist in the ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' films, but he's instead reduced to a little characterized BigBad as shown in the final cut.

* {{Anvilicious}}: Much like ''Film/FullMetalJacket'', ''First Blood'' is less anti-war than it is anti-draft. It manages to be somewhat restrained until Rambo's monologue at the end hammers this point home in explicit detail. Creator/RogerEbert called this out in his review, saying that Rambo was more sympathetic when his grievances were implied rather than spelled out.

* FirstInstallmentWins: It’s the only film in the franchise that’s been successful with both critics and fans alike.

%%* IronWoobie: John Rambo, especially how he ends up a HeroWithBadPublicity in this film.

* {{Narm}}: Sobbing Johnny Rambo recounts his traumatic [[UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar 'Nam]] experience, (making even hardass Richard Crenna's lip tremble) is this if it's not a TearJerker; the enunciation leaves something to be desired, even if the circumstances [[note]]Rambo detailing how one of his best friends was blown apart by a bomb carried by a child and trying to find his legs[[/note]] can excuse it.

* AwardSnub: There were talks of Richard Crenna getting an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: ''Maybe'' the helicopter pilot jerking the controls in ''just'' the right direction to send a seatbelt-less Galt falling out of the helicopter to his death was an accident. On the other hand, the helicopter pilot had already called Galt out for disobeying orders and shooting at an unarmed suspect. Galt responded to this by telling the helicopter pilot to shut up and fly steady or he'd kill him (basically making the pilot an accessory to murder). So when Rambo throws the rock and cracks the windshield...well, accidents do happen.