First Blood, the iconic war film starring Sylvester Stallone that is credited with inventing a genre, will air on ITV4 tonight at 9.35pm. Released in 1982, the film tells the story of John J Rambo, a Vietnam veteran and drifter who faces brutality and prejudice from a small-town sheriff in Washington state.
Directed by Ted Kotcheff and based on the novel by David Morrell, First Blood was a box office hit despite initial negative reviews from critics. Over time, it has been re-evaluated and is now regarded as a genre-defining movie that shaped subsequent action films. It holds an 86 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
One critic described it as 'a significant American film that changed culture and politics back in 1982, and still packs an 89 minute punch today.' Fans have praised the film for its portrayal of the treatment of Vietnam veterans, with one noting the 'amazing monologue at the end that sums up what most Vietnam veterans felt like when they returned from the war.'
First Blood airs on ITV4 at 9.35pm on Saturday, January 3.
