Rambo 1-3 Box Set (Blu-ray Disc)

What's your favorite Rambo movie? I am stuck between First Blood and Rambo, but they are obviously two wildly different movies. Then again, all four films in the Rambo franchise are independent of one another and true products of their era. When I received the Rambo Blu-ray trilogy I couldn't help but smile. I have to admit - I felt lucky to do what I do. Not because these are great films (I had actually never seen Rambo II or Rambo III), but these are entertaining films. While First Blood is obviously a step ahead of all three of the other Rambo features in terms of character development and structure, there is enjoyment to be found in each one in one way or another.

Originally released in 1982, First Blood still has the feel of a late '70s actioner. With the '80s came big guns and big explosions, something that certainly dominated the first two Rambo sequels and was certainly a go to bit of FX for Rambo III. However, First Blood is more of a personal film and it really digs deep into the heart of John Rambo and while a lot of the emotional elements of Rambo where left to the opening and closing credits of Rambo II and III, what was created in First Blood certainly aides in the successful viewing of 2008's Rambo.

In his audio commentary Stallone points out that the script for First Blood was not new to Hollywood and it had made its way around the town and was yet to get picked up. Little did Sly know that this would soon become a character that would help define his career. A character he would ultimately revisit 20 years after he last left him driving away in a Jeep in Afghanistan.

The Rambo franchise is only complete if you also pick up Rambo and should you buy one, I urge you to buy them all. Each film has a runtime of only 90 minutes or slightly more and if you take the time one rainy weekend to watch all four in a row it is an all-out slaughter of the senses. After watching Rambo get the best of some backwoods idiots in First Blood you will travel with him back to Vietnam, off to fight Charlie Wilson's War in Afghanistan and ultimately into his interrupted life of solitude in the Burmese jungle.

Of course this is just the trilogy and you will have to pop over here to get the fourth film to make the collection complete, or just skip the Blu-ray option and buy the Complete Collection in a nice little collectible tin. Either way, if you are reading this review I have cause to believe it will be money well spent.

Outside of the upgrade in video and audio quality, the Blu-ray discs only offer the "Out of the Blu" trivia tracks as an added bonus and they aren't interesting enough to forgo buying the complete collection in one. I am certainly happy I have all four films now on Blu-ray, but I can tell you I would be just as happy with all four on DVD in one fancy-shmancy DVD package. One way or another, if you are a Rambo fan I think you will be satisfied.