When small-town sheriff detains Vietnam veteran John Rambo, little does he realise that he has set in motion a series of events that bring mayhem to his community. Responding to brutal treatment from the police, Rambo escapes from the town jail and roars off with the sheriffs not far behind.

Given the Rambo franchise’s mutation as the 1980s progressed, it’s easy to forget the politically-charged nuances of this terrific first entry. Starring an iconic Sylvester Stallone, First Blood is as much a character-driven examination of unchecked trauma as it is a propulsive survivalist thriller.