First Blood (The Movie - Part I)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Blood

This may be hard to believe, but I haven’t seen either First Blood or Rambo III, but I know I saw the second Rambo once as a kid, though all I remember are those explosive-tipped arrows – the dumbest, most kick-ass weapon ever used in a movie. I checked out The Rambo Trilogy DVD set from work this week – and after watching First Blood last night, I’m a little confused about a few things.

Sylvester Stallone re-wrote the script to make John Rambo more sympathetic, so instead of killing his redneck pursuers, as Rambo does in David Morrell’s original novel, he only seriously wounds and maims them, leaving thoughtful apology letters to each victim next to his improvised traps, written in his distinctive voice: “Hey, like, sorry that my rudimentary spike trap stabbed you in your groin. But, hey, I had to take it over the top…you know, right?”  

For the first half of the movie, I can get behind this – in fact, I rather like the idea – but if he’s that keen on not hurting people, why does he return to Brian Dennehey’s town, Hope (doh!), after everyone believes he’s dead with a freakiin' M60 machine gun!? Jesus, talk about your mixed signals...