When most people think of the Rambo movie franchise, they likely picture Sylvester Stallone as the titular action hero. However, there have been a total of five Rambo movies in the series.

The first movie, “First Blood,” was released in 1982 and Sylvester Stallone has reprised his role as John Rambo in each subsequent installment.

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While the movies are all united by the common thread of John Rambo’s journey, each movie also stands on its own and explores different themes.

For example, “Rambo: First Blood Part II” focuses on the aftermath of the Vietnam War, while “Rambo III” sees Rambo travel to Afghanistan to help fight the Soviet invasion.

The Rambo movies spawned five sequels, each one more action-packed than the last. The Rambo movies are known for their non-stop action, explosions, and over-the-top violence. If you’re looking for a heart-pounding thrill ride, you should definitely watch the Rambo movies in order.

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The book by David Morrell inspired the movie, in which Sylvester Stallone played John Rambo, who continues to be the series’ hero.

The “Rambo” legacy has spanned 32 years with five movies, an animated TV series with 65 episodes, and several video games since the character debuted.

As a result, instead of fading away into obscurity, the franchise’s fan base has grown, and it will undoubtedly endure for many years to come. Although Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo differs greatly from the book, he nonetheless made an impression on his fans.

For the next two decades, the image of a tortured soul with a muscular physique, heavy-duty weapons, and bandana-clad sweat-soaked body became the standard template for an action hero.

If you’re a fan of the “Rambo” movies, then you’ll want to check out this list of all the films in order. From the original “First Blood” to the latest installment, “Rambo: Last Blood”, we’ve got you covered.

So sit back and enjoy this exciting ride through the life of one of Hollywood’s greatest action heroes!

Rambo Movies in Order of Release Date

  • First Blood (1982)
  • Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
  • Rambo III (1988)
  • Rambo (2008)
  • Rambo: Last Blood (2019)

Rambo Movies in Chronological Order

The best way to see all of Rambo’s films is in chronological order. It’s also because the stories progress in a straight line, covering years in John Rambo’s life, beginning with “First Blood” and concluding with the last.

Let’s deep dive into the storyline of each title of the Rambo franchise.

First Blood (1982)

Director Ted Kotcheff’s, starring Sylvester Stallone, “First Blood” is the movie that introduced the world to John Rambo.

The film is based on David Morrell’s 1972 novel of the same name, which tells the story of John Rambo, a former Vietnam War veteran who is struggling to adjust to civilian life.

The first-ever installment of Rambo movies stars Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy, and Richard Crenna in the leading roles.

After being harassed by the local police in a small town in Washington, Rambo goes on a rampage, leading to a manhunt. The film has some intense violence, but it was considered tame compared to later installments.

Sylvester Stallone’s acting was praised, with many critics noting that he was perfectly cast as the troubled Vietnam War veteran.

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

“Rambo: First Blood Part II” picks up where the original left off, with John Rambo being arrested by the military after his rampage in Washington.

He’s then taken to a prisoner-of-war camp in Thailand, where he’s forced to endure torture.

Rambo eventually escapes and is visited by Colonel Sam Trautman (Richard Crenna), who dispatches him on a confidential assignment to Vietnam. Sylvester Stallone goes on a one-man mission to save his friends, who are being held captive by the Vietnamese.

This installment was released during the Cold War and taps into America’s fear of communism. The film is more action-packed than the original, with Rambo blowing up helicopters and taking on an entire army by himself.

“Rambo: First Blood Part 2” stars Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, and Charles Napier in leading roles.

The movie collected $300 million at the box office and became one of the most successful sequels of all time.

Rambo III (1988)

“Rambo III” is set in the Soviet Union, with John Rambo going to Afghanistan to help the mujahideen fight the Soviets.

This time, the CIA sends Rambo to Afghanistan instead of the Vietnam War, which was where he was originally from.

Rambo isn’t too keen on the idea of helping the Americans and instead wants to be left alone. However, he eventually agrees to help and goes on a deadly mission to rescue his friend Colonel Trautman.

This installment is notable for its intense action sequences, including a scene where Rambo fights an entire squadron of Russian soldiers using just his knife.

The film collected over $183 million at the box office, however it was not as successful as the previous one in the series.

Rambo (2008)

Sylvester Stallone himself was the director of the fourth installment of the series.

The film shows scenes from Thailand and Julie Benz plays the role of a reporter by the name of Sarah.

The Burmese Army captures Sarah. Rambo volunteers to accompany the troops, concerned about Sarah’s potential fate.

After witnessing a village completely destroyed, with people and animals murdered and mutilated, the mercenaries discover some soldiers forcing several surviving villagers to run through a minefield.

The mercenaries are hesitant to help the people, but not Rambo, who shoots the soldiers with a bow and arrow. To motivate his teammates, Rambo reminds them of their mission and urges them to continue.

Rambo helps the others to flee by using a stolen truck to create a strategy to save the hostages at the P.O.W. camp, which he executes in just fifteen minutes to avoid startling the troops. Sarah and her companions are able to escape using Rambo’s help.

The movie “Rambo” has some great action scenes, thriller, and suspense elements, and displays Rambo’s compassion and heroism.

Rambo: Last Blood (2019)

The last film in the Rambo movies in order is “Rambo: Last Blood.” The film follows John Rambo as he travels to Mexico to help a friend rescue his daughter from a drug cartel. However, things quickly spiral out of control, and Rambo has to take on the entire cartel by himself.

Rambo has been living on his deceased father’s ranch in Arizona with his friend Maria and her granddaughter Gabriela for the past 11 years, since the events of the previous film.

Rambo sends her to Mexico, where she learns that her biological father is there and wants Rambo to go with her. However, Rambo refuses and is unable to prevent Gabriela from traveling.

The sequel to “Rambo: First Blood” continues the hero’s tale from the previous films with flashbacks from prior installments.

This was the final film in the Rambo franchise. The film collected $91.5 million at the box office.

So there you have it, all the Rambo movies in order! If you’re a fan of Sylvester Stallone or just action movies in general, then these are definitely worth a watch.

Each one is exciting and full of non-stop action, so you will get full entertainment from start to finish. And if you’re looking for a marathon movie session, why not watch Rambo movies back-to-back? Just make sure you have plenty of popcorn!

Rambo Movie FAQs

How many Rambo movies did they make?

Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo franchise consists of five Rambo movies. The main character in the film is John Rambo.

The movie series begins years after the Vietnam War, with Rambo traveling to visit a buddy in a remote Washington hamlet.

The situations that Rambo got into in the sequels were more difficult and life-threatening, requiring him to rescue himself as well as others who sought his aid.

Is there a connection between all the Rambo movies?

All of the Rambo movies follow the story of John Rambo, a Vietnam War veteran who is struggling to adjust to life outside of the military.

While the first three movies are somewhat connected, the fourth and fifth movies seem to be unrelated to the others.

However, upon closer inspection, there are actually a few connections between all the Rambo movies.

For example, in each movie, Rambo is pitted against an overwhelming force, whether it be Vietnamese soldiers or a group of mercenaries.

In addition, Rambo always manages to outsmart his enemies and come out victorious in the end.

These common elements help to create a connection between all the Rambo movies, despite their different storylines.

Is it necessary to watch all the Rambo movies in order?

No, It is not necessary to watch the Rambo movies in order.

However, Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo films make a lot of sense if you watch them in the order they were released, beginning with “First Blood.”

The film follows scenes that are connected to the previous films in the series.

This is especially important because the last installment of Rambo was released in 2019 and it would be beneficial for viewers to understand the background leading up to the last film.

Will there be a 6th Rambo movie?

To date, there is no such news of part 6 of the Rambo films.

However, if the Rambo franchise releases the sixth film in the series of Rambo movies, fans would really like to watch Sylvester Stallone in action.

Sylvester Stallone was in talks with David Morrell, the author who created the Rambo character for the sixth film in the series.

All five films in the series of Rambo movies received appreciation and love from fans and audiences worldwide.

Which Rambo movie is the best?

There is no specific answer to the question. All the Rambo movies were great and did amazing business at the box office.

Fans have appreciated the work done by Sylvester Stallone in all the films and would like to see more of such movies in near future.

The first film in this Rambo franchise was “First Blood” and the final one was “Rambo: Last Blood.”

Can I watch Rambo movies on Netflix?

Sadly no, Rambo movies starring Sylvester Stallone are not available on Netflix.

They can, however, be watched on the following streaming services: Google/YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV.

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