1985 film by George P. Cosmatos
Rambo: First Blood Part II is a 1985 American war action film starring Sylvester Stallone as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. A sequel to First Blood (1982), it is the second installment in the Rambo film series. The film was directed by George P. Cosmatos from a story by Kevin Jarre, with a screenplay by James Cameron and Stallone. It co-stars Richard Crenna, who reprises his role as Colonel Sam Trautman, along with Charles Napier, Julia Nickson, and Steven Berkoff.
The film's plot is inspired by the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue. In the movie, Rambo is released from prison in a deal with the United States government to document the possible existence of missing prisoners of war (POWs) in Vietnam, but is given strict orders not to rescue any. When Rambo defies his orders, he is abandoned and forced once again to rely on his own brutal combat skills to save the POWs.
Rambo: First Blood Part II was released on May 22, 1985, by Tri-Star Pictures, becoming a major global blockbuster, with an estimated box office gross of $150 million in the United States, becoming the second highest-grossing film at the domestic box office and the third highest-grossing film worldwide in 1985. It has become one of the most recognized installments in the series, having inspired countless rip-offs, parodies, video games, and imitations. In 2009, Entertainment Weekly ranked the movie number 23 on its list of "The Best Rock-'em, Sock-'em Movies of the Past 25 Years".
Despite its success and pop-culture status, Rambo: First Blood Part II earned mixed reviews from critics, with many feeling Rambo's compelling nature was lost from its predecessor in favor of a more typical action hero portrayal. Additionally, it was nominated in seven categories at the 6th Golden Raspberry Awards, winning four, including Worst Picture. However, it was nominated for Best Sound Effects Editing at the 58th Academy Awards. A sequel, Rambo III, was released in 1988.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.