The newest--and possibly last--installment in the Rambo franchise is in theaters now. Rambo: Last Blood isn't the best movie in the series, as GameSpot's review of the film makes clear, but it does bring some closure to one of the most enduring characters in modern cinema.
John Rambo, as portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, first arrived on the big screen in 1981's First Blood and put a vulnerable face on those who served in the Vietnam War. First Blood showed Rambo as a man who came back from overseas with severe PTSD, coming to terms with life at home. He was a trained killer but went out of his way not to be lethal, even when corrupt law enforcement wanted him dead.
The franchise changed throughout its multiple sequels, with Rambo killing more bad guys than you could possibly count. The trajectory of this particular franchise can, honestly, be a tough one to follow. After all, the first two sequels were released quickly after First Blood. Then Stallone put the character for rest for 20 years until resurrecting him for 2008's Rambo--and again for 2019's Last Blood.
Before you head to theaters to see Rambo's latest bloody battle, take a look at the complete history of the character so that you'll know everything there is to know about the ups and downs this character has been going through for nearly 40 years.