In his review for Netflix's Directed by Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge was trapped in development hell for several years because of production delays. However, despite the setbacks, the film has finally hit the small screen and is being hailed by viewers and critics as one of the best offerings of the action genre in 2024.

Even before Rebel Ridge landed on Netflix, many could not help but notice its narrative similarities with the first Rambo movie, First Blood. Owing to this, when it finally premiered, viewers and critics further drew parallels and comparisons between the two. Since Stephen King usually stays up to date with movie and TV trends, he, too, watched the film and shared his insights on it. He also made a solid comparison between Rebel Ridge and Rambo, which seemingly forgets what the Sylvester Stallone movie was really like.

Stephen King's Rebel Ridge Review: Why He Calls It The "Thinking Man's Rambo"

Stephen King's Refers To The Thematic Depth Behind Rebel Ridge's Action & Drama

After quoting that Rebel Ridge is one of Netflix's best original movies, Stephen King called it "A thinking man's RAMBO." Given how the thought of all Rambo movies conjures a mental image of Sylvester Stallone's titular character mindlessly duking it out with enemy forces, it is understandable where Stephen King's statement comes from. Compared to First Blood, Rebel Ridge is also far less violent and more cerebral because its main character, Terry Richmond, uses the least amount of force against the police officers who harm.

Although Rambo, too, fights back only to defend himself from law enforcers, his journey gradually takes an extreme turn where violence becomes his primary means of survival. Terry Richmond, in contrast, settles for deescalation midway through the film even after realizing that the police officers were responsible for his cousin's death. Owing to these differences between the two films, one can see eye-to-eye with what Stephen King is trying to imply in his review.

Movie

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Rebel Ridge

96%

69%

First Blood

86%

86%

However, calling Rebel Ridge "a thinking man's RAMBO" seems unfair. The Stallone film is far deeper than it gets credit for, and, as Stephen King's review establishes, many have forgotten a crucial thematic element that drives First Blood's overarching story. While there is nothing about comparing the two films, one is simply not more thought-provoking than the other because both dabble with serious themes.

Stephen King's Rebel Ridge Review Ignores What First Blood Was Like

First Blood Is Far From Being A Regular Action Popcorn Flick

Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo pointing angrily in First Blood

Since Rebel Ridge barely has a handful full of action sequences, First Blood undoubtedly features more action set pieces and badass protagonist moments than the Jeremy Saulnier film. However, First Blood's action, like Rebel Ridge's, is always driven by a solid purpose. Both films open with scenes that highlight how veterans are often mistreated. While Terry gets rammed off-road by a police vehicle, and two officers seize his money via civil asset forfeiture, Rambo learns that his friend and teammate from war ed away from cancer due to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Rambo movies draw inspiration from the true story of an American soldier, Audie Murphy, who even played a version of himself in a movie adaptation of his book, To Hell and Back.

The police officers in Rebel Ridge undermine Terry's well-being because they only care about fulfilling their own agenda and normalizing corruption. Sheriff Will Teasle targets Rambo because he looks down on the new generation of soldiers and fails to empathize with everything they have been through during the Vietnam War. Rambo and Teasle's conflict escalates relatively faster, but the villains in both films are also veterans who have been warped by their own experiences.

...the two films are not too different in of nuance and thematic depth, proving how King's review misses First Blood's commentary on trauma and police brutality.

Rebel Ridge highlights Terry Richmond's powerlessness against the law by showing how, despite being an incredibly skilled fighter, he has to be careful about not taking things too far with the police. First Blood achieves the same by underscoring that even though Rambo does not want to resort to violence, his powerlessness against his PTSD forces him to take extreme measures when the police officers attack him. The Stallone movie certainly features more bloodshed and lethal weaponry.

Aaron Pierre from Rebel Ridge
Related
The True Story Inspiration Behind Netflix's Rebel Ridge

Netflix's action thriller Rebel Ridge exposes a lesser-known real-life injustice as Terry fights to get his money back from corrupt local cops.

1

However, the two films are not too different in of nuance and thematic depth, proving how King's review misses First Blood's commentary on trauma and police brutality. This is perfectly captured in both movies' final arcs, where one empathizes with the two leading characters and fears what will happen to them. Terry Richmond's future remains uncertain in Rebel Ridge's ending moments even after he gathers evidence of Chief Sandy's wrongdoings. Meanwhile, Rambo breaks down and surrenders, realizing how war veterans like him are not ed despite their sacrifices.

Rebel Ridge 2 Should Avoid Becoming More Like The Rambo Franchise

The Rebel Ridge Franchise Must Etch Its Own Identity

Given how Rebel Ridge etches its own identity in the genre instead of coming off as another Rambo rip-off, it seems likely that even its potential sequel will continue to carve its own unique space. First Blood's sequels gradually dipped in quality because they seemingly forgot what made the first film emotionally stimulating and focused more on spectacle through action. Rebel Ridge 2 should avoid treading the same path and, as Stephen King quoted, continue being a thinking man's action movie instead of conforming to the tried-and-tested tropes of the action genre.