Rambo movies in order Rambo Marathon
Page Last Modified:
23 December 2025
Most Recent Release:
Rambo: Last Blood - 2019
Total Runtime:
472 Minutes
Total Items:
5
Average User Score:
(6.8)Rambo movies in order
Explosions that'll make your heart race and a hero who lets his fists do the talking? Welcome to the Rambo franchise. This legendary series of military action films is full of action, with Sylvester Stallone as the indomitable John Rambo, a Vietnam veteran, guerrilla warfare expert, and 80s action icon. If you're gearing up for a Rambo movie marathon, it's essential to know the correct viewing order. No worries, we've got your back. If you're diving into the Rambo saga for the first time with First Blood or revisiting it with Rambo: Last Blood, this guide will make sure you experience it in full glory.
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1
First Blood Movie 93 min. 1982When former Green Beret John Rambo is harassed by local law enforcement and arrested for vagrancy, he is forced to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.USER SCORE 7 -
2
Rambo: First Blood Part II Movie 96 min. 1985John Rambo is released from prison by the government for a top-secret covert mission to the last place on Earth he'd want to return - the jungles of Vietnam.USER SCORE 7 -
3
Rambo III Movie 102 min. 1988Combat has taken its toll on Rambo, but he's finally begun to find inner peace in a monastery. When Rambo's friend and mentor Col. Trautman asks for his help on a top secret mission to Afghanistan, Rambo declines but must reconsider when Trautman is captured.USER SCORE 6 -
4
Rambo Movie 92 min. 2008In Thailand, ex-Green Beret John James Rambo joins a group of mercenaries to venture into war-torn neighboring Myanmar to rescue a group of Christian aid workers who have been kidnapped by a ruthless local infantry unit.USER SCORE 7 -
5
Rambo: Last Blood Movie 89 min. 2019After fighting his demons for decades, John Rambo now lives in peace on his family ranch in Arizona, but his rest is interrupted when Gabriela, the granddaughter of his housekeeper María, disappears after crossing the border into Mexico to meet her biological father. Rambo, who has become a true father figure for Gabriela over the years, undertakes a desperate and dangerous journey to find her.USER SCORE 7
First Blood (1982)
Your marathon starts in a small American town where John Rambo, a Vietnam War veteran haunted by his past, searches for an old comrade. What happens is an exciting showdown between Rambo and the local authorities, with Brian Dennehy playing the determined Sheriff Teasle and Richard Crenna as Colonel Trautman, the only one who really gets Rambo. First Blood is set in the forests of the Pacific Northwest and is a raw, emotional tale of survival. It starts the whole Rambo franchise off with a bang, showing Stallone's character as more than just a killing machine, he's a man who's been hurt, both in his body and in his mind.
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Three years later, things get even more intense. In Rambo: First Blood Part II, our hero is pulled from prison by Colonel Trautman for a covert mission: rescuing POWs in Vietnam. In this scene, Rambo goes from being a survivor to a full-on action hero. He's got an iconic survival knife, explosive arrow tips, and the famous M60 machine gun. The tone changes a lot from First Blood, which makes the movie a classic in the series. Get ready for jungle warfare, stealth kills, and the classic "one-man army" vibe. Julia Nickson kills it as Co Bao, and Steven Berkoff goes over the top as the villain Podovsky. This is the Rambo that most people recognize: shirtless, sweaty, and unstoppable.
Rambo III (1988)
Think it can't get more intense? Then Rambo III comes along. This time, our lone warrior goes to Afghanistan to rescue Trautman from the Soviets. It's a mix of guerrilla tactics, desert horseback riding, and improvised weaponry. It's set during the Soviet-Afghan War, so it's got a geopolitical edge, but it's still all about the action. Marc de Jonge plays Colonel Zaysen, and while the plot is straightforward, the visuals are stunning. Stallone is at the top of his game physically, the stunts are mind-blowing, and the pace is non-stop. It's 80s action at its finest.
Rambo (2008)
Two decades after Rambo III, Stallone returns as an older, quieter, yet still lethal Rambo. In this fourth movie, called "Rambo," he lives in Thailand until a group of Christian aid workers asks him to help them get through the dangerous war zone of Burma. What follows is perhaps the most brutal film in the series. The body count is unbelievable, the action is raw and unfiltered, and Stallone, who also directed, goes for a dark, gritty tone. This film shows that Rambo isn't just an 80s icon, he's still relevant and scary good. The jungle scenes, guerrilla survival tactics, and nihilistic atmosphere make for a tough yet impressive viewing experience.
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
Finally, after nearly four decades, we get the conclusion: Rambo: Last Blood. John's out in Arizona, trying to find some peace, but he ends up in all this chaos when someone he loves gets snatched by a Mexican drug cartel. The result is a brutal, personal vendetta that ends in a bloody finale that's like a mix of Home Alone and the apocalypse. Paz Vega plays Carmen Delgado, Yvette Monreal is Gabrielle, and Sergio Peris-Mencheta impresses as cartel leader Hugo Martinez. The vibe changes: less jungle, more underground cartel tunnels and booby traps. But the themes of trauma, loss, and revenge are still at the heart of Rambo. It might not be the fan favorite, but when you watch the films in order, they give a fitting, albeit dark, conclusion.
Why This Order Works Perfectly
While each Rambo film can stand alone, watching them in order shows the full journey of John Rambo from a traumatized veteran to a man seeking peace. You'll see how the movies have changed over time. They started with the psychological drama of First Blood, then moved on to the explosive action of Rambo III, and finally, the raw brutality of the later films. Each part of the series adds to the last one, and not always in terms of the plot, but in terms of the characters, the themes, and the tone. Plus, you'll enjoy a nostalgic journey through decades of action cinema, with Stallone as a constant force.
Pro tip: Make it a themed night!
Four words: Rambo. Night. Survival. And of course, snacks. Hey, why not turn your living room into a little fortress? Put on that old army jacket and dish out snacks with names like "Explosive Popcorn" and "Jungle Jerky." Invite your friends to shout out iconic quotes ("They drew first blood!") and keep a scoreboard of the Rambo body count. For the full experience, check out the Rambo video games or dive into the expanded universe for more background. Just a friendly reminder: dim the lights, silence your phone, and let the adrenaline flow.
Finally: The Legacy of Rambo
The Rambo franchise is about more than just muscles and bullets. It's a look at the time, an evolution of the action genre, and a character study of a man at war with the world and himself. Whether you're meeting Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo for the first time or rediscovering him, his journey is worth experiencing in the right order. From Ted Kotcheff's intense First Blood to Stallone's directorial debut in 2008 and Millennium Films' raw conclusion in 2019, this marathon is a tribute to one of the most iconic action heroes ever.