Sylvester Stallone has been in A LOT of great movies (Uh, hello? Cobra? Tango & Cash? Demolition Man? And you KNOW I have a soft spot for Judge Dredd). But, I think it's safe to say that the two roles Stallone will always be associated with are from the Rocky and Rambo movies.
Ah, yes. Are there any more quintessential, American movie franchises than Rambo and Rocky? On one end, you have the traumatic effects of war, and what it can do to a man (and a nation). And, on the other, you have the feel-good, underdog story that represents our nation’s idealization of hard work and determination.
Both are tremendous franchises (we've even discussed the best Rambo movies, and the best Rocky movies), but I thought it would be interesting to decide which is the better Stallone franchise out of the two. Yo, Adrian! You drew first blood.
First Movie
Every great franchise needs a great first movie. So, which series has the better introduction to the series?
Rambo’s First Movie
We were first introduced to John Rambo in the 1982 masterpiece, First Blood. Based on the David Morrell novel of the same name (but somewhat different, especially in the ending), First Blood is about a Vietnam vet who gets messed with by the police, and who then goes into combat mode since he’s been triggered, and can’t turn it off again.
It's a harrowing, cat-and-mouse film that's still shocking and powerful, even today. Stallone has probably never acted better, and when he breaks down and cries at the end, it gives me goosebumps. Honestly, it’s probably my favorite Stallone movie of all time. But, is it the best?
Rocky’s First Movie
In 1976’s Rocky, Stallone plays a lovable palooka named Rocky Balboa, who boxes because it’s all he knows how to do. It isn’t until he meets the love of his life, Adrian, and gets a random shot at a match against the reigning world champion, that Rocky digs deep to become a champ…even if he doesn’t win in the end.
Rocky swept the nation, and won Best Picture at the 1977 Academy Awards, even beating Taxi Driver (I don’t know if it should have, but it did). That was (and is) the power of the first Rocky movie. America just loved the big lug.
First Movie Winner - Rocky
Though I would personally pick First Blood over Rocky, I know that America has already chosen the latter, so I have to defer to the crowd. In truth, First Blood is a little too morose and heavy for some, but, who doesn’t love the first Rocky? So, Rocky wins this round.
Sequels
You can’t have a movie franchise without sequels. So, which series has the better ones?
Rambo’s Sequels
I’m going to be real with you. Out of the four sequels to First Blood, none of them really come close to the tone and weight of the first movie. When even the author agrees that Rambo: Last Blood, was “a mess," then you know you have problems.
And yet, I still admire the Rambo sequels. While yes, even the first, Rambo: First Blood Part II, was a pretty stark departure from the original, one thing I will give the sequels credit for is that they all stayed committed to Rambo’s character. You honestly can’t have a Rambo movie without John Rambo, as he’s always been front and center, and for that, I definitely give them credit.
Rocky’s Sequels
I love all of the Rocky movies (yes, even Rocky V), but even though Rambo’s tone wildly changed from First Blood to Rambo III, becoming more action thriller than drama, I have to say that the Rocky sequels had an even greater detour, with the later movies almost turning into what seems like superhero films by Rocky III and Rocky IV.
Look, I liked Creed III, sure, but any franchise that can become so far removed from its original character that he isn't even in it any longer, isn’t a sequel anymore. It’s more of its own thing.
The Sequels Winner - Rambo
I think the Rocky sequels are consistently better than the Rambo sequels, but at least all of the Rambo sequels focus on Rambo. The same can’t be said for all of the Rocky sequels.
Main Characters
Every franchise with the character’s name in the title needs to have an interesting protagonist, but which franchise has the better one?
Rambo’s Main Character
John Rambo is a complex human being. We see him as a drifter in First Blood, and later as a Special Forces Green Beret soldier brought back for special missions in its sequels. In each story, we get glimpses of who he is as a human being, but it always feels like we’re never quite getting the full picture.
Some of this seems to be because Rambo himself doesn’t really seem to know who he truly is. What’s also interesting is that Rambo was repurposed for the Reagan era to be this gung-ho military figure, only to be reintroduced as the brooding, war-weary Rambo again in 2008’s Rambo. In every way, John is an interesting case study of what war can do to a person.
Rocky’s Main Character
Now, don’t take this the wrong way, but I think Rocky is kind of boring as a character. I’m not saying that he’s one-note, as he definitely has depth, but I also don’t think he really grows all that much (except for maybe in Creed) from when we met him in the first movie. It was kind of the same thing, over and over again. So, yeah. A little boring.
The Main Character Winner - Rambo
Rambo is always interesting, whereas Rocky might be the least interesting character in his own movies.
Side Characters
Main characters are great and all, but what about the side characters? Which series has the better ones?
Rambo's Side Characters
Honestly, Rambo’s side characters kind of suck. You have Colonel Trautman, who knew Rambo back in the service, but honestly, the rest of the characters kind of feel dull. And, I mean dull to the point that I have to look them up again just to jog my memory. Sheriff Teasle was in the first movie as the antagonist that got in way over his head. Colonel Zaysen in Rambo III, and…I’m really drawing a blank here. And, that’s not good.
Rocky’s Side Characters
Rocky’s characters are actually a lot more interesting than Rambo himself. Besides the “good” characters, like Adrian, Paulie, and enemy–to-friend, Apollo Creed, you also have Rocky’s opponents, with each being more memorable than the last. Then you have Adonis Creed, who has his own spin-off series. So, yeah, Rocky’s side characters are amazing.
The Side Characters Winner - Rocky
Rocky wins, and by a wide margin.
Legacies
All long-running franchises have legacies, but which series has the better one?
Rambo’s Legacy
Rambo probably should have ended at 2008’s Rambo, since Last Blood wasn’t very good. Sadly, the series is likely ending on that note, so the legacy is kind of tarnished. Sucks, too, since 2008’s Rambo would have been a good movie to go out on.
Rocky’s Legacy
Remember how I said that Rocky’s sequels weren’t as good as Rambo’s since the Creed movies don’t even have Rocky in them anymore? Well, that also might be the clearest indication of Rocky’s legacy, since it’s strong enough to introduce a new character and go off from there with him leading. If that doesn’t show the strength in a brand, then I don’t know what does.
The Legacies Winner - Rocky
Rocky is a TKO when it comes to legacy.
The Overall Winner - Rocky
While I don’t think people will ever forget Rambo, the character seems like he's stuck in the past, while the formula of Rocky seems like it still has legs.
Which do you think is more memorable? For more news on all things Stallone, make sure to swing around here often.
