When a decorated Green Beret finds himself hunted by a small-town sheriff and military forces in the rugged Pacific Northwest, survival becomes his only mission. Ted Kotcheff's directorial debut transforms David Morrell's source material into a tense action thriller, anchored by Sylvester Stallone's raw performance as the traumatized veteran Rambo. Supported by Richard Crenna and Brian Dennehy, the film explores the collision between an outsider and institutional authority, creating a visceral examination of post-war alienation and institutional indifference.