All 12 Sylvester Stallone Movies From the 1980s, Ranked

Sylvester Stallone was one of the biggest movie stars of the 1980s and had many acclaimed roles in action hits, franchise sequels, and underrated thrillers. Although this was a decade defined by Stallone’s rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger, these two icons propelled each other to star in increasingly scandalous cult favorites throughout this incredible decade in cinema. During this period, Stallone often outperformed his longtime rival, branching out into comedies, neo-noirs, and continuing to do his own thing as a writer, director, and star of some of the latter’s biggest hits. was.

Many of Stallone’s best films were released during the 1980s, as this was a prime time for the popularity of his characters like Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. Stallone had many underrated films during this period that, through the power of hindsight alone, have come to be considered cult classics and misunderstood fan favorites. While Stallone continued to make a name for himself in Hollywood in the following decadesThe 1980s were truly an incredible time for this action movie legend.

12

Strass (1984)

Sylvester Stallone as Nick Martinelli

While pairing Sylvester Stallone and Dolly Parton in a story about becoming a country music star had a lot of cult film appeal, rhinestones, unfortunately, it missed the mark. The most memorable thing about Rhinestones it was Parton’s work on the soundtrack, as the film led to her number one Country Singles hit, “Tennessee Homesick Blues.” The rest of the film was a forced and contrived rendition of Larry Weiss’s “Rhinestone Cowboy,” featuring Stallone in a comedy before he really established himself in funny films.

Stallone was Nick Martinelli, an obnoxious New York cab driver who tried to transform himself into a popular singer to win a bet, while Parton was Jake Farris, the hapless country singer tasked with transforming Martinelli. With a lackluster story and practically no chemistry between its stars Rhinestones It bombed at the box office and was one of the most shocking examples of Stallone being horribly miscast.

11

Over (1987)

Sylvester Stallone as Linc Hawk

Although Sylvester Stallone has become one of the most iconic action movie stars of all time, with hit franchises like Rocky and Ramboyour cheesy arm wrestling movie Over It didn’t have quite the same appeal. The ridiculousness of this film’s concept made it live up to its title, but Above the top The story of truck drivers fighting for custody of their children seemed almost like a parody of a Stallone film. Although it had some fun moments, this was perhaps Stallone’s most forgettable failure during this period.

Stallone was even nominated for Worst Actor at the Razzies for his portrayal of Linc Hawk. The actor himself publicly criticized the film, with Stallone later stating that there was a lot he would change. Over If he could go back in time (via Not good news.) Stallone criticized the “carnivalesque”Climate sequences in Las Vegas and said he would like to have the film’s soundtrack instead of including a “endless stream of rock songs.”

10

Rambo III (1988)

Sylvester Stallone as John J. Rambo

It must be admitted that Rambo’s character has evolved with each subsequent entry in the series. While the first film was a thoughtful exploration of a Vietnam veteran suffering from PTSD and the second leaned more heavily into action movie tropes, at the time Rambo III had emerged, he was a superhero-style action star. With a plot that transferred the story to the Soviet-Afghan War Rambo III saw Sylvester Stallone on a death-defying mission to rescue his former commander.

Rambo III was the last film in the series during the 1980s for good reason, as it was clear that the franchise had lost its creative steam. While Rambo III was a solid action film with some impressive special effects, it felt like a shell of its former self. The political themes of the Cold War Rambo III it also felt one-dimensional and lacking in nuance, meaning this was Rambo’s worst outing of the 1980s.

9

Lock Up (1989)

Sylvester Stallone as Frank Leone

While Block had a random production which meant that the film started filming before they even had the script completely ready (via shock cinema), there was still a lot to love about this mixed prison movie. With Sylvester Stallone as Frank Leone, a convict nearing the end of his sentence, his incarceration became more difficult than he imagined after he was suddenly transferred to the violent maximum security facility known as Gateway Prison, and his sentence was extended. for five years.

This turn of events for Stallone’s character was due to the sadistic practices of Director Drumgoole, a man who hates Leone and wants to see him suffer. While Block sometimes it felt a bit meandering, Kudos must go to Donald Sutherland for his incredible portrayal of Drumgoolewhich added a sinister energy to the prison story. Although Block was poorly received at the time of its release, but has since gained a beloved following among Stallone enthusiasts.

8

Escape to Victory (1981)

Sylvester Stallone as Captain Robert Hatch

Escape to victoryalso known simply as Victorywas a sports film starring Sylvester Stallone, dealing with themes completely different from those Rocky. Set in 1942 amid the war against Nazi Germany, Escape to victory focused on Allied prisoners’ exhibition football match against a German team. With an all-star cast including Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow and even football legend Pelé Escape to victory It was an inspiring film with a unique plot.

Directed by film legend John Huston, Escape from Victory It received mixed reviews from critics at the time, but has gained much more praise in recent years. With excellent football sequences featuring many real players, Escape to victory was an implausible but entertaining story that combined the genres of sports, prison and war into a single piece of pure cinematic entertainment. Although some may consider its concept foolish, if the public suspends their disbelief, Escape to victory It was a highly engaging film.

7

Tango and Money (1989)

Sylvester Stallone as Lieutenant Ray Tango

Sylvester Stallone ended the 1980s with the classic buddy cop Tango and moneystarring himself and Kurt Russell. This cult story of mismatched cops saw Stallone playing cunning detective Ray Tango, while Russell was cowboy cop Gabe Cash. Being the last great action comedy of its decade, despite being full of tropes and clichés, it’s hard to deny Tango and money Solidly entertaining movie status.

While the story of Tango and money was predictable, as the pair were framed and sent to prison by their archenemy, the chemistry between Stallone and Russell was worth the price of admission. As the duo overcame adversity and sought justice while spewing endless cheesy one-liners, Tango and money was a poorly received crime adventure that never received the critical love it deserved at the time of its release. While there have been rumors about a sequel over the years, it was disappointing that the public has never seen more than Tango and money.

6

Rocky III (1982)

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa

THE Rocky The franchise will always be the defining aspect of Sylvester Stallone’s career, as his breakout role brought him fame and fortune and was a part he always returned to. However, some entries were better than others, and Rocky III represented one of the weakest releases in the franchise. While it was enjoyable to see Rocky train with his old rival Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang (Mr. T) was one of the least engaging opponents Rocky faced.

Many aspects Rocky III it seemed completely unnecessary, as the franchise failed to add anything significantly new to this installment. Despite this, the action sequences were great and it was fun to continue watching the movie. Rocky series-exclusive montages while Rocky and Creed trained on the beach. There was also one more aspect that helped ensure Rocky III legacy within the franchise, as this was the entry that included the song “Eye of the Tiger,” a perfect training track with an unparalleled place in modern popular culture.

5

Cobra (1986)

Sylvester Stallone as Lieutenant Marion “Cobra” Cobretti

With SnakeSylvester Stallone took his tough-guy action movie persona to the absolute extreme with a fantastically violent display of pure carnage. Unlike the careful cops in so many other action films of this era, Lieutenant Marion “Cobra” Cobretti was a no-nonsense cop who didn’t let rules and regulations get in the way of the fun, fast pace, and frenetic emotions. With Stallone investigating a mass shooting and hostage situation at a Los Angeles supermarket, things soon heat up when Cobra ignores police procedure in his quest to save the day.

Snake was a straightforward action film that could be criticized for having one-dimensional characterizations, but that was the entire point, as the film prioritized action film entertainment above all else. This uncompromising willingness to rely on clichés and action clichés has caused Snake a firm cult favorite and perhaps the purest encapsulation of Stallone’s unique appeal.

4

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

Sylvester Stallone as John J. Rambo

Rambo: First Blood Part II took the nuanced concept of the original film and turned up the dial for maximum effect. With this sequel, Rambo lost some of his three-dimensional characterizations and became more of a typical action hero, although the film was so entertaining that this loss in character depth could be forgiven. First Blood Part II saw Rambo return to Vietnamwhere he sought to free potential prisoners of war who had been held captive in the country since the start of the conflict.

First Blood Part II was a huge box office success that grossed an astonishing $300 million at the global box office (via Mojo Box Office.) Rambo’s run-and-gun mentality and litany of explosions and action shots helped turn Stallone into one of the most bankable stars of the 1980s and was a major contributor to his status as a legend of action cinema. all times. While some viewers may criticize the direction this sequel pointed in Rambo franchise, there’s no denying that it wasn’t a solidly entertaining film.

3

Nighthawks (1981)

Sylvester Stallone as Sergeant Deke DaSilva

Although the character of Rocky Balboa marked Sylvester Stallone as one of cinema’s greatest underdogs, he shed that persona to play the gritty neo-noir cop Sergeant Deke DaSilva in Nighthawks. This dark and highly underrated film proved Stallone’s abilities as a serious actor and was a lurid political thriller that exposed the underbelly of urban life. With DaSilva hired into a newly formed anti-terrorist squad, he soon found himself at odds with a pair of lethal European terrorists.

Although Stallone was the greatest in his role as DaSilva, the real appeal of Nighthawks was Rutger Hauer’s performance as the psychopathic terrorist Wulfgar, a true homicidal maniac responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people. Nighthawks‘The exciting game of cat and mouse was a strong start to Stallone’s film career in the 1980s. Its understated appeal signaled an alternate history in which Stallone pursued more nuanced roles like this rather than embracing so many franchises and pure action film roles.

2

Rocky IV (1985)

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa

The biggest Rocky film from the 1980s came with the release of Rocky IVan underdog story that represented Rocky’s quest for glory and the intense conflicts of that decade’s Cold War. With Rocky Balboa facing the ruthless Russian fighter Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), this fourth entry included major events like Apollo Creed’s death in the ring against Drago and Rocky’s insane training montage in the snow-capped mountains.

While Rocky IV was not without its imperfections, as aspects like Paulie’s robot painfully dated the film to the 1980s, Stallone’s 2021 director’s cut Rocky IV: Rocky vs. helped showcase the best of this beloved edition. Drago was such an enduring character that his legacy played an important role in subsequent history. Belief series when Lundgren returned to reprise his role. As the perfect combination of American idealism and Soviet determination, Rocky IV had a lot to say about US political relations during the 1980s.

1

First Blood (1982)

Sylvester Stallone as John J. Rambo

First Blood it signaled the emergence of a new action movie icon and showed that Sylvester Stallone was much more than just Rocky Balboa. How the Vietnam War Veteran Suffering from PTSD, John Rambo, First Blood saw its troubled and misunderstood hero use his incredible military and combat skills to escape a massive manhunt by police and government troops in the small town of Hope, Washington.

As a well-paced story with an incredible lead performance, First Blood illuminated the devastating effects of war and bloodshed on soldiers trained to conduct war ruthlessly. First Blood was a thrilling survival adventure story, and Stallone was perfectly cast in this adaptation of a David Morrell novel. While subsequent films in this franchise may have diluted the thematic relevance of the original, it must be admitted that First Blood was Sylvester Stallone culminating achievement in the 1980s.

Sources: Not good news, shock cinema, Mojo Box Office