John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone - Cop Land, Get Carter, Demolition Man, Rocky), a bewildered Vietnam Vet, is hitchhiking from one city to another. Sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy - She Hate Me, Romeo & Juliet) tries to make him leave his town; but when Rambo refuses, he gets arrested for wandering. Rambo escapes, showing his Vietnam fighting skills and takes to the woods as the sheriff and deputies hunt him in his element. As the publicity of Rambo's one man war escalates, Teasle and his squad are confronted by Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna - Murder: She Wrote..., Body Heat), Rambo's former commander and the only one who may be able to stop him...