Released on Friday, May 24, 1985, the second movie of Rambo, Rambo: First Blood Part II, has Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) released from prison by Federal order to document the possible existence of POWs in Vietnam, under the belief that he will find nothing and the government can sweep the issue under the rug. Rambo, with the assistance of a local woman Co Bao (Julia Nickson-Soul), does find American POWs and tries to escape with one. Marshall Murdock (Charles Napier), in charge of the operation, orders that Rambo be abandoned, and all documentation of POWs be destroyed. Rambo is taken into captivity, and tortured by the Russian army. With the help of Co (who is later killed), Rambo escapes, destroys nearly the entire hostile army, and flies back to Thailand with the rescued POWs. He then threatens Murdock to find the remaining POWs, or Rambo will find him.

Rambo: First Blood Part II follows First Blood and is followed by Rambo III.