Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalIMDb TIFF Portrait StudioHispanic Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Ruckus

  • 1980
  • PG
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
853
YOUR RATING
Ruckus (1980)
ActionDramaThriller

A Vietnam veteran passing through a small town is harassed by local bullies but he fights back, using his wartime skills, and triggers a full-scale police manhunt.A Vietnam veteran passing through a small town is harassed by local bullies but he fights back, using his wartime skills, and triggers a full-scale police manhunt.A Vietnam veteran passing through a small town is harassed by local bullies but he fights back, using his wartime skills, and triggers a full-scale police manhunt.

  • Director
    • Max Kleven
  • Writer
    • Max Kleven
  • Stars
    • Dirk Benedict
    • Linda Blair
    • Richard Farnsworth
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.7/10
    853
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Max Kleven
    • Writer
      • Max Kleven
    • Stars
      • Dirk Benedict
      • Linda Blair
      • Richard Farnsworth
    • 18User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos20

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 13
    View Poster

    Top cast21

    Edit
    Dirk Benedict
    Dirk Benedict
    • Kyle Hanson
    Linda Blair
    Linda Blair
    • Jenny Bellows
    Richard Farnsworth
    Richard Farnsworth
    • Sheriff Jethro Pough
    Matt Clark
    Matt Clark
    • Cece
    Jon Van Ness
    Jon Van Ness
    • Deputy Dave
    Taylor Lacher
    Taylor Lacher
    • Sarge
    Clifford A. Pellow
    • Homer
    • (as Cliff Pellow)
    Ben Bates
    Ben Bates
    • Big Ben
    Jerry Gatlin
    Jerry Gatlin
    • Bubba
    Bennie E. Dobbins
    • Joe
    • (as Benny Dobbins)
    Bobby Hughes
    • Bobby Bellows
    A.J. Blake
    • Sally the Barmaid
    Melanie Weeks
    • Counter Girl
    Patrick Connolly
    • Gas Station Attendant
    Bob Peeler
    • Farmer At Fair
    Ken DeGusta
    • Shooting Gallery Man
    Sam Johnson
    • Kind Man At Fair
    Jeannine Medina
    • Bus Driver
    • Director
      • Max Kleven
    • Writer
      • Max Kleven
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews18

    5.7853
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    4Coventry

    He has a problem. No one else can help. Nobody can even find him. Maybe he could join ... The A-Team!

    The copy of "Ruckus" that I own (an old-fashioned VHS tape ... still the best collectible) features something I've never seen before, not even in all my many years as a cult-movie fanatic. Before the opening credits, there's a message on the screen stating: "Ruckus has a similar theme as the well-known Sylvester Stallone movie, but got released more than a year before First Blood". Ha! Seems to me the distributors were sick and tired of hearing their film was nothing but a lame imitation of Rambo. It's definitely true that "Ruckus" and "First Blood" have the same basic plot, namely that of a bewildered and traumatized Vietnam veteran who isn't welcome in a sleepy little town, and where the local rednecks attempt to chase him away.

    The resembling plot is where the comparison stops, though. "First Blood" is an intense and gripping action/drama, with complex characters and underlying messages, whereas "Ruckus" aims straight for slapstick and pretty much gets ruined by its combination of excessively dumb yokel characters and endless car chases to the tunes of banjo music. Dirk Benedict, in between his TV-successes "Battlestar Galactica" and "The A-Team" doesn't has to do much acting, as he's the strong silent type - mentally scarred by his experience as a POW - who likes to climb in trees and manufacture his own bow and arrows. The gorgeous Linda Blair is utterly wasted, unfortunately. The film doesn't have a few remarkable and unexpected strong points, I must admit. The two characters of which you assume they are the slimiest villains actually turn out to be completely anti-stereotypical. Richard Farnsworth (as the intelligent Sheriff) and Ben Johnson (as the town's rich industrialist) are guaranteed to surprise you.
    8merlin-16

    Same story as First Blood

    It is the same story as in First blood with Sylvester Stallone, but this film is much better and the storyline has been a lot better. I like this film a lot and it is one of the best actionfilms I ever have seen. If you like it too send me a comment.
    gandamack1

    BEST OF THE "B'S"

    Should be enshrined in a vault for future generations to enjoy.Best study of small town southern people I have ever watched on the screen.Every character in the movie has at least one counterpart in my home town.Should be watched over and over to really enjoy.
    brandonsites1981

    * * out of 4.

    Dick Bendict is a loner who still has trouble getting over the horrors he faced in the Vietnam war. All he wants to do is be by himself and try to move on, but a group of hoodlums take it upon themselves to terrorize him after a beautiful widow (Linda Blair) takes an interest to him.

    Well, you can give this credit as being the film that First Blood ripped off. It is entertaining and Richard Fransworth is excellent as always and Linda Blair turns in a rather appealing performance capturing the right balance between being lonely yet madly in love. This is one of her better vechiles, but other then Fransworth's and Blair's good turns there really isn't anything special or praticully distinguishable about this film.
    8rkdoidge

    The REAL first Rambo movie

    Having read "First Blood" I told everyone what a tremendous movie it would make. Imagine my surprise when I watched this movie. The hero's name was different but there was no doubt that this was the same story. Linda Blair had been added as a love interest but the battle against the small town sheriff by a disturbed Vietnam vet was definitely the story of John Rambo later made famous by Sylvester Stallone. I have spent years trying to convince others that this movie existed. It didn't help that I forgot its name. Fortunately I did remember it starred Dirk Benedict. Although not a great movie, it does satisfy the "machismo" ethos. In a way, Stallone's version was a let down. The book has a much grimmer ending than either movie. If Stallone-Rambo had suffered the fate portrayed in the book there could have been no sequels.

    More like this

    Sweet Hostage
    6.8
    Sweet Hostage
    Drive Angry
    5.4
    Drive Angry
    Roller Boogie
    4.7
    Roller Boogie
    Nighthawks
    6.3
    Nighthawks
    Stir Crazy
    6.7
    Stir Crazy
    The Cannonball Run
    6.2
    The Cannonball Run
    Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
    6.4
    Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
    Nightforce
    3.9
    Nightforce
    The Georgia Peaches
    5.9
    The Georgia Peaches
    Bad Blood
    4.6
    Bad Blood
    Marathon Man
    7.4
    Marathon Man
    Born Innocent
    6.2
    Born Innocent

    Related interests

    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      To stay in character, Dirk Benedict felt it was important to remove himself from the rest of the cast and crew as much as possible during the shoot. Therefore he spoke as little as possible and secluded himself in his hotel room at night.
    • Goofs
      Shots of Kyle driving red pick-up that he escapes in are shown mirrored back-to-front in several shots - the steering wheel is clearly on the wrong side.
    • Quotes

      Jenny Bellows: [turns around and sees Kyle standing in her living room, gasps] Can I help you with something?

      Kyle Hanson: [points up on the wall] I didn't know your husband.

      Jenny Bellows: I told my father I didn't think you did.

    • Connections
      Featured in Logos from Around the World: United States of America (aka 'Murica) (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HIM NOW?
      Written by Willie Nelson and Hank Cochran

      Sung by Janie Fricke

      Tree Publishing Co.

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ15

    • How long is Ruckus?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Vietnamese
    • Also known as
      • Big Ruckus in a Small Town
    • Filming locations
      • Woodland, California, USA
    • Production company
      • International Vision
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33m(93 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.