It's similar to the structure of Frankenstein. Rambo was alone, rejected by the society that both killed and created him to fit a selfish desire. However, once faced with their creation, they are mortified and repulsed by him. Yes, it does over glorify military service. No doubt about that. If it were just a modern adaptation of The Modern Prometheus, then we wouldn't be talking about it.

But then comes the police side of the story. There is modern police culture on full display in a 40-year-old movie. It even shows how they lie and manipulate public opinion in the media. We've seen crooked cops in movies before, but rarely see ones that face retribution from non-government entities in mainstream media. The police in a small town target some guy they don't like the look of, torture him, and turn him into a terrorist they can't stop. Like when Frankenstein's Monster attacked a village in rage.

Maybe I'm overthinking it, and it's just a dumb action film, but I can't help but think it's a lot more than just explosions and guns.

The sequels for sure are just schlock, and not my bag. Example:

This film is dedicated to brave fighters of the Mujahedeen.