Rocky II (1979)Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone
I think there are a lot of casual moviegoers that believe the first Rocky film ends with Rocky Balboa overcoming the odds and winning the championship belt. Well...that's NOT what happens. Hence Rocky II. This is the film that turned Rocky into an award-winning standalone film into a sports franchise. I actually really liked the first half of the movie, showcasing how Rocky blew through his fame and fortune, then having to struggle to make a living and support his family. It requires him to get back in the ring with Apollo Creed for the rematch. We get a lot of the stuff we had in the first film. The montage, Rocky being considered an underdog, and obviously a fight between Rocky and Apollo all feel familiar. But the film is able to pick up where it left off and builds upon it. The first film is one of the most iconic pieces of film to come out of the '70s and this film serves as the actions and reactions from that masterpiece.
Rocky II can certainly be considered one of my favorite movie sequels that actually continues a story told in the first movie. You could actually make the argument that Rocky and Rocky II could be observed as one giant movie/story. You've come to love this guy over the course of these two films, you see that he has a family starting up, and in a short period of time he has had to evolve after suffering the lowest of lows and achieving the highest of heights. You're rooting for him every second and it's all kinds of feel good when he's finally victorious. It's the kind of sports movie where the manliest of tears can be shed.Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Final Verdict: Rocky II had a really tough act to follow, but I think it succeeded pretty well. Showing Rocky's struggle after going the distance with the champ was a really compelling story and the rematch provided the happy ending we all wanted. A great follow-up sequel.
Rocky II and movie images are copyrighted by United Artists
Rocky III (1982)Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Mr. T, Burgess Meredith
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone
Two names come in mind when I think of Rocky III: Mr. T and Hulk Hogan. In this film, Rocky actually not only has a boxing match with Mr. T, but also has an exhibition boxing vs. wrestling match with Hulk Hogan (I know they have character names, but c'mon...you aren't going to see anything other than Mr. T and Hulk Hogan when you see them.). That's already kinda silly, but then he beats both of them?!?! WHAT?!?! Aside from that, we are given a number of things that had a huge cultural impact on the decade. Mr. T and Hulk Hogan are two for starters, but we also have the biggest contribution to the Rocky franchise: "Eye of the Tiger." That song is so etched in the history of the series that it's great to see it introduced here and actually used in as a theme and motivator for Rocky.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Final Verdict: While it is the film that started the downward spiral in this franchise's quality, I will give Rocky III credit for introducing us to Mr. T, had some key franchise scenes, and features one of the greatest movie tracks of all time in "Eye of the Tiger." For that, the film gets a minor bump up in the final rating. But it's still really hard to follow Rocky and Rocky II with this one.
Rocky III and movie images are copyrighted by United Artists
Rocky IV (1985)Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Carl Weathers
Directed by: Sylvester Stallone
Rocky IV is one of my personal favorite movies in the Rocky franchise, but I know as a film it's a mess. It's as cliched as it gets and essentially borrows the formula from Rocky III, but adds the Cold War into the main plot. The big significant moment in this film is the introduction of Dolph Lundgren as Ivan Drago, particularly when he *SPOILER ALERT* kills Apollo Creed in an exhibition match. This fuels the remainder of the film's plot but I think a lot of people forget just how traumatizing a scene like this can be for some viewers. The Rocky movies at the time was considered family entertainment, so there were a lot of younger viewers who saw a major franchise character essentially murdered in the middle of the ring. Holy Crap dude! My best friend is still traumatized by the events to this day and constantly battles on whether or not Rocky should have thrown in the towel.
With the montages, the soundtrack, the anti-Russian hatred, the strange robot that Rocky gives Paulie for his birthday, Rocky IV serves as a HUGE product of the '80s and gives it a modern charm. You may not consider it one of the all-time great sports movies, but it is a fun time capsule of a different decade. I for one, can really enjoy cheesy films when I'm in the mood for it. Even though they're in a franchise, comparing the quality of Rocky and Rocky IV is really like comparing apples to oranges. They're different in tone and quality, but I like them both for different reasons. It really does depend on the mood and I saw this one during the right mood.Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Final Verdict: Tons of '80s fun and worth a watch for all the cheese. Rocky IV is as cliched as they get but it's darn entertaining and the death of Apollo Creed is one of the most emotionally crippling deaths put on film. It's enjoyable, but far removed from the Academy Award caliber of the first 2 movies.
Rocky IV and movie images are copyrighted by United Artists
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