Matthew Werenich
Jan 42 min
Although I grew up with virtually no exposure to the Rocky franchise, there were some things that I could not escape. I had seen parody after parody of exercise montages, never knowing what they were originally referencing. I had the vaguest idea of who Sylvester Stallone was, though the only film I’d ever seen him in was admittedly Spy Kids 3D. And of course, I knew “Eye of the Tiger”. Doesn’t everybody?
Deciding to delve into the Rocky franchise this year was sort of an arbitrary choice. It’s not a genre I have any predilection for, nor was its star a celebrity I followed at all. But once I gave it a shot, I can say with confidence that I stumbled into gold. Rocky is a fiercely lovable character – the kind that an entire generation would rally behind. He’s a classic underdog with heart, humour, and a lot of heavy hitting. There’s definitely a formula to these films that you can see coming from a mile away, but that doesn’t make the climactic finales any less thrilling.
Now, admittedly, Rocky 4 was a major disappointment, and 5 was a complete waste of time. But even so, Rocky became such an enduring figure that he inspired a sequel franchise centered around supporting character Apollo Creed’s son. Even if you think these films might not be for you, I’d strongly urge you to give the first one a shot. If you don’t like it – you definitely won’t like the rest. But if Rocky warms your heart like he did mine, you’re in for one heck of a ride.
There’s a lot that should make Rocky an unlikeable character for today’s audiences - but there’s also an undeniable charm that permeates the film from beginning to end.
I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I cheered. This is what the movies are all about.
Narratively, there’s not much of note going on here. But Carl Weathers, Mr. T, and the best performance yet from Talia Shire make this a ton of fun for a third outing.
You either lost me at Paulie’s robot wife or at the EIGHTH montage.
I just never felt once like this was a story that needed to be told.
Rocky is back! The final Rocky film brings dignity back to the franchise by reminding us all what made the character so likable in the first place - heart.