The biggest knock on Rocky II is always that the film is slow. As Mick says: "what's with all the domestic stuff?!". While I don't have that particular issue with this first Rocky sequel, I also do not believe it captures much of the original's inspirational storytelling magic--albeit including some iconic moments to still render it entertaining.
For a very basic overview, Rocky II sees the titular Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) struggling after his epic battle with heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Professing retirement, Rocky finds it difficult to support his newfound middle-class lifestyle (new house, car, etc.), much less new bride Adrian (Talia Shire) and a baby on the way. Without much education in a grim economy, Balboa is coerced back into the ring by Creed's taunts, Mick's (Burgess Meredith) overtures, and the promise of a payday. But is his heart really in it and able to put up a fight--especially when family tragedy strikes?
Clearing--or even re-reaching, in all honesty--the extremely high bar set by the 1976 Rocky was always going to be a tough-to-impossible task, and Rocky II doesn't really come all that close in execution. I wonder if perhaps the triple-duty of star, writer, and director was potentially a bit too much for the burgeoning Stallone at this point. Whereas the direction from John G. Avildsen turned that filmed into one for the ages, here the approach is far more scattershot and frenetic--and less effective by quite a bit.
Far from being the slow-paced morass of its reputation, I'd argue that Rocky II actually skips through Rocky's existential crises too quickly and focuses on the wrong aspects of it. Far too much time is spent seeing Rocky haul beef and return to the docks when viewers are of course well-aware a ring return is imminent. That final fight--with its cheesy ultra slo-mo effects--also cannot hold a candle to the pomp and circumstance of its '76 counterpart. Overall, I often felt while watching that Rocky II seemed somewhat beholden to carry all the Rocky tropes into this sequel when more original material/locales were needed.
All that said, without Rocky II on the books we don't get the infamous chicken-chasing scene, further great Bill Conti tunes, and the classic "Yo Adrian!" line. For all intents and purposes, this movie could have been re-titled "Adrian" for being extremely effective at developing that relationship. Nearly every truly emotional moment in this film involves Adrian in some manner or another--which actually pay bigger dividends in forthcoming sequels than here.
So, overall I found myself a little more disappointed than I anticipated after this recent Rocky II re-watch. While I'll never call it a bad film by any means, it never really gets in the ring (pardon the pun) with its progenitor in terms of airtight screenplay or pacing. There are far more jagged edges and work-arounds needed to make Rocky II ring-worthy as a screenplay.
For a very basic overview, Rocky II sees the titular Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) struggling after his epic battle with heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Professing retirement, Rocky finds it difficult to support his newfound middle-class lifestyle (new house, car, etc.), much less new bride Adrian (Talia Shire) and a baby on the way. Without much education in a grim economy, Balboa is coerced back into the ring by Creed's taunts, Mick's (Burgess Meredith) overtures, and the promise of a payday. But is his heart really in it and able to put up a fight--especially when family tragedy strikes?
Clearing--or even re-reaching, in all honesty--the extremely high bar set by the 1976 Rocky was always going to be a tough-to-impossible task, and Rocky II doesn't really come all that close in execution. I wonder if perhaps the triple-duty of star, writer, and director was potentially a bit too much for the burgeoning Stallone at this point. Whereas the direction from John G. Avildsen turned that filmed into one for the ages, here the approach is far more scattershot and frenetic--and less effective by quite a bit.
Far from being the slow-paced morass of its reputation, I'd argue that Rocky II actually skips through Rocky's existential crises too quickly and focuses on the wrong aspects of it. Far too much time is spent seeing Rocky haul beef and return to the docks when viewers are of course well-aware a ring return is imminent. That final fight--with its cheesy ultra slo-mo effects--also cannot hold a candle to the pomp and circumstance of its '76 counterpart. Overall, I often felt while watching that Rocky II seemed somewhat beholden to carry all the Rocky tropes into this sequel when more original material/locales were needed.
All that said, without Rocky II on the books we don't get the infamous chicken-chasing scene, further great Bill Conti tunes, and the classic "Yo Adrian!" line. For all intents and purposes, this movie could have been re-titled "Adrian" for being extremely effective at developing that relationship. Nearly every truly emotional moment in this film involves Adrian in some manner or another--which actually pay bigger dividends in forthcoming sequels than here.
So, overall I found myself a little more disappointed than I anticipated after this recent Rocky II re-watch. While I'll never call it a bad film by any means, it never really gets in the ring (pardon the pun) with its progenitor in terms of airtight screenplay or pacing. There are far more jagged edges and work-arounds needed to make Rocky II ring-worthy as a screenplay.