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Reviews
Rocky III (1982)
Not great but an acceptable 3rd film in the series.
Rocky 3 is a film stuck in a time capsule. It is very much an 80's film. Look there's Mr. T! Hulk Hogan! Eye of the Tiger! It is a continuation of the story of Rocky's life as he lives the life of a champion with endorsements, riches, glory...but the hunger of his youth all but gone. This is a story about Rocky rediscovering his passion for boxing and it is reasonably entertaining. One thing is clear...this movie is nowhere near the level of the original film, but it holds a certain nostalgia for those of a certain age who grew up with the character. Written and directed by Stallone himself Rocky 3 could have been a decent end to a nice little trilogy. It's entertaining, and the acting is not bad with Burgess Meredith as Mickey coming off the best. Mr. T became a big star after his performance as antagonist Clubber Lang. The best thing you can say about this movie is it wasn't an embarrassment unlike some later entries in the series. I'm looking at you Rocky 4 and 5.
Rocky Balboa (2006)
Stallone finally brings Rocky back to respectability
I didn't think it was possible but Sylvester Stallone made a decent movie out of this the 6th (!) Rocky film. He succeeds because he returns to what made the first film great which was a touching drama featuring real characters and an uplifting story. It's a nice little movie about family, getting old, and standing up for the things you believe in. It's utterly predictable but it works thanks to the heartfelt performance by Stallone. It's the best in the series since Rocky 2 and a fitting end to the Rocky story. Who knew a movie about a 60-something Rocky could actually be pretty good? If you've never seen any of the series do yourself a favour and turn the 6 movie franchise into a trilogy starting with the original, Rocky 2, and then this one. You'll be glad you did.
Rocky (1976)
Hollywood at its best.
Before Stallone diluted the brand with a series of increasingly ridiculous sequels before finally bringing the franchise back to respectability with "Rocky Balboa" there was this little film which is a fine example of the Hollywood formula executed to perfection. The classic underdog tale combines the gritty realism of the 1970's, with the uplifting story of a down on his luck boxer who gets the chance of a lifetime when he gets a shot at the World Championship. At its core "Rocky" is really a touching love story and working class drama featuring great performances by all the principles (Stallone has never been better) and great direction by John G. Avildsen who won an Oscar for his work. Stallone's screenplay hits all the right notes and it is impossible not to be fully invested in the story by the time the emotional climax hits. There are scenes in this film that left their mark in film history and the film became an inspiration to people around the world. The only downside was that Stallone decided to cash in his characters popularity and made 5 sequels that had varying levels quality. Rocky 2 was entertaining but unnecessary, while Rocky 4 was so utterly ridiculous that the movie has become nothing but an entertaining joke. It's best to forget the sequels because the original is truly a classic example of Hollywood cinema at its absolute best.
Rocky IV (1985)
Hilarious but also kind of sad.
The first Rocky was a stunning, emotionally charged drama, a best picture Oscar winner and a film classic. Rocky 4 is a classic example of Hollywood pillaging the good things it can do and cashing in on them leaving its original creation battered and bruised. This "film" is really nothing more than a feature length propaganda music video relic from the Reagan era 1980's and Sylvester Stallone should be ashamed of what he has done to his beloved creation Rocky Balboa. In this film, he turns Rocky into a super-hero tasked with saving his country from the evil communists by fighting their drugged-up uber-boxer Ivan Drago. The film is ridiculous on every level but worth seeing for a good laugh. I like to joke that this film spear-headed the fall of the Soviet Union. Yeah right. Its sad to see a character I love used in such a fashion. Stallone, you should have quit while you were ahead.
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
The Last Killing of Jesus
From a purely cinematic standpoint the Passion can be admired for its audacity (the script is partly Aramaic, a dead language), its cinematography (well done) and its acting (a fine performance by Jim Caviezel). This is a film made by a Christian, for Christians, and its power comes from whether or not you believe in that sort of thing. One thing that did come to mind for me was Jesus THE SUPERHERO and BRAVEHEART. Mel Gibson has a thing for torture. This movie made a fortune....hmmmm profiting from Jesus? This was also a horror film. Those evil kids tormenting Judas were the stuff of nightmares. And Satan was a little androgynous don't ya think? Well I'm off to watch 2001, a much better religious film made for everyone, not just Christians.