Rocky III

Despite the familiar narrative, Rocky III is still a great third installment that's funny, emotional and thrilling. Sylvester Stallone gives an incredible performance once again and his direction is great. Carl Weathers, Talia Shire and Mr. T are all great. It's extremely well filmed with intense and visceral fight scenes. It's also expertly paced and the music by Bill Conti is really good.

The Rocky series stumbles a bit in this third movie. Sylvester Stallone once again writes and directs the film, in addition to starring. The plot has Rocky becoming rich, famous, and beloved as he defends the championship successfully in one bout after another. Then a hungry up-and-comer named Clubber Lang (Mr. T) publicly challenges Rocky, who accepts despite the reservations of his trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith).

A good popcorn movie but the first of the series to feel like that's all it's striving to be. Mr. T is fun but hard to take seriously. Hulk Hogan has a comedy appearance as "Thunder Lips," a wrestler Rocky has to fight in a charity event. This whole part is silly and kind of out of place with the rest of the movie. Nice to see most of the regulars back, including a smooth way of fitting Carl Weathers' Apollo Creed back into the story. Bill Conti's score is good but what most people remember from this one is Survivor's hit song "Eye of the Tiger." Not a bad movie in any way but a step down from part two.

This Rocky movie is a rather quick flowing film compared to the first movies and features a bit more comedy while still having drama and inspirational scenes that were pivotal in the first two movies. The fights are different here too, as in this film we do not have the 15 round beat downs of the first films, but rather three rounds of pure hard hitting. In this one we start out with a strange charity match as Rocky the heavyweight champion of boxing goes against the heavyweight champion of wrestling, Thunderlipps (Hulk Hogan in his only decent appearance in a movie, then again it is not really a stretch). This match is rather entertaining and funny, but soon Rocky must face a new challenger to his belt, the very tough Clubber Lang played by a very tough Mr. T. Mickey does not want Rocky to fight this guy as Mickey has seen that Rocky has lost the fire in his eyes that got him the title and would most likely lose to this determined if a bit arrogant new fighter. Well they do end up fighting and Rocky loses and gets hit even worse by the passing of his mentor. Apollo having witnessed the fight and not liking Clubber Lang at all offers to help Rocky train and thus a new friendship is born. The training is nice to watch and I like how Rocky does different strategies against Clubber in the final fight. Sure this movie is a bit more over the top than the previous Rocky movies, it to me is still my favorite.

Acceptable follow-up in which Balboa is willing to risk his life against a violent boxer , Clubber Lang . Officially a sequel is most a rehash but happens to be a nice third chapter about Rocky saga with intimate Stallone . Interesting sequel that works every time and in which beloved Balboa is considering retirement , but he faces off a tough contender performed by Mister T (A Team) , being dethroned by the obnoxious , corpulent boxer , that's why Rocky sinks into a depression . Excessive confidence and complacency soon give rise to lose his heavyweight championship title . Two-bit fighter Rocky is now almost retired and has hit rock bottom , but he rises from ashes to fight a daring contender . About to be retired from boxing and back from riches to ring , Rocky takes on a new combat . Although he is homaged as one of the greatest boxing champions in the history also is panned as a down-and-out fighter . Then , ¨The Italian Stallion¨ , the one time champion , returns to take on the ultimate boxing combat , as he comes out from retirement for fame and self-respect to combat the strongest , youngest and faster contender . While Rocky attempts to prove himself and his family , his wife (Talia Shire), brother-in-law (Burt Young) and his veteran trainer (Burguess Meredith) . Shortly after , Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) and Duke (Tony Burton) decide to train Rocky for a rematch against the brave and invincible opponent Lang , so Rocky can attempt to win the championship back .

This agreeable predictable entertainment displays splendidly the 'formula Rocky'. The movie works in usual manner , fitting appropriately to franchise , even though we know the plot the film works . This soaper on the ring is developed in gentleness , dignity , feel-good style as well as the initial outing . Great training montage and spectacular and climatic final bout . Writer-director-actor Stallone new entry is surprisingly entertaining and packs good feeling . Usual and nostalgic musical score by Bill Conti and atmospheric cinematography by Bill Butler . The motion picture was lavishly financed by the producers of complete saga , Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler and well directed by Stallone who along John G. Avildsen created the six Rocky saga.

In previous and subsequent entries the contenders were the followings : ¨Rocky I¨ and ¨II¨ was Carl Weathers ; ¨Rocky III¨ the fast-mouthed and cruel boxer Mister T ; ¨Rocky IV¨ against a massive Russian boxer played by Dolph Lundgren ; ¨Rocky V¨ in which Rocky , nicknamed as the Chicken Stallion , lives from records being ostracized , but our hero returns as a coach , as Rocky goes back despite his own cerebral damage through a rematch on the streets , as he fights Tommy 'Machine' Gunn/Tommy Morrison ; meanwhile , the champ must adjust to his family's new life on bankruptcy ; subsequently ¨Rocky Balboa¨ proving his estranged young son Milo Ventiglimia who still can fight . And , finally , ¨Creed¨ in which Rocky eventually agrees to mentor Adonis , son of the known boxing champion Apollo Creed . Rating : Good , being impossible to dislike , the result is deliciously corny agreeable and predictable amusement . Although we've seen it all before , Sylvester manages to make it work one more time and it works every way even better than successive Rockys .

You know, a few months ago, I felt that it's kinda silly for me to claim to be a movie fan yet not see the Rocky movies and my friend even told me that it's a must see to be an official movie fanatic. So, I had decided to see all the Rocky flicks, and low and behold there is a 6th one coming out next year, so what better time? I felt that people are a little harsh on "Rocky III". Yeah, it's lost a little more edge and originality, but I felt that they kept it cool and within it's origins. Come on, I mean it's the eye of the tiger! Mr. T, he's so cool. He's so bad and you want to hate him, but you can't because he's just so cool. I loved the twist of having Apollo help Rocky train to defeat Mr. T. What more could a Rocky fan want out of this film? It's going strong and I can't wait to watch the fourth one. I know what happens unfortunately, I watch those "I love the 80's" shows. :P But I'm still excited, I love these Rocky movies. I may just see Rocky X! Come on, fans, this doesn't deserve a 5.6, let's get that rating up! 7/10