Id like to make a topic dedicated to one of the best movie series in history. I own the first 5 movies and i will own the 6th. If you want to talk about the 6th movie, please state that there is the possibility of a spoiler.
I would like to here other's opinions on what they thought of this series.
ROCKY 6 BELOW:IMO, I thought the final fight in Rocky Balboa could have been better. The fight was kind of short. I thought they could have put more scenes in for the rounds. Also, I thought how the match ended was terrible.
Oh yeah, my favorite Rocky movie is IV. My reason? Probably because Rocky gets really buff and takes down the "unstoppable steroid" Russian.
Rocky I tells a story. It's not so much a fighting movie as it's pure drama. It tells the story of a nobody who is given the chance to fight the world champion (this idea is actually loosely based on a similar real event). This is the strength of the movie.
Rocky II is a bit awkward. It's feels kind of like "hey, Rocky lost in the previous movie, that's not good, he needs a rematch and to win this time". It raises the question whether this sequel was really necessary. OTOH, it has a rather good story too, continuing from the first movie, and it's not nonsensical at all, so I suppose it's quite ok as a movie.
Rocky III changes genre. It's much less of a drama and much more a fighting movie. The cocky champion is beaten to pulp by a newcomer, the now ex-champion needs to come down from his pedestal (both literally and psychologically), go back to the roots, train hard, and rematch this newcomer, this time seriously. IMO this is a superb movie of the fighting genre. Since I myself am not so much for drama and more about action, I actually liked this movie a lot, even though I understand the value of the first two movies. I voted for this movie.
Rocky IV starts becoming ridiculous, I'm sorry to say that. The basic idea is cool, but the execution is subpar. This movie lacks a story completely. There are three elements in this movie: 1) Big russian boxer comes and kick's the ass of the ex-champion (fatally). 2) Rocky seeks revenge and goes to Russia to train. 3) Rocky fights the russian and wins. There's *nothing* else happening in this movie. These three things have been stretched to 90 minutes, without anything else happening at all, and at some points you really can feel that. (Ok, there are really tiny bits of "story" happening in the beginning and in between, but most of these tiny bits are simply ridiculous; just look at the completely ridiculous robot. Who ever thought that could be a good idea?)
Rocky V goes back to tell a story. Most people (including Stallone himself) diss this movie, but IMO this is a very good one. It's good drama. It tells a story. It tells about a father-son relationship. This movie goes back to its roots, back to what the first movie was made of: It's not a fighting movie, it's a drama movie, and IMO it works well.
Spoilers:
Rocky VI continues this good trend: It also tells a story, it's not a fighting movie. It now tells the story of an ex-boxer who lives in the past and can't let it go, who only thinks about how things were better before, and who has a passionate desire to fight once more. It also continues excellently with the father-son relationship. The final fight is a symbolical one. Winning or losing is not the point. The point is that the old champion shows that he is still the man. Age is not a limitation.
Joined: 7/4/2005
Posts: 714
Location: Albuqueruqe, New Mexico
Rocky IV all the way. The montage of Rocky on the snowy mountains, punching meat, etc. vs the German who has technology beyond China that trains on moving treadmills and has steroids (I believe thats what they inject him with)
Change my sig. again, and I will murder your pet fish.
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjavík, Ísland
Why couldn't they call the movie "Rocky VI"? They must be embarrassed they made so many sequels.
I haven't seen a single Rocky movie, so I don't care. My only complaint is this movie's retarded name.
I agree with Warp on all accounts regarding the first five parts (haven't watched the sixth yet). Also, whatever was the reason to change the name, it either failed, or wasn't relevant enough to change the initial disposition towards this movie. To me, it's still Rocky VI.
My favorite part of Rocky III is when Rocky(ex-champion) has to try and overcome his ego and the scare that clubber lang puts into his brain, and get the eye's of a tiger again. To fight without fear.
The training part is even more awesome.
I liked Rocky 3 the most, although Rocky 1, 4 and Rocky Balboa are close behind it. I also have the box set of Rockys 1 through 5 and will definitely buy number 6 once it comes out.
Joined: 4/21/2004
Posts: 3517
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Seconded. Usually, when you watch a movie, you judge how well the actors perform, how their character develops, how good the plot is etc etc. That being said, in my opinion for Rocky IV, the plot was too thin. I mean it clearly had a plot but its just that we did not see so much of the abovementioned aspects to make a movie good. But one thing ladies and gentlemen that truly lifts this movie up significantly is the fantasic music. I mean damn, you can use Robert Tepper's track: No Easy Way Out for almost any occasion like love making, when you are hurt, feel angry, are sad, playing soccer/basketball/and other sport activities, when you are driving your car, when you want to get genuine inspiration, relationships. That music inspired millions and millions of people.
That's one of the things that made Rocky III so great. The choice of music was excellent. ("Eye of the tiger" was made by a one-hit band, who thanks to that song raised to fame and plummeted to oblivion afterwards, but it's a heck of a song. Probably one of the best known movie songs of all times.)
Yeah, I was thinking something like that might happen. Rocky 5 has no purpose on that list but to serve as a source for misclicks. :P
Edit: someone should TAS this game.
Joined: 3/13/2004
Posts: 1118
Location: Kansai, JAPAN
I would say that while the original movie is the best of the series, my "favorite" is still IV. I can't help but watch it every time it comes on TV, which it seems to do every weekend. And yes, the power ballads kick ass.
I have seen the last movie and I enjoyed it very much. However, the serious drama makes it less "fun" than IV, although I think it was a classy way to put the whole thing to an end.
Rocky Balboa isn't called Rocky VI because that is a real movie that came out in the mid 80's. It was a parody of the Rocky series made before anyone suspected they might get to VI. In an astonishing coincidence that can only be explained by a monstrous airborne pasta, it was made by Finns.
I'm curious: What is it that makes Rocky IV so popular? And I'm seeking for an answer other than "Ivan Drago".
Sure, Ivan Drago is a cool character, but in my opinion a movie can hardly be called the best of the series just because it has one cool character.
What is it that makes it better than Rocky III?
Warp: Like someone mentioned before, it has the best music.(Besides Eye of the tiger from III).
I find it the best because Rocky overcomes the impossible, a killing machine. Rocky has to try and overcome his best friend's death and take revenge for Him and his country. While of course, the other country's fighter is "cheating", Rocky shows that you can overcome any obstacle without any shortcuts.
I'm a Rocky fan, though I haven't watched the 6th part yet. It comes on 8th February in our cinema.
Regarding the older movies I think they are all very good and have their own pros and contras. My favourites are Rocky 3 and 4. R3 in great story and training scenes, R4 in best fighting scenes.
Looking very forward to see Rocky 6, and my respect to "Sly" for still playing the role of Rocky after almost 20 years. This is just great.
Joined: 11/14/2005
Posts: 1058
Location: United States
Rocky 4 was cool, I enjoyed seeing that roided up monster get his ass kicked.
And this has got to be the coolest rocky montage I have ever seen, very inspirational;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvn8165I1Kc
My favorite one is Rocky III because of that awesome training scene with Apollo Creed where they are racing on the beach, and when Rocky finally beats Apollo, they prance into the water, splashing around and giggling and grab assing. It really showed the softer side of those characters, and the depth of their relationship.
I watched Rocky Balboa over the weekend and it was generally good, although mainly becuase of SS's age it was never going to live up to the classic ones and I thought the opposing boxer had a rather poor build when it came to his character. I'd rather have had a guy who was bored of winning and no one to challenge, but unexpectedly wanted to give Rocky one more shot. In order to make money off the fight, and Rocky only abliges becuase he's in desperate need of cash.
The outcome and nature of the fight was the most logical and favoured both fighters and fans from each side, I don't see how anyone would like to disaprove of the fight. However, I disproved of the post match stuff since it was way too short and should have had more of a point to it.
Edit: Also the computer simulation was indeed correct