"Rocky" is about a small time boxer who is chosen as a "Novality" to fight the heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) dreams of going to distance and wants to prove to people that he's not a bum. The film doesn't just focus on the training for this big fight, it also focuses on the character's life and his relationship with the people around him.
When I first heard about this film as a kid, I was thinking to myself " A boxing film starring Stallone is a classic? How is that possible? Stallone is basically playing himself in most of his films and is just showing off his muscles and over the top action stunts. How is this performance a great performance?" Well to be fair, he did a great job in "First Blood" as Rambo, but he still screamed out to me as Stallone, but I still found his performance effecting and well acted, so I gave this film a look. So how's Stallone's acting in this film? He is Rocky. This is one of those performances when I forget that it's the actor playing the character. He's not Stallone showing off his muscles and action stunts, he's Rocky. His acting is the reason why you love the character so much; he's not over the top (Like Stallone usually is), he acts like your average regular guy that you'd meet on the street. His acting shows the emotion that the characters trying to achieve and makes you root for him throughout the whole entire film.
I guess I should start talking about our main character Rocky. Rocky is another one of those great characters in cinema history and also is a great role model. He see's himself as a bum and has a very low self esteem, but he has a good heart and does the right thing. An example of him being that, is the scene when he does a job for a Loan shark named Tony Gazzo(Joe Spinell). He's told to a break a guys thumbs for not paying Gazzo on time, but instead of breaking the guy's thumbs, Rocky gives him more time, now that's a guy with a good heart. The scenes with him and Gazzo show that he doesn't like his job and knows that it's a bad job, but he only does it for a living. My favorite scene of him doing the right thing, is when he talks to a 12 year girl named Marie(Jodi Letizia) about the consequences of hanging with the wrong crowd. I like it because that monologue is straight out true and is written very well.
Now what about the supporting characters, are they as likable and acted as good as our hero? Let's start with his love interest Adrian (Talia Shire). Her performance is just as powerful as Stallones. When you first see her, she's just this shy girl who barely says a word. Her brother Paulie (Burt Young) says she's demented and has no personality and for the first half of the film you think she's going to be this bland character; even when knowing that she's going to be Rocky's love interest, you think the love is going to be corny. As the film moves forward, her image and personality begins to change and once you get to the middle of the film, you can't believe it's the same girl you saw at the beginning of the film. The love between her and Rocky is so beautiful that every scene with them together is an epic win. The two of them are looked at as bums in society, which makes their relationship even stronger and they always make each other feel good when they're at their lowest.
Burt Young as Adrian's brother Paulie is the tragic character of the film. He's a drunk who hates his life and his job and wishes to get the good things that Rocky gets. Even though he treats his sister like trash; it shows he can't survive by himself, which is why he treats his sister that way, so she can just take care of him instead of having a life of her own. Burt Young puts the right amount of energy and emotion in his character, making you both dislike him, but love him at the same time. His best scene that shows his emotions is the whole "You Owe Me" scene, as he takes a bat threatening Rocky, breaking stuff, yelling and screaming and then having a total breakdown.
Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey is epic. When you first see him, he's this grouchy old man who turns his back on Rocky and constantly criticizes him. As the film moves on, his personality changes and wants to help train Rocky. Burgess Meredith plays the role so well that every scene with him in it is just gold. I love the scenes when he trains Rocky because the actor actually sounds like a real professional experienced trainer. The arguments between him and Rocky are so emotionally stunning that it makes their relationship interesting. I think his best scene is when he comes to Rocky's apartment asking to be his manager while also telling him his back story. The scene shows that he's not really a cold hearted Ahole, he just wants Rocky to succeed the fight with his help and to not be creamed. I also love that he acts like a humble old man in the scene instead of seeing him as a grouchy old man we keep seeing throughout the film.
What about Rocky's opponent, is he as memorable as most of the characters? That's a big yes. First off, I love that the champion is based off one of the best boxers of all time Muhammad Ali. Carl Weathers as the character is just one of those cocky boxers that thinks he's gonna win and loves to act like a winner. When he fights; he first toys with Rocky but once Rocky knocks him out, he starts fighting with rage. He sadly doesn't appear that much in the film until the end but there's enough scenes of him (Before the climatic fight) to give the audiences an idea what kind of threat he is to Rocky and to show off his cocky personality. By the way, don't you just love his over the top entrance when he enters the ring?
The cinematography and the music give the film it's atmosphere and are one of the main reasons why the films so memorable. The cinematography captures the actors emotions and create allusions to the character's personality. The score is so epic that it help makes you root for Rocky, feel the emotions and gives the film it's tremendous atmosphere. I'm sure everybody can agree that the best part where the cinematography and music go together is the whole "Training Montage" scene. The song "Gonna Fly Now" fits the epicness of the "Training Montage"; the edits are great; the scenes when he's running and training is awesome; and it all ends with him running on top of the steps of "The Philadelphia Art Museum" which was something Rocky had difficulty doing earlier on in the film.
Now I talked about the story, the characters; the cinematography; and the music which leads us to The Fight scenes. Knowing that Stallone is a man of action are these scenes as action packed as Stallone's action films? Well, there are 2 fights in the whole film. In the first fight scene that opens the film; it takes place at a Chapel and Rocky is versing Spider Rico (Played by real life boxer Pedro Lovell). I thought it was a nice way to open the film with a little boxing action. It's fought in front of sleazy people booing and yelling; the fighting is dirty instead of fighting like professionals; and you got to yell "OW" when you see Rico's head smash.
The climatic fight is one of the most epic fights ever filmed. The ring looks epic; the entrances are epic; and the fight is epic. The fighting is done so well that it looks like the actors are in real pain. The camera shots, the blood coming out of their faces, the acting, the music and the montage keeps you on your feet and keeps you rooting and crossing your figures for Rocky to win. I'm not going to tell you the result of the fight, but I will say he's a winner on either side of the coin. The film ends with Rocky and Adrian together and I have to say it's one of the best endings in cinema history.
RATING 5/5
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