ROCKY 5

We now launch into the 5th installment of Rocky, which a lot of people call the black sheep of the franchise including Stallone himself. Is it really that bad? Let's take a look at...

 

After the fight between Rocky and Drago, Rocky suffers from severe brain damage from the fight and now he can't fight anymore. Rocky also goes bankrupt and now has to go back to his original roots and start his life all over. However, Rocky inherits Mickey's Gym and plans to train a street bum named Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) to become the next champion. However, Rocky neglects his son, and a boxing promoter named George Washington Duke (Richard Gant) tries to turn Tommy against Rocky, so Rocky can fight in the ring for Duke to make money. The film is written by Stallone, the film stars Stallone, but instead of Stallone directing the fifth film, he decided to let John G. Avildsen direct the film, who also directed the first film. Bill Conti also returns to compose the film. So where does the film fall flat? First of all, the previous Rocky films always had an energizing and feel good feel to them. This film on the other hand is very sad and depressing.



In the previous film, while Stallone still kept the likability to his character, I felt he wasn't putting as much effort and charm into his performance as he did in the films before the 4th film, and was just heavily relying on the montages and fights. Does he do the same here? Actually, no, I actually do sense effort in his performance. OK, granted, he doesn't bring the same charm as he did in the films before "Rocky 4". As a matter of fact, I think he slurs more words in this film than he did in the previous film. Also, some of the scenes where he shows his signs of brain damage are more silly then it is sad. Rocky also has a gimmick in the film, where he would play the behind the ear magic trick to his son, which was cute at first, but then it got corny and old real fast. With the negative aside, behind the word slurring, unintentional silly moments, and gimmicky moments; I still see that Stallone is trying to bring back his Rocky charm even if it doesn't fully come through. He does get some really good emotional and sad moments, it's nice to see him in his old clothes; the likability and pity for his character is there; and I actually like seeing the former Champion take his trainers place. Again, not a great performance, but it's not god awful either.

 

Now we move on to the supporting cast. Talia Shire as Rocky's Wife Adrian is nearly on the same level as Stallone is. Her performance and the relationship between the two characters, don't have the same charm as the first couple of Rocky films, but the effort is there. In the 4th film, the relationship wasn't as there as the previous films, but this film in my opinion brought it back. They're back to where they started; Adrian is back to working at the Pet Shop which is right across from the gym that Rocky owns, so they can be close to each other even when they're working; there are a few beautiful moments with the two together (My favorite being the scene when Rocky finds her old glasses); She helps Rocky avoid the fight promoter; and she helps motivate Rocky to start paying attention to his son. That to me is better than rehashing Adrian's not supporting Rocky subplot from "Rocky 2". Burt Young as Paulie, I don't know, sometimes he tries, but for the majority of the film, he doesn't seem to care or put the same amount of effort as Stallone and Shire did. Though to be fair, Paulie doesn't really get much to do in the film, thus giving Young very little to work with. However, I do like that he wises up a bit and the fact that he's not as goofy as he was in 3 and 4. Where's his robot girlfriend, WHO CARES! The actor who actually does manage to bring the same charm as he did in the previous films is Burgess Meredith as Mickey. No, they didn't fake his death, or bring him back from the dead, THANK GOD! He actually appears in a flashback as he's training Rocky to fight Apollo Creed. This moment and performance is so beautiful and so heartwarming that not only did I get a sense of nostalgia from the previous Rocky films, but personally this is my all time favorite scene with Rocky and Mickey.



Now we move on to the next problem with the film, Rocky's son played by Stallone's real son Sage Stallone. Let me just get this out of the way, I DON'T think Sage is a bad actor! He gives a good performance in the film, and it's nice to see Stallone and his son working together in a film, which makes the relationship seem real. With that said, I do have some major issues with the casting and subplot revolving around Rocky's kid. First off, the casting. Again, not a bad performance from Sage, but casting him breaks some really serious continuity from the previous film. In the last film, Rocky's son was a kid around 8 or 9; in this film, he's a pre-teen around 13 or 14 and it takes place RIGHT AFTER THE FIGHT FROM THE LAST FILM! There's NO excuse for it at all! It's unprofessional and very, very distracting! As for the subplot of Rocky neglecting his Son, while cliche, its done effectively enough and fits with the story; however, the lame and cliche subplot of the kid getting bullied by the stereotypical school bully is forced and lame. I mean, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE SEEN THAT IN SPORTS FILMS?! So the plot and casting of Rocky's son in the film is a mixed bag.



One of the many things I like about this film are the opponents that Rocky faces. The main opponent and villain of the film is Richard Gant as Boxing promoter Duke. This guy literally steals every single scene he's in, with his over the top personality, and the actor playing him seems to be having fun playing the role as well. On top of it, this guy isn't someone that Rocky can versus in the ring; this is a guy that plans to screw his fellow boxers over when they're nothing to him, which Rocky most avoid every temptation that this guy throws at him. Furthermore, I love that this guy is a parody of Don King, because this guy acts just like him as well. Next, there's Tommy Gunn played by real life boxer Tommy Morrison, who brings a decent performance as this poor hungry young fighter that befriends Rocky. I honestly do enjoy watching the relationship between him and Rocky, it's like watching the relationship between Rocky and Mickey, only with a tragic end to it. They go from a rough start; to slowly becoming good friends; to Tommy becoming the next Rocky; and it all ends when Tommy turns on Rocky to get bigger and better things, which sadly in the end he'll just be another puppet for Duke to control. It's indeed a really good and tragic relationship.



Now for the montages. Well, as you probably guessed, the montages aren't Rocky training, it's Tommy and Rocky's son training. While the editing, fight scenes, shots, and all that other good stuff that make a Rocky montage so great, THE MUSIC SUCKS! Instead of getting cool or rockin motivational music, or heck an original score by Bill Conti, we get crappy 90's Hip-Hop Music. First of all, the film takes place the year after the fight with Drago, so the film should be playing 80's music, then lame 90's Hip-Hop. Second, Hip-Hop and Rocky doesn't go together. Rocky and the band "Survivor", YES!  Rocky and Hip-Hop, NO! To me, it's a real downer that the music sucks, because to me 50% of a great montage is the music, because that's what really brings the motivation.



Now, there are two big fights in the movie. The first big fight is Tommy fighting a boxing champion, which is cooly edited and shot; but the fight that everyone remembers from watching this film, is the climatic fight between Rocky and Tommy. First off, the idea of Boxer against Trainer is a great idea, because seeing Rocky versusing the guy he trained is not only sad, but it's also like seeing Rocky fighting a clone of himself. Second, instead of taking place in the ring, it takes place on the street, which not only brings a new angle to a Rocky film, but it's also a street fight instead of a professional boxing match. As for the fight, the hype is just as there as all the other climatic Rocky fights. It's shot great; the lighting is perfect; the choreography is great; the fighting looks brutal; and it's really entertaining. While enjoying the fight, there's really no point to it at all. On top of it, I feel like the original ending, where Rocky gets killed off and dies in Adrians arms would indeed give this fight more of a purpose, thus adding a sad and dramatic conclusion to the Rocky franchise. With that said, I still enjoy the positive outcome of the fight, even if it is pointless.

And that's "Rocky 5", and while being the worst of the franchise, I really don't think it's all that bad. Don't get me wrong, the film is indeed heavily flawed, but with that said, I did sense enough effort to make it watchable. The actors are trying; the opponents that Rocky faces are great; the fight at the end is awesome; and the film does bring plenty of nostalgic value of the previous Rocky films. While thinking the original ending would give the film more of a point and purpose, I still love the ending that Stallone had to go with. When I see that last shot of the Rocky statue looking over the Philadelphia skyline, and then see the credits roll as pictures from all the Rocky films are shown, while Elton John's song "Measure Of A Man" is playing, I personally feel that this film would make a satisfying cap to the Rocky franchise.

RATING 2/5