THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Sylvester Stallone blew the world away when bringing to life his character Rocky Balboa in 1976, as the film Rocky won the Best Picture Oscar and viewers felt the inspiration it was passing on. We were happy to see the fictional boxer be at peace by the end, but we couldn’t help wondering where the journey of his life would take next. Which is why we were very relieved to have one of many sequels show the rest of his legacy.
PLOT
Rocky II continues immediately after the first film. Balboa and the heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed go into recovery after a grueling match won by the latter via split decision. Creed wants to have a rematch against the Italian Stallion, despite his initial agreement to not seek one, but his newfound rival turns it down. His girlfriend Adrian strongly supports it when he goes through surgery to repair a detached retina. Once he's clear from the hospital, Rocky would marry the love of his life and become encouraged to get involved in sponsors. Creed on the other hand gets obsessed with wanting the rematch when he gets countless hate mail that he didn't knock out Balboa like he vowed. So he constantly challenges him publicly for it to happen. Rocky actually considers it when he struggles financially as the months go by, but his peers are against it because Apollo could put him so through so much pain he could lose his eyesight. When Apollo insults Balboa publicly, Mickey Goldmill agrees to train the underdog again. However, Rocky feels guilty that he trains without the approval of his wife. When her brother Paulie confronts her about it, she would faint and go into labor, giving birth to their only child Robert, Rocky Junior. After she recovers, she officially gives her blessing to her husband to fight again, which motivates him to go the distance again as he continues training. On the night of the rematch, the event goes much different than expected. When Rocky tries to fight with his right hand to protect his eye, it almost backfires as it gets him knocked down twice. However, the stallion is able to hang on by the final round with many counter punches. Upon the finale, he does get the upper hand but his final punch knocks him down with Apollo. Surprisingly, he is able to get up first and beat the referee's ten count unlike the champion. This would qualify as a knockout victory, in which he wins his first heavyweight championship. The film ends with Rocky dedicating the win to his wife.
THOUGHTS
I loved Rocky a whole lot when I first saw it, which made it a given that I would not hesitate getting around the sequels. So when it came to this one, it's not a surprise when I say I enjoyed this one too. Turning in another great script and sitting in the director's chair for the first time, Stallone keeps us invested with another impressive story that defines the pay off that comes from hard work. This time, there is an understanding that after achieving unthinkable goals, that should not mean to stop working hard. There will be new challenges that'll be different from the rest and you can never mistake it to be easy. And while it is important to never forget where you came from, it does not mean it is a sin to embrace change. You feel all of this once again in the man we adore. Stallone has us maintain our love for Rocky by showing him to maintain his humble mindset, but deeply feels lost in the newfound success he never thought he'd gain. He wants to maintain what he identifies as normalcy because he can't handle the change he thought he was prepared for. He did want to live peacefully, but learned the hard way that boxing was all he knew and he wouldn't be the man he is without it. Despite feeling crippled emotionally and physically, he didn't give up on himself or the family he was building. So when you get to hear 'Gonna Fly Now' and see hundreds of kids jog with him, you understand how big of a hero Rocky deservingly became, teaching people to be as strong as him. And again, I'm not sure if he would remain so without the inner circle that love him the most. Burgess Meredith shows Mickey as his most protective because like Adrian, the last thing he wants is for Rocky to lose his talent so young in his life. He shows his heart by being as tough as usual to make clear he wants the best for him. But when Creed gets in their heads, he knew he didn't deserve to be disrespected. And in all honesty, I was lit up when Mickey sarcastically shouted "What are we waiting for?" once Adrian gave approval. Speaking of which, I still love Talia Shire for making Adrian just as essential as last time. She still has moments of shyness, but she always knew when to give her honest opinion. She was in the right to be against Rocky returning to the ring originally, as she couldn't bare a life without him. But she caved because she knew how much it meant to him and didn't want him to be dissatisfied with the future ahead. So when she says "Win" which symbolizes her approval, all was right in Rocky's world. Paulie ain't involved in this story as much, but Burt Young does a good job showing a change in mood. He was one who wanted adventure like his friend and got that when getting his job as collecting loan sharks. Getting what he wanted, he was willing to be more thoughtful on his actions, hence helping out Rocky when he was in trouble. He even tries to improve as a brother to Adrian by being there with her to watch the fight and take care of her baby. This family may have had their ups and downs as the franchise progressed, but it's nice to know he had his efforts. Apollo may act like an asshole, but Carl Weathers ensures us he's still not the villain in this story. Instead, he plays the character as one who is desperate to prove his worth. He worked so hard up until fighting Rocky that he never expected people to think any less of him. Which is why it became important for him to lose, you don't have to be perfect to be great. he may have lost this time, but now people know he gave his all every time as he told Rocky in the hospital. I do think this movie holds up, but I still think it has some questionable moments that make me prefer the first film. The best example has to be why exactly do Rocky & Apollo get taken to the same hospital? I know this gives an excuse for the heart to heart between both fighters, but it could've been done differently. In fact, the overall hospital segment was so weird because I wasn't sure to be mad at more; The nurse asking a half blind Rocky for an autograph or Paulie requesting again for Rcoky to reach out to Gazzo for a job. Either way, it's partially selfish and super awkward. I then wonder how come Paulie didn't loan the money anyway? I know Rocky is too humble to ask, but he could've given it to Adrian and she wouldn't have to say anything. The last thing that comes to mind has to be why doesn't Adrian talk it over with Rocky about the sponsor commercials? She knows that he can't act due to his condition and I think he needed more convincing to try other ventures besides that. Ignore these issues and you'll still be enjoying this film for what it is. In short, Rocky II is a fine sequel for keeping the pace going and having as much of a heart as the first one did. If you loved the first one, quit wasting time and check this out when you can.
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