first rocky movie I actually liked the sub plot, there was some thought that went into this sub plot that wasn't specfically designed to get to the fight sequence
nice
loosing his wife added quite a bit to this movie and the heart ache was realistic, I was moved and impressed with this effort
[WARNING] never satisfied movie critic and perrisness to follow; [/WARNING]
that's pretty much all I liked, I thought the actor playing pauly hasn't learned a thing about acting, I thought stalone took a few steps backward with his acting ability
as far as the story, some big misses;
I thought his new "girlfriend, friend, whatever you want to call her" would have tried her best to talk him OUT of fighting not into fighting, I thought his son would have been more convincing if he didn't want his father to fight becuase of the health implications, not because of his own career
the change of heart from the boxing commision needed some foreshadow, something like this scene before the hearing was definately called for;
[1st commisioner]...
"we're under alot of pressure to allow this fight, everyone wants it, our contributers want it and the doctors say he's healthy"
[2nd comssiiner]...
"I don't give a TURD what the doctors say, he's 50 years old DAMN IT, I need to see something more then a few blood tests and a doctors report, I need to believe we're not sending red meat out to the lions, we're gonna get killed if something happens in the ring, I need to see there's still some fight in this man"
that would have made their change of heart quite convincing instead of astretch
of all rocky movies, I thought the fight sequence in this one was the worst.
I was sitting there directing the movie as it was playing, I liked the fact that rocky was in better shape then the champ who realistically would never get in top condition for an exhibitionlike this and would definately look smooth or "soft"
that was a good choice and a surprise, I thought they would make him a physical monster which would have been acceptable but not as realistic
I thought they missed some obvious directing cues which would have argualby earned this installment a "top two of rocky films" from yours truly;
a nice touch would be the reigning champ taking off his robe to cheers and jeers of the audience, then rocky takes off his robe, the audience is shocked into an eary silence that is so quite it's almost deafening. then they explode wild with glee, the reigning champ is stunned at what he's looking at and he's standing in awe.... now the realization strikes home...this 50 year old nut across the ring is going to be fighting with the heart of a heavyweight champion, he's not here for no stinkin exhibition, it's his last battle in the square circle and this 50 year old warior came here today and wants to open can of shut the f**ck up...the reigning king is also a true champion, yet he's never been tested, now he realizes this is personal test, he is not going to let himself down, he's going to dye in the ring before a 50 year old man takes the belt from his waste...
I like it, they can use it if they want to edit their film, I will charge them a very small fee
I also thought the end REALLY missed some "emotional" oportunities;
I think we should have seen rocky and his new "girlfriend" as they're leaving on the way from this house of battle,...you are aware something else is happening, it's subliminal at first but you can't miss it, maybe there is a low rumble barely above human range of hearing, maybe there's phased cheering, or some distant sound we think we recognize from the past, both rocky and his new girlfiend "hear" or sense what's going on, they're are drawn together in offsstep unison, it's overhead or everywhere, it's somewhere, maybe it's a common sound we'd normally expect from the rafters, maybe it's a bell, an unusual flash from a camera...there it is, something appears, ever so slight, the image is distant, close, certain yet obscure, maybe there's a red beret floating down from above, it's something common but it get's both their undevided attention, it doesn't get anyone elses attention...what is it ???...everyone else is emjoying the moment, the exit, yet there is the sound, the light, the breeze, there's somethihng, it's above somewhere, they turn around as their attention is drawn higher, together, someone has becked to them, we know it's happening, we know who it is but we don't know if we're right or wrong, both are guided higher, and there of course she is, not clear as day, she's there in the mist, shaped by the surroundings, you know who it is already, we all do but it's still stunning, and there she is, in peacefull joyfull tears, nodding approval, rejoicing with them this night, this last nght...she nodds to his new "friend", smiles first for rocky, approves with the bliss someone in genuine love and so glad he's able to finally move on...she's almost motherly in her approval..she lingers with rocky before she moves her attention and smiles to her...."here is a good man" you can almost but not quite hear as if it's telepathy, we in the audience wonder if everyone heard what we heard, and we see the releif she has for her rocky, she can stop worrying, he's fine and now they can both move on.
that would have been PERFECT
I loved what they did with the theme song, the horns and the hits were really sharp, subtle changes hardly noticeabe but really added to the punch
as a whole, like all star trek movies, bond movies, batman movies, superman movies, raiders of the lsot arc movies, this movie is worth seeing because it's a rocky movie, it was easily better then at least one and possibly two of the previous installments.
there WILL be another episode, I guarantee it, I am thinking he trains his son or something like that
oh
and ford is doing another indiana jones in case you were wondering