Rocky II Reviews

Of course, I have already seen this flick but I thought it was time for a re-watch, this time, with Nick my step-son. To be honest, even though I liked the first installment, I never thought it was really amazing and this sequel is pretty much a vanity project. I mean, one of the great things about the first movie is that Rocky didn’t actually win and all those underwhelming sequels undermined the impact of this classic. However, since ‘Rocky’ was a huge financial and critical success, it wasn’t surprising that they decided to make a sequel. The other thing that bothered me with this flick is that it follows one very old and annoying gimmick that you see in many fighting movies (not necessarily about boxing). In this template, the main character can’t/doesn’t want to fight but , since it is a movie about fighting, of course, he will eventually fight so it makes the whole dilemma really pointless and rather annoying. In this case, it was even more tedious because at first Rocky himself doesn’t want to fight, but then when he changes his mind, than it is Adrian who doesn’t want him to… It is just goes on and on forever and it was not really interesting. Still, the whole thing remained rather entertaining. I mean, there is something really endearing about Rocky himself and there were some really uplifting scenes, for example, when he is running in the streets of Philadelphia. Basically, this scene is totally corny but it still works somehow. To conclude, even though it is nothing really amazing, it still remains a decent flick though and it is definitely worth look especially if you like the genre.

I have heard from friends and family and read from other reviewers that the rest of the Rocky films after the first one are absolutely irrelevant and almost served no purpose in the slightest. However, when I saw the sequel to Rocky, I absolutely loved it and I can't understand why people didn't give this one as much credit as the first film. It was epic, emotional and quite intense throughout the entire film which is almost exactly what a boxing film is all about. The boxing fights kept me off the edge of my seat especially this one and the first film. However, one weakness that the Rocky series has up until Rocky VI is that every time there is a new Rocky film, they end and begin almost the exact same way. However, they all begin straight after the previous film (only II, III, IV and V do that anyway).


After Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed fought each other in the ring, they were rushed to the hospital. After both were released, Rocky moved on and lives up to his newfound fortune and his marriage to Adrian. After failed attempts at making commercials, and being laid off at a local meat company, Rocky decides to go back to being a boxer, but Adrian disapproves Rocky's decision as she is concerned for his well-being, and it effects his training, even though his trainer, Mickey Goodmill now wants him to fight right-handed. Meanwhile, Apollo became exceedingly angry at the rude and nasty comments on his fight with Rocky, eager for a rematch with him, Apollo even went public about it then, Adrian fell into a coma after delivering her and Rocky's baby, after a few days, she awakens and was given the baby, which was named Rocky Jr. Then, Rocky continues his training, and then the fight begins, Apollo is still angry, but Rocky is more determined than ever to win.


Sylvester Stallone, why did you not ever give any other great performances in your career like you did with the first three and the sixth Rocky films? It isn't a performance that was Oscar worthy like the first film but he wasn't that far off from that level again. We see a slightly softer Rocky than what we saw in the first film and in my honest opinion; he was a stronger and more powerful character in the sequel than the first one. Talia Shire was great once again as Adrian. She became a whole new woman in the sequel than she did in the first one seeing as she broke out of her shy ways and became a lot more confident in herself and the fact she was the girlfriend and then wife of one of the most popular boxers around that time helped her as well. Carl Weathers was great once again as Apollo Creed (boxing enemy of Rocky's) who became even more of an enemy to Rocky than in the first film so therefore that made the final rematch even more exciting and tense than the one in the first film.


After John G. Avildsen's successful direction due to winning the Academy Award for Best Director, Sylvester Stallone himself decided to step up as director as well as playing the leading role and writer of the film. He did a great job with this one especially in the fast moving boxing scenes where Stallone is controlling behind the camera as well as in front of it. That is quite a tough challenge for a scene where shots will be changing almost every second. I have always thought that Sylvester Stallone is decent director but can't really write scripts very well (except for the first three and last Rocky film which he did well in).


Overall, Rocky II is in my opinion, one of the best sequels of all time! It certainly did live up to the greatness of its predecessor but I did think that the Rocky series should have ended after the second one when Rocky was on top of the world and hadn't and wouldn't have felt any better but I did like Rocky III. From the third one onwards perhaps made the series a money-grubbing series that became quite irrelevant and didn't really need to be made (almost like the Star Wars prequel trilogy even though I really like those). Great sequel that needn't be missed!

"This guy don't just want to win, you know. He wants to bury you, he wants to humiliate you, he wants to prove to the whole world that you was nothing but some kind of a... a freak the first time out."

Back in 1976, nobody had anticipated Rocky to be the commercial success that it turned out to be, particularly on account of its minuscule budget and lack of big stars. Yet, over the course of a few months, the film was catapulted from an unremarkable minor release to a full-blown phenomenon. Thus, with the unexpected success in mind, the inevitable sequel was ordered by the studio, which Sylvester Stallone not only wrote and starred in but also directed. Unlike most sequels to excellent films, 1979's Rocky II is a worthy follow-up - the heart and soul of the original was successfully replicated, and the film progresses the story of Rocky's life in a believable fashion. While unable to achieve the daunting brilliance of its predecessor, Rocky II is a solid motion picture which in no way tarnishes the 1976 original.

Following a brisk replay of the climax of Rocky, this sequel begins where the original ended, with Rocky Balboa (Stallone) and World Heavyweight Champion Apollo Creed (Weathers) being rushed to hospital with critical injuries sustained during their 15-round boxing match. As both fighters were left standing after the bout, Creed was declared winner by split decision, yet victory is not so sweet for Creed - in ensuing months, Apollo's fans begin to taunt him that the match was fixed, while others believe that Balboa should have been declared champion. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the fight, Rocky enjoys his financial success and announces his retirement from boxing. However, he ultimately begins to struggle in the new life he has made for himself, and realises he can no longer escape his true calling. With Apollo longing for a rematch and with family resources rapidly dwindling, Rocky makes the decision to get back into the ring with Creed.

For fans of the Rocky series, Rocky II is the forgotten franchise entry - it's not as brilliant as the first movie, but not as flashy or cheesy as later entries. People often brand Rocky II as the most depressing film in the series, as well, since a lot of the subplots delve into pretty heavy territory, with Adrian in a coma and Rocky struggling to adjust to his affluent lifestyle. Fortunately, this is balanced with moments of tender humour (including a hilarious set-piece involving a chicken) as well as a very uplifting and poignant finale. The only area where Rocky II severely falters is in the narrative - it's more or less a rehash of the first movie, and character behaviour is far more predictable. Seeing the burgeoning family dynamic and watching how Rocky reacts to his sudden influx of money is definitely interesting, but the core conflict - Adrian's reluctance to see Rocky get back into the ring - is underdeveloped and rather perfunctory.

Due to the huge success of Rocky, Stallone had more money to play with for this follow-up and it shows - the film looks cleaner, brighter and smoother. With all of the rough edges of the original movie hewn away, though, it means Rocky II lacks the grimy authentic edge that made its forerunner such a standout. Additionally, Stallone took the reigns as director here, but his work cannot match up to the efforts of John G. Avildsen (helmer of Rocky) in terms of pacing, and thus Rocky II tends to grow a tad dull at times. With that said, however, the original Rocky was so good due to it being a character drama rather than a sports film, and Rocky II retained that approach commendably. It digs deeper into Rocky's relationship with others, and the two-hour runtime comfortably accommodates scenes of character development. More importantly, Rocky II is a tremendously uplifting and motivating film. The training montages and the finale are incredibly affecting in addition to being fun to watch. Bill Conti's once-again exceptional score heightens the film's emotionality, as well. Added to this, the final boxing match is notably well-crafted. None of the other boxing matches in the series are as brutal, visceral, sweaty or nail-biting as the climax of Rocky II.

One primary factor which makes Rocky II so endearing is Sylvester Stallone's tender, finely-tuned portrayal of Rocky Balboa. The character is generous, humble and disciplined. He's a loving husband and good friend to boot. Up against the cardboard heroes of many other action movies, Rocky stands out as a true champion. It's worth noting that there's a scene leading up to the boxing match wherein Rocky bellows to a priest, asking him for a prayer in case he gets badly injured in the fight. Afterwards, he cheerfully tells the priest he'll see him on Sunday. It's a natural, lovely scene which reminds us why the character resonates so well - it's the sincerity behind him. He may not be bright, but he's a man you can feel nothing but sympathy and love for. Meanwhile, virtually every cast member of the original film made their return here. The standout is Burgess Meredith who's excellent as Mickey, while Carl Weathers is also great as Apollo Creed. Talia Shire and Burt Young additionally carried out what was required of them as Adrian and Paulie (respectively), with satisfying results.

It would be easy to brand Rocky II as a sequel that was produced purely for financial reasons, yet the film is far better than these superficial observations might suggest. It may not be as exceptional as the 1976 original, but there's heart and soul here, and the inspiring climax is guaranteed to trigger goosebumps.

8.1/10

While this movie couldn't match the spontaneous quality of it's predessor, back when this came out, it was still rare for a sequel to reach the level of both box-office & financial success that this one did. The romance between the Rock & Adrian flows wonderfully into it's next level as two people trying to form a unity based on each other's distinct personalities. Carl Withers is not forgetten as Apollo Creed as this installment enters deeper into the life of the champ who's titleship comes into question. And even Mickey manages to surprise us by revealing some of the heart that seemed hopelessly buried beneath his years-long thick crust of curmudgeon hide.
As a follow up to the the first film, the plot in Rocky's 2nd. crack at the worldbelt felt like an natural extension of the story that had begun in the first film & not just as a sequel out to cash in on the success of that initial effort.

Probably one of the weakest of the saga. It was essentially Rocky but with the hero at a new position.

I got two favourite bits to this film. At the end of the usual montage when the whole town is chasing/running with him, to show that the Underdog is no longer alone and has a fanbase. He had proved his worth before and now people love him for it. Also, The final blow between Apollo and Rocky where they both hit the deck, it's the only time in the saga this could have been used because of how equal the heroes were.

All the same cast, nothing new to add which is why it will never be among the greats.