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Rocky II (1979)

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54 out of 58 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the best sequels ever made. I'm not joking., 10 August 2004

Author: MovieAddict2008 from UK

I have to hand it to Sylvester Stallone – he did the impossible with 'Rocky II' and made a successful follow-up to 'Rocky,' winner of the 1976 Best Picture Academy Award.

Some argue that 'Taxi Driver' (also nominated) deserved the Oscar more. I'm not so sure. 'Rocky' came along at just the right time – it was an uplifting story and people needed that back then. Now, 'Taxi Driver' is usually considered the superior of the two – but they're entirely different and, in my opinion (and it's a rare one), 'Rocky' is just as good – but in a different way. They're both great films, and I'm not saying that 'Taxi Driver' shouldn't have won – but I'm not necessarily saying it should have, either. 'Rocky's' achievement is monumental and it is one of the greatest films ever made. To say it's 'not as good' merely because it is more optimistic is nonsense.

So what's so great about 'Rocky II' and why is it generally underrated? (Its average user score right now on the Internet Movie Database -- with over 8,000 votes -- is a measly 6.2/10, compared to the original's 7.7)

Because it maintains the focus of the first film, and continues the story rather well. A story that didn't really need to be continued, per se, but nevertheless formed the foundation of one of the greatest film franchises of all time. That's right – many people hate the 'Rocky' sequels, but apart from 'Part V,' they're all surprisingly entertaining – and, more importantly, well made. I like them; they entertain me, and I think they all serve their purpose.

What's particularly interesting about 'Rocky II' is that apart from repeating the central theme of fighting Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), Rocky (Stallone) goes through a character arc here that many sequels totally ignore – we see the after-effects of his fight, and him struggling to adapt to the 'New Life.'

Rocky is not a smart person. But he is one of cinema's deepest characters. Stallone (who wrote all the scripts and directed three of the sequels) succeeds at evolving Rocky's self-confidence. After winning a small fortune from his famous fight with Creed, he goes out on an impulsive shopping spree, buying a cool car, a new leather jacket (with a tiger – the beast with the 'eye' that Rocky re-captures in 'Part III' – printed on the back), and a new luxurious apartment for him and his wife Adrienne (Talia Shire).

The problem is that Rocky soon runs out of money. His happy-go-lucky personality crashes when he is faced with the prospect of losing it all. He promised Adrienne never to fight again, and keeps his word by trying to get a 'real' job at the meat-processing factory (the same one he trained at in the original film). However due to staff cut backs he is fired and soon realizes that he was born for one reason: To fight.

Meanwhile, Apollo is eager to take on 'The Italian Stallion' again – to prove he isn't the coward that criticizers are implying he is. He entices Rocky back into the ring for a final match – and to say that the outcome is satisfactory is an understatement.

Most people seem to forget that Stallone is almost solely responsible for the entire success of 'Rocky' as a whole. He came up with the idea, wrote a script, fought to get it made, fought to become the leading star, and literally fought to get in shape. All of this fighting paid off – and it continued to pay off as he kept on cranking out all the sequels.

Indeed, the 'Rocky' legacy is often poked fun at because it is the typical endless Hollywood moneymaking franchise. But 'Rocky II' and 'III' (more so than the other two sequels) have guts, power, determination and focus – they've got the so-called 'Eye of the Tiger' and I can't really say that I agree with anyone who says these movies are worthless. They aren't masterpieces but they certainly aren't trash, either. I give 'Rocky II' a hearty recommendation – it's a truly solid sequel that surprises us right when we expect to be disappointed.

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29 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent sequel, 8 October 2003

Author: LebowskiT1000 from Escondido, California, USA

"Rocky II" is one of those sequels that is just as good as the original, if not better in some aspects. I can't say it's better than the original because you can't have the second film without the first one. Meaning that this film does not stand on it's own, you need the first film to understand the characters and back-stories of everything in this film. But all in all, I think "Rocky II" is slightly more enjoyable than the original "Rocky".

In all honesty, I think this film is better directed than the first film. The story seems to flow quite nicely and is slightly faster paced than the original. Not only that, but the main fight in the film is much more exciting and longer.

The acting in "Rocky II" is better as well, or at least I thought so. Sylvester Stallone does a fantastic job with his role of Rocky Balboa and really struts his stuff here. Talia Shire and Burt Young also pull off nice performances. Carl Weathers plays the character of Apollo Creed to a "T". And of course, Burgess Meredith does a fantastic job as Mickey.

This is one of those sequels that truly has the same feel as the original. Granted, it isn't as fresh as the original...but it's a re-match that can't be missed. If you liked the original "Rocky", then you definitely ought to check this one out, I don't think you'll be disappointed. I hope you like the film as much as I do. Thanks for reading,

-LebowskiT1000

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20 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
A good sequel that repeats the successful formula, 27 April 2002
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

Immediately after Rocky's close contest with Apollo Creed, he is drawn into fame only to find it is a temporary thing. As the money fades he finds personal crisis is never far away and is tempted into a big money rematch against Creed. Meanwhile Creed, who should fight other fighters, is plagued by suggestions that the first fight was staged to go the distance. Things build to the rematch.

Stallone proves that he has got a money making brain in his head by basically remaking Rocky. The story covers similar themes – it's a soap opera with a fight at the end. Here the soapy mush is mostly about his loss of money and decline back into the gutter, while we have children and comas thrown in for good measure. This is all well and good, and Stallone doesn't let it get too mushy. The script has some good scenes and mixes in comedy – my favourtie line being where Rocky is advised to invest his money in condominiums, to which Rocky replies `condominiums? But I don't use them.'

This comedy helps endear Rocky to us despite being a bit `punchy'. The fight however – that's where the money is. As in the first Rocky movie, the fight is a huge thing, full of emotion and welling music. The fighting is, of course, nonsense – even sillier than the first film, but with the raw emotion and use of music you can't help but get involved – even if you don't want to! At times it goes a bit far and may look a bit like ego-massaging by Stallone, eg the scene where he is out on his training run and is followed by hundreds of supportive children!

Stallone is good in all his roles, the playing of Rocky as a working class bum made good is bang on. Shire doesn't have much to do but she's good beside Stallone. Young is good and Meredith easily repeats his tour-de-force as the grizzled trainer. Carl Weathers is good as Apollo Creed and this is one of his best roles.

Overall this isn't a classic but by repeating the basic formula of the first movie and taking Rocky back to the gutter, this remains an entertaining soap that is driven by mushy, if formulaic, emotion.

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15 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
Italian Stallion Returns, 27 July 2004

Author: Hal-900 from WA, USA

The original "Rocky" movie was such a monstrous hit that a sequel was inevitable. The film picks up where the first one left off, quickly moving forward, fleshing out characters and subplots. Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) wants a rematch, but Rocky has his doubts. Eventually, Rocky accepts to fight Apollo and you pretty much know how the story is going to end. One of the few sequels that are as good, if not better, than the original film. This time around the story does not feel original (director-star Stallone recreates with uncanny precision the structure and tone of the first film), and the manipulation is hard to disguise. Still, there is an air of honesty in Stallone's screenplay, but more important, this sequel remains true to the original characters. The film allows the beloved characters to grow, as great sequels often do. Stallone's direction is not very imaginative, but it is clear that he did his homework and he does a wonderful job balancing all aspects of his screenplay. Slicker than the first film, but still a very personal drama that knows when (and how) to push the right buttons. Bill Butler's cinematography is good and Bill Conti's score still delivers the goods. It is a great sequel that fans of the first film will love.

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Same Story, Both Continued AND Re-told, 12 October 2005

Author: Steve P from Branson, MO

I'm old enough to remember the thrill of seeing each of the "Rocky" films during their original, theatrical runs. The magical component that Stallone achieved was to tell nearly the exact same story, twice in a row, with the same characters... and yet, he gives us a one-two punch that hits just solidly as the first.

It's truly a remarkable feat. Differences? We've already met all the characters. Gone is the sense of discovery, the sense of learning who these people are. We already know, don't we? Yet, Stallone's characters are sufficiently interesting enough for us to want to spend more time with them, seeing them in a world most of us don't know, living a life few of us would really want. While the sense of discovery about these characters is gone, our joy of being a voyeur into their world is not.

It's a toss up which movie, "Rocky" or "Rocky II," asks us to suspend disbelief more. In "Rocky," we have to accept that a nobody, unrated, club fighter could a) get the chance to fight the world champion. B) He could possibly defy all odds and go the distance. That's a huge stretch only possible in Hollywood movies, classifying the first movie as a fairy tale along the lines of Cinderella.

Soap opera-esquire is not a bad way to characterize "Rocky II" because of the emotional ride, but I don't find it as trite as a soap opera. Rocky's actions are very believable, from his earnings feeling like a fortune to him (when they were obviously not), to his illiteracy and his unsophisticated, "punch drunk" boxer. The ramifications of his past are believable. He fritters away the money and is unable to capitalize on his 15 minutes of fame. Hey, it happens all the time. Very believable.

With a pregnant wife, no job, and no way to pay his bills, he's backed into a corner. What's a fighter to do? (And in this case, I mean "a fighter" in its most literal sense.) He's willing to risk his health and even his marriage to do what any man should do: provide for his family.

Adrian's bit of drama is the single "problem" with the movie, but it's also the heart of the movie. It's not a movie about losing it all and coming back again, it's much more than that. It's about a simple man who's trying to do the best he can with the only tools he has. And when Adrian is first to go down for the count, it puts it all in jeopardy.

It's not until his wife is ready to accept him as he is, for what he is, that he can continue his quest, one more fight, for his family, for himself.

The story arc feels so similar to the first movie that this one is often tossed to the side, yet it truly is amazing how Stallone managed to re-imagine all the magic of the first movie and, better still, give us a second helping of it that's just as sweet. Enjoy!

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Round 2: Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed. Rematch of the Century, You Know!, 27 March 2005

Author: (robocoptng986127@aol.com) from U.S.A

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Our story begins right before our last one left off: Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed in a grueling boxing match. Blood and sweat flew all over the place. Then with a few final jabs, Rocky laid out Creed and the fight was his! Shortly after, Rocky is rushed to the hospital. His manager, Mickey, friend Paulie, and girlfriend Adrian, follow. Rocky is badly injured from his fight and not too coherent. Apollo Creed is there too and he demands a rematch. He felt the fight was unjust. Well, after some time, Rocky healed and was out of the hospital with a few fading bruises and minimal damage to his brain. He quickly proposed to Adrian in his own unique way and they were married. Rocky also decided to live the high life with his winnings from the match: $37,000. He bought a shiny new car, even though he didn't know how to drive, furs, new clothes, Rolexes, even a roomy new townhouse! Plus, Rocky discovers that he is about to become a father! Life was going great for the Italian Stallion, while life for Apollo Creed was terrible. He was looked down upon by his fans and wanted a rematch with Rocky badly!

Rocky meanwhile, had spent all of his winnings and needed a job. He wanted a nice, cushy office job, but couldn't get one. He tried making commercials, but was unsuccessful due to dyslexia. The only job he could find was a job Paulie got him at the meat processing plant. Rocky found the job inquisitive as he wrapped the meat and loaded it into trucks. The meat he used to box (punch). But then one day, due to cut backs and union regulations, Rocky was fired. It seems the one thing Rocky could ever do was fight, so he wanted to get back in the game. He went to see Mickey to help train him again, but Mickey knew if Rock tried to fight again he'd suffer permanent and even fatal damage, due to his now bad eye; Apollo Creed printed incriminating newspaper articles about Rocky and taunted him on television to get him to fight. Mickey saw one and jumped right in to train Rocky. Unfortunately the Itallian Stallion train really half-arsed. Then one fateful day, Rocky received news that Adrian collapsed at work and was rushed to the hospital. Rocky and Paulie race to the hospital. Adrian had the baby prematurely, but she had sunk into a coma. Rocky was devastated. He wouldn't leave Adrian's side. He even went to the chapel to prey for her. Mickey joined him. After several emotional, gut-wrenching days, Adrian came to. She and Rocky saw their new baby boy together. They name it Rocky Jr. After that, Rocky decided to buckle down and train most vigorously. He'd run every morning. He'd do more sit-ups, more push-ups, even more throw- ups. He pummeled the punching bag, he punched the pummel bag, he ran up and down those famous steps with everyone in town cheering him on. Finally, after months of rough, grueling training, the Italian Stallion was buffed up, charged up, and ready to step up...To that evil Apollo Creed!

The night of the fight soon arrived. It was held at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Apollo Creed was all jazzed up and raring to get at it and smash Rocky's skull. Rocky felt a bit nervous. The fight commenced. In Round 1, Apollo knocked the wind out of Rocky. Round 2, he knocked the wind back in to Rocky then knocked it out again. Apollo had the advantage for the first 9 rounds, jabbing and punching and pummeling Rocky non-stop, but in Round 10, Rocky laid out Apollo with a few quick blows. Well it was anybody's fight for the next few rounds. Apollo was in dominant position. Finally, the 15th and final round came. Rocky disdained many bruises and swollen eyes and Apollo had many bruises and scars. Their faces decorated with blood and sweat. Rocky and Apollo jabbed and punched at each other like there was no tomorrow. Rocky delivered a few swift blows to Apollo's gut, Apollo countered with rigorous blows to Rocky's face. Soon, both men were down. But Rocky managed to get up so he won!! Rocky Balboa was the new Heavyweight Champion of the World! Mickey and all his fans were so proud of him. Apollo Creed was even proud of him. At long last, Rocky Balboa, the Italian Stallion, had obtained the title he so richly deserved.

Well, I think Rocky II was just as good as the 1976 original! If not better. Sylvester Stallone reprises his role as Rocky Balboa. Burgess Meredith, God bless him, his back as Mickey Goldmill! Burt Young is back as Paulie, Talia Shire is back as Adrian and Joe Spinell is back as Tony Gazzo. This film had the same great drama as the first film with much light comedy mixed in, like when Rocky was doing the TV commercial and all. This movie is followed by Rocky III where he goes up against Mr. T! I pity the fool that don't see that match. Then Rocky IV and Rocky V. Instead of Rocky VI, Sylvester Stallone started a new reality TV series, "The Contender". I've never see it though. So anyway, if you saw the first Rocky movie and want to see what happens next to our hapless, southpaw hero, then check out Rocky II today! Sylvester Stallone wrote, directed and starred in this movie. That's a lot of work for one man. Billy Bob Thornton does that too. Rocky Balboa vs. Billy Bob Thornton? Maybe. Anyway, see Rocky II today! Two times the fun. Two times the action. Two times the Rock! I recommend it.

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9 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
A pretty good sequel, 8 June 2002

Author: Agent10 from Tucson, AZ

Sure, Apollo was pointlessly painted as the bad guy early in the film, but this a sequel. While it is not as good as the first film, it still embodies many of the themes and hopes which made the first film so powerful. This time, the audience got what it wanted, a win for a guy who had been kicked down for so long. With more money, the film felt more lucid and better put together, which made it a whole new experience in itself. I especially enjoyed the scene where the kids are chasing Rocky, certainly one of the most complicated and time consuming shots of all time, considering all of the extras the various sequences needed. Better than an average sequel, it still pales a shade below the original film.

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12 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Faithful to the spirit of the original., 7 September 1999

Author: gridoon

"Rocky II" isn't as wildly entertaining as the next installment (which is my favorite), and it's slightly overlong, too. But it's still an earnestly made, appealingly tender sequel. Stallone dedicates time to character development and quirky humor (the scene where he attempts to star in commercials is really funny), making the movie more suitable for viewers who prefer dialogue over action - although the actual fight is more dynamic than the one in the original.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Another Knockout, 5 September 2006

Author: jonathon_naylor from Manitoba, Canada

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

You've got to agree with Leonard Maltin when he calls this film more of a remake than a sequel. But that doesn't mean ROCKY II fails to make for some fantastic, crowd-pleasing entertainment! Sly is back as The Italian Stallone, having just taken the beating of his life from barely-victorious Heavyweight champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). For medical reasons (and for new wife Adrian), our lovable lunkhead attempts a life that doesn't involve black eyes and punching bags, but it's tough out d'ere. Meanwhile, Creed is throwing a hissy fit because he took such a walloping from an unknown Philly product. If you don't know where this is going, there's a good chance you too have recently been in the ring with Creed!

No one has ever argued that ROCKY II is as good as the original, but it's not exactly thousands of miles behind, either. Picking up in the immediate aftermath of the original, the viewer is immediately sucked right back into Rock's world. We already know him so well. Whereas in the original he was all about boxing, here Rocky is forced to start a new life, making for an interesting fish-out-of-water scenario. We all know he's going back to the ring, but writer-director Stallone keeps us guessing as to how.

The single biggest strength of the film is the amazing finale, which actually outdoes the big fight from the original. The audience can't help but make pained faces as Rocky takes one of the most brutal beatings ever filmed. Punch after powerful punch, it often seems completely hopeless for him. It's also worth noting that Stallone, and indeed the entire case, is as likable as ever.

On the flip side, the biggest weaknesses are the sporadic slow-moving moments. In particular, Adrian's birth-induced coma is just a tad contrived and out of place. This traumatic event was presumably included to give Rocky (and the audience) a stronger thirst for victory. Truth be told, Stallone didn't have to go that far; the birth of Rocky, Jr. was more than enough dramatic inspiration. I'm willing to bet if Sly had it to do over again, he'd scratch the coma.

This is one of those rare films that is so good you forget about or forgive its minimal flaws. Often degraded as the black sheep of the series, ROCKY II is surprisingly effective with Stallone the actor, writer and director in great form. Highly recommended for all filmgoers.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Second best sequel ever!! Need i name the best??, 27 December 2006

Author: r-smilovich from Canada

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Stallone caught grease lightning in a bottle twice!!! This had the same feeling and vibe as the first..yet it was different. How this movie hasn't been tagged as the second best sequel ever is mind boggling..need i name the best?? Once again the script was stunning. Every word is real, honest, and heart felt. There are a lot of movies that try to be tear jerkers and try to be the feel good movie...i really believe that was never Stallone's intention, it just naturally happened. Both endings in Rocky 1 & 2 have been the only movies in my entire life that have made me cry..ya that's right cry!! I watched it again last night and once again tears. It's really unbelievable!! It's a real shame that this movie doesn't have a better rating. Anyways if you have a chance watch the movie again...maybe you'll see what i mean.

His lungs i'm gonna punch out!!

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