January 24, 2013
Rocky
2 (1979)
Starring
Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, and Carl Weathers
Comments:
Ah yes. Rocky 2. For as many
years as I can
remember, it has been considered the black sheep of the early
Rocky
movies.
Seriously,
ask anyone you know what their favorite Rocky movie is.
Ignore the few inevitable answers of "All the Rocky movies
are
stupid, I hate them all" and just focus on the real answers instead.
Inevitably, almost every single person you ask is going to
say that their favorite is "Rocky"
or "Rocky 3." Those have always been the two most popular
movies
in the franchise, and for good reason. Both Rocky and Rocky 3
are fantastic
pieces of entertainment.
Nuff said
Of course you will probably get a bunch of people who claim that Rocky
4 is their favorite, but I
have always believed that the love for Rocky 4 has been more
ironic than anything else. To me that is just people rallying
around a
movie that is dumb and improbable and ridiculous. Yet because
it
is fun people love to ironically like it. Kind of like when
people say they enjoy The Room. I can't honestly believe that
anyone actually THINKS that Rocky 4 is the best Rocky movie.
This
really isn't a slam on Rocky 4, by the way. I love the
touching story of Ivan Drago as much as the next guy.
I just think it is a giant piece of crap. But hey,
pieces of crap
can be fun too, can't they? Isn't the entire career of Adam
Sandler sort of
based around that principle?
Shampoo is better. I go on first and clean the hair. Conditioner is
better. I leave the hair silky and smooth. Oh, really, fool?
So anyway these are the three Rocky movies that people always say
is their favorite. In order, I would guess that most people
will
say Rocky 3, then Rocky just, and then because they are being hip and
ironic, Rocky 4. And then of course some people will say
"Rocky
Balboa", but we can deal with those people later.
My point
being, nobody EVER says Rocky 2. Eve. You could ask
this
question to five hundred Rocky fans and I would guess that not more
than one
person you ask will ever say Rocky 2. And that person will
probably be confused because they thought that 2 was the one with Mr. T.
Yeah but can Mr. T get a stew going, baby?
Now I am not going to sit here and claim that Rocky 2 is the
best movie in the series. I probably COULD make that argument
if
I really wanted to (a lot of people in the IMDB comments below actually
do make that argument), but for me I am sad to say that yes, I
am but
one of many. Rocky 3 is my favorite of the Rocky movies too.
I wish I could say I am special and different, but I'm not.
However, I do
think that Rocky 2 is the second
best Rocky movie. And I feel
very strongly that in no way should it get treated like a black sheep
of the franchise anymore. That is the way Rocky 2 has been
treated for years, and I think that the world really needs to stop that.
Side note:
Of course some of you are reading this and thinking, "Wait, I
thought Rocky 5 was the black sheep of the Rocky movies. I
thought that was the one that everyone hated." Well yes and
no.
I mean yes Rocky 5 is hated, but at least people remember 5.
I bet if you asked 500 people which Rocky movie was the best,
5
will get about as many votes as 2 will. That is my
prediction.
Test it out.
And now we come to the inevitable question. What makes Rocky
2 so forgettable in so many people's eyes? I mean, how can a
movie this good and this inspiring have such a crappy rating on the
Internet Movie Database? Because let me tell you, I watch
Rocky 2 all the time. I
have watched it far more often than any of the other Rocky movies.
And this
movie is fantastic. It is easily right up there with any of
the
best sequels ever made. In fact I have always said that it
does just
about everything that the first Rocky movie did, only better.
Yet
again, this movie gets treated like crap. Not only does it
NOT
get praised, but most people don't even care enough about it to trash
it. So it just doesn't get talked about at all. And
that is
almost worse than if people just actively hated it.
Being ignored gives me and Butkus a sad
Bill Simmons (of ESPN.com) will go so far as to call Rocky 2 "a
chick flick." He has long said that Rocky 2 is his least
favorite
of the early Rocky movies. And that it is almost as if Sylvester
Stallone intentionally set out to write a Rocky movie for women.
Now there is probably
some truth in that. I can see how some people would be a
little
turned off by the lack of action in Rocky 2. It is in no way
as
action packed or as testosterone laden as the later movies.
In
fact the first hour of Rocky 2 is basically a big soap opera.
It
really isn't a guy movie at all.
But again, this is what I think makes Rocky 2 so good.
The reason I love Rocky 2 is because this
is NOT your average every day movie sequel. This is NOT just
a
brainless attempt to cash in by repeating the exact same
formula
as the original. No way. I know that people think
it is,
since it is the story of Rocky fighting Apollo for the second time, but
the path which they follow to get to that fight is a lot different than
in most stupid movie sequels. You watch Rocky 2 and it all
makes
sense how they get there. It is very realistic. It
is very
much what would have happened in real life if there had ever been a
fight like this.
Wow, Apollo looks pretty mad
What people tend to forget about Rocky 2 is how realistic it is.
And how gritty it is. It isn't a big flashy glitzy
sequel at all.
When Sylvester Stallone sat down to write it, he really took
his
time and he did it correctly. In fact, in many ways, it is
the
complete opposite of how most people approach sequels when they sit
down to write them.
Rocky 2 picks up the minute that the
original left off. There is no transition, there is no
passage of
time. It picks up the minute that Rocky left off.
And it
follows a very realistic arc as to what would have happened to Rocky's
life after that fight.
Again, nothing flashy. Nothing
fancy. Nothing Hollywood. Here is what would have
happened
to Rocky in the days and weeks after he lost to Apollo. And
yes,
as you can imagine, it probably wouldn't have been pretty.
After
all, Rocky didn't make a lot of money in that fight. He
didn't
win, so no one really cared about him afterwards. All he had
was
a little bit of money, and about fifteen minutes of fame. And
frankly, he
probably would have thought he was a bigger deal than he actually was.
This
is all very realistic to what would have happened in real life.
The fact that Rocky (who remember, was uneducated and who
didn't have
a clue how money worked) would have been taken advantage of and would
have had a huge downfall is absolutely 100% accurate what would have
happened in real life. And I have always applauded Sylvester
Stallone that he
didn't take the easy way out when he wrote the script. He
knew that Rocky would have had a
really hard time after that fight, and that in no way would be have
been able to live like a celebrity. And I love it because
most sequels would have been too afraid to shit on their hero like that.
In
other words, this movie really isn't a sequel at all, it is more of an
addendum. It is what would have happened directly
AFTER
Rocky. Most of it is also a lot more realistic than Rocky.
A broke loser
Every time I watch Rocky 2 I am more and more impressed by it.
Because like I said before, it really is different than most
movie sequels. It
is so far away from Rocky 3 and 4 that it is hard to say they
are
even a part of the same franchise. It is waaaaaaay more
grounded
in reality and waaaaaaay more grounded in the real world. I
mean
people forget, Rocky won Best Picture in 1976, and Rocky 2
probably could have been nominated too. At the time it was
considered the most successful sequel in the history of
Hollywood
(look it up, this is true).
One of the other things that stands
out when I watch Rocky 2 is the fact that Sylvester Stallone directed
it. I mean, you can make fun of the guy all you want.
You
can call Sylvester Stallone a big joke. You can say that all of his
movies are stupid. But Rocky 2 was his baby
through and through. He wrote it, he starred in it, he
directed
it, he edited it. He trained for it. He apparently
spent eight months just editing
the final fight. And I think it is a shame that so many
people
don't give him credit for this. Rocky 2 easily could have
been a
quickie sequel that just cashed in on the success of the original.
It could have easily turned out to be an embarrassing
disaster.
Yet it didn't. Again, like I said, in 1979 this was
considered the most successful sequel in the history of Hollywood.
The fact that it is so close in spirit to the original (so
close
that people often get parts 1 and 2 confused) is something
that should be commended, not seen as a negative.
Here's a hint. If Rocky is wearing black and gold, it is
Rocky 2.
Here is something that I noticed on my last rewatch of Rocky 2.
This is something that most people might not have ever caught.
The
storyline of Rocky's fight with Apollo (Rocky learns how to
fight
right handed, and then saves his left hand for the final round when he
really needs it) is the EXACT same thing that Stallone tried to do when
he wrote the screenplay. In fact it is amazing how close the
parallels
are when you sit down and you pay attention to them.
Rocky 2
starts off as a chick flick. Bill Simmons is right, it
totally
does. It really isn't a guy movie at all, Stallone completely
strays away from making a kick ass story about Rocky being a badass.
Instead he sat down and he wrote a love story. It
is all about Adrian
and Rocky, and how they get married. And how they start a
family. And how Adrian wants Rocky to settle down and
actually be a role
model to his son. Again, Stallone opts to go in the direction
of
writing the story as it would have happened in real life, as
opposed to "fighting
with his left hand" and just doing the exact same screenplay that he
did before.
Most of
Rocky 2 is spent on the secondary characters. It is spent
letting
us get to know Apollo (Carl Weathers is really good in Rocky 2, by the
way). We get to learn Mickey. We see the story of
Rocky and
Adrian. There is almost no Rocky and there is almost no
boxing whatsoever.
It is just the story of a guy who used to be a big deal, and
now
he suddenly isn't anymore. And it is actually kind of sad.
The entire first half of the movie is Rocky settling down and marrying
Adrian
And then, just when you think that the movie is going to turn into
a love story melodrama (Oh no, Adrian fell into a coma! Oh
no, Rocky
has brain damage! Oh no, Rocky might lose his right eye!
Oh no, their life is over!) that's when Stallone
decides
to go back to fighting left handed. That is when he makes
that
turn. And when he does it, it is as effective as when Rocky
the boxer does it in the last round against Apollo.
Anyone who has ever seen Rocky 2 knows the exact scene I am
talking
about. This is where Stallone the writer goes back to
fighting left handed. Adrian wakes up from her coma, and she
and Rocky talk
about their plans for the future. And then she tells him she
wants him to do one thing for her.
"What's that?"
"Win."
(cue the Bill Conti music)
"Do one thing for me. Win."
I have to say, I have seen a lot of big moments in movies.
I have seen a lot of effective movie chill scenes.
But I am
not sure I have EVER seen a better movie moment than when Adrian tells
Rocky that she wants him to win. Right there, that is when
Stallone the director decides to go back to fighting left handed.
I could watch that scene a thousand times and it will never fail to
send a chill down my spine. It will actually make me start to
tear up. And believe me, I have seen this movie more times
than I would like to count.
In
my opinion Adrian telling Rocky to win is by far the best moment of any
of the Rocky movies. By far. I don't think anything
in the
original movie comes close. I don't think anything
in Rocky
3 even comes close. That clip where Adrian tells him to win
sets
the stage for the entire rest of the movie, and it sets the stage for
what I consider maybe the best final 30 minutes of a movie that I have
ever seen. The minute Adrian tells him to win and that Bill
Conti
music starts up, well sit down and fasten your seatbelt.
Because this is where
Rocky 2 turns into something very special.
Cue that training montage
For about 20 years I have had a list of special movies in my
head. This is the list of what I like to call my "Time
Machine Movies."
These are movies that if I ever invent a time machine, or if
I
ever get access to a time machine, I want to go back in time and see
them in a theater the week that they came out. Because there
are
some movies that are so effective and so powerful, that it kills me
that I am too young to have ever seen them in a theater.
Jaws is
one of my all time big Time Machine Movies. I would kill to
be
able to go back to 1975 and see Jaws in a packed movie theater.
I
bet that movie in a theater was as effective as hell.
Halloween
is another one of my big Time Machine movies. I would love to
see
that in 1978 the week that it came out. I bet that movie just
made people jump out of their seats.
However, out of all the
movies I have ever seen in my life, out of all the powerful and
effective stories I have seen told on film, the number one Time Machine
Movie on my list has always been Rocky 2. It came out in 1979
when I was five years old and I never got to see it in a theater.
And I would KILL to go back in time and see it in a
theater.
I envy anyone who ever saw Rocky 2 in a crowded movie theater
and got to watch those last thirty minutes when that audience was going
crazy.
If you are one of those lucky people who actually did see
Rocky 2 in a movie theater, I have no doubt
that you would be as baffled as I am that it is now considered to be
the
black sheep of the Rocky movies. Black sheep?
Um,
have you ever actually SEEN this movie? Do you know how
powerful that ending is?
In short, if you want to watch a movie that is totally underrated and
will send a chill down your spine each and every time to watch it,
watch Rocky 2. It might not have won as many accolades as the
original, but in my opinion it sure did deserve them. It is
one
of those rare sequels in the world that I feel is very special.
I
mean, come on. This is my #1 all time Time Machine movie.
I
would see this in a crowded theater before I would see Jaws.
I don't
throw around that kind of praise for just any old movie.
Also,
it has Carl Weathers in the best acting performance of his career.
Years before he was a punchline on Arrested Development, he
was
actually a really good actor in Rocky 2. And no, at no point
in
this movie does he ask for a per diem, or for half price on select menu
items. Nor does he ever actually make a stew out of anything.
Knows you can get unlimited refills on any drink at Burger King
Rocky 2. The rematch. The legend. One of
the all time greatest movie sequels.
See
it, to see maybe the best final 30 minutes of any movie I have ever
seen.
Once Adrian comes out of that coma and she has something to
tell
Rocky, hang on to your seat. There is a reason that they love
to
play that clip before the 9th inning at baseball games. It is
maybe the all time greatest sports movie chill moment.
See it, to learn that when you splash on Brute Aftershave it makes you
smeel mainly.
See it, to see if the kid in the white pants who is sprinting is ever
going to catch up to Rocky.
See
it, to learn that you really do take
retards to the zoo when you take
them on a date. I don't know that a lot of people remember
that
from the first movie, but in the original, Gazzo's limo driver at one
point tells Rocky that he should take Adrian to the zoo because
"retards like the zoo." It is kind of a forgettable little
throwaway line, but if you pay attention in Rocky 2, that is EXACTLY
where Rocky takes Adrian when he asks her to marry him. He
proposes to her at the zoo. I don't know about you, but I
always
found that funny. I guess Gazzo's limo driver was right.
Timmay!
In summary, there are two things to always remember
when it comes to Rocky 2. It is NOT a weak movie. And in no
way
is it the exact same movie as the original. In fact in many
ways I
would say it is even better than the original. There is no
way that this movie
should ever be called the black sheep of the franchise.
Oh yeah, there is one another thing to remember about Rocky 2, and this
is the important one.
If you want to achieve great things in the world, ignore the advice of
your wife.
Bitch please, I just won the world title. What did you do?
Not that. Peace.
* My
favorite IMDB user reviews about Rocky 2:
My favourite Rocky film -
19 May 2005
God
I love this film. The best rocky in my opinion and such a great sequel.
It starts exactly where the first one ends. Grabs the audience, as a
sequel should, by showing again the fight from Rocky I and then
developing the characters further. Whether Apollo frustrated by only
just winning, Rocky and Adrian as they marry and have a child or Mickey
spending that time with Rocky in the chapel. The tenderness between R
and A is just wonderful. Unlike some directors they just keep the
romance simple and I just love the innocence of their relationship. Him
a lowly boxer, she a dour shop girl but they love each other and that's
all the need. The training sequences are brilliant, making you wanting
to punch the air when they've finished. The fight is great, unrealistic
maybe but exciting nonetheless. My favourite scene though is right at
the end. Everyone slates it but it always brings a genuine tear to my
eye. He's beaten Apollo and achieved his dreams but the only thing
important to him is showing this to his wife. The emotion of his 'Yo
Adrian, I did it' is just wonderful, like a young boy wanting to show
off to his mother. Rocky has been through hell but all he wants is his
wife to be proud of him. Mesmerising and touching.
Underrated Film - 17
November 2003
Rocky
II continues the story of the beloved character Rocky Balboa in a very
real fashion. Here is a nobody who got a shot a the heavy weight title,
with it came a little recognition and a little money... Then what? That
is where the script becomes very intriguing. Dealing with illiteracy,
no job skills and trying to make a living as a meat packer. A bad right
eye and a p***ed off champion. Here we are feeling for Rocky once
again. A great cast with great performances, a good script. This is the
most underrated in the franchise.
Excellent sequel - 8
October 2003
"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.
The Rocky Balboa journey
should have stopped here!!! - 9 February 2007
This
movie was fantastic, after the first Rocky movie you feel you want to
see more out of Rocky, you want to know all the emotion felt after the
first fight between Apollo Creed.....and Rocky II does this. Bill
Conti's score is just fantastic, as the training scene before the fight
delivers a rush through you with motivational music. Then the fight,
which if you are a fan or professional of the boxing world you know the
fight is hardly realistic. But who cares it delivers all the drama that
is awaited for during the whole movie and the long time Talia Shire is
in a coma. The scene where she wakes up and captivates Rocky's mind to
win is the best scene of all Rocky movies, as the score of Bill Conti
kicks in and Burgess Meredith quotes "Well what are we waiting
for?".....which is when Rocky begins to train, Geat Movie
Moment!!!!.....
I would have to say also that Burgees Meredith
was a catalyst for the success of the first two movies, he played his
role to perfection and i thought that without him no other Rocky movies
should have been made.
Which leads me to another topic of "this
should of been the last Rocky!"......it should of ended here and the
story of Rocky Balboa would have been known as a great two movie
classic. But no, it went on and i feel the rest of the Rocky movies
ruined the brilliance of the first two. whilst being interesting to
watch and at times motivational they just didn't have the edge and they
turned the Rocky series from cinema classics to over the top Hollywood
action.
As for Rocky IV, i just saw it and i was appalled, the
story has just gone too far and the reality of Rocky has just gone way
out the window.
But for Rocky II......what a movie!
One of the best sequels
ever made. I'm not joking. - 10 August 2004
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.
Another Knockout - 5
September 2006
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.
Rocky Goes Hollywood, But
Doesn't Sell Out - 7 January 2013
When
F.I.S.T and Paradise Alley (a spiritual sequel of sorts to Rocky)
didn't light up the box office, it was back to Rocky. This film has
much more of a Hollywood feel (Sly's got a tan, training by Franco
Columbo, every one has a stylish hair cut) than the original (the 1st
had a budget of about $1 million, this was $7), but is still character
driven, well written, down to Earth and has an indie feel to it.
While
Paulie and Adrian (especially the former) take a back seat this time
Mickey and Apollo are much more characterized than in the first film.
The love story between Rocky and Adrian is not as precious as in the
1st film, but is still important as we find out that Rocky can't fight
without the support of those he loves, especially Adrian. It's sweet to
see that Rocky himself doesn't even understand this, but Paulie does
and (in one of the few character moments he has in this movie) is the
catalyst (indirectly) for Adrian's coma.
We see Rocky screwing
up throughout most of the picture because he just can't figure out what
to do with himself and then Apollo, still goaded from his loss ("Man I
won, but I didn't beat him!" he exclaims to his trainer Duke), starts a
campaign to taunt Rocky back in the ring. Mick meanwhile agrees to
train Rocky again, but is indignant by Rocky's lackluster performance
in the gym. It is only when he visits the Rock at the hospital chapel
does he realize why Rocky can't give his all and offers a persuasive
speech that is one of the best moments in the series.
Possibly
the best sequel, though Rocky Balboa gives it a run for its money, but
this one was made back in the day and has the complete original cast.
One of the best sequels I have even seen in any medium.
Entertaining with a great
finale - 9 October 2005
While this is by no means as effective a movie as the first one, this
is however a worthy sequel and entertaining as hell.
You
all know the story; Rocky, a media sensation after the fight with
Appollo Creed agrees to fight the champion one more time. In the
meantime he gets married, spends all his money, has a baby, gets on
with training and competes in the coolest boxing match ever filmed
(f*** Cinderella Man).
This is basically a repeat of the first
film. Rocky's down, gets up, goes back down, gets up and gets the job
done with style. Stallone, director here as well as the writer, does a
good job in every department, making Rocky II an entertaining (if a bit
overlong) sequel that's sure to delight everyone who liked the first
film. The film feels like treaded ground, but isn't that what we want?
That final fight is awesome even to this day, Stallone spent 8 months
alone editing it. It paid off.
My favorite trivia about
Rocky 2:
* When Rocky is training for the fight, he is sparring with a smaller
quicker fighter. The sparring partner is played by real life Champion
Roberto Durán.
* During his preparation for the film, Sylvester Stallone was
bench-pressing 220lbs, when the weight fell and he tore his right
pectoral muscle. This was shortly before the fight scene was to be
filmed, and ultimately, the scene was shot with Stallone still badly
injured.
* In one version of the screenplay, there is a flashback scene that
shows Rocky first meeting Mickey and we learn Rocky's real first name:
Robert.
* Sylvester Stallone began working on the Rocky III script immediately
after completing Rocky II, with the intention of the series being a
trilogy. Originally, he had no plans to make a fourth film.
* 800 local schoolchildren were used as extras for the scene depicting
Rocky's run through Philadelphia.
* Originally, Adrian was supposed to be at the big fight. However,
because Talia Shire was working on another movie at the time, the
storyline was changed to having her stay home and watch the fight on
TV. The scenes of her watching the boxing match on TV were shot and
then edited into the movie several months after filming on the fight
scenes had finished.
* It took Sylvester Stallone and editors Danford B. Greene and
Stanford C. Allen over eight months to edit the climatic fight scene so
as to meet Stallone's approval.
* My
favorite scene in Rocky 2:
"Win!"
(music)
"Well what're we waitin' for?!?"
Rocky 2
at the IMDB
Rocky 2
at Wikipedia
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