Directed by:
Sylvester StalloneScreenplay:
Sylvester StalloneCinematography:
Bill ButlerComposer:
Bill ContiCast:
Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, Tony Burton, Joe Spinell, Sylvia Meals, Frank McRae, Al Silvani, Bill Baldwin (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
After club fighter Rocky Balboa (Stallone) goes the distance with heavyweight champ Apollo Creed (Weathers), boxing fans clamor for a rematch. But Rocky, having sustained massive injuries in the bout, announces his retirement. He concentrates on his relationship with Adrian (Shire), marring her and attempting to settle into the routine of family life. But as Rocky tries to make a new start for himself, he realizes that he can't escape his true calling. The ring beckons once more, and the "Italian Stallion" must prepare for the fight of his life. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (5)
I like the second Rocky as much as the previous one, in some ways even a little bit more. But the main advantage remains the same - a hero who is definitely not a great thinker, more like a big simple guy, but who means well and you can't help but keep your fingers crossed for him. In Rocky II, you can see that the filmmakers had a bigger budget, so it's not so "TV-like" (not that I minded it last time) and the fight is very believable compared to the last one - you can see and hear Balboa and Creed fighting, you can feel the tension... A year later came Raging Bull and I would almost say that Martin Scorsese was a bit inspired here.
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Less psychology, more superficial emotions. Sylvester Stallone builds on the solid foundations he laid down in the first instalment and switches to a pure genre formula – more forceful expression of the emotions of Rocky’s love affair, as well as the rivalry with the opponent in the ring. The boxing climax is more spectacular and emotional than in the first Rocky (but the first part did not need to base as much on it). Rocky II is a solid sequel that retains its creator’s touch, but it does not leave as strong an impression as the original.
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Nowadays a Rocky sequel would have absolutely no chance of success and would most likely get lost in the landfill of film history faster than we could say “horse”. But the date of release really plays the biggest role in this case, and it's no wonder that the second installment of the boxer with a heart full of the American dream received enthusiastic ovations. Different times, that's the key characterization of this whole thing. This story full of clichés, artificially hyped scenes, shallow main characters, and basic feedback to the audience just had a different impact years ago. When watching Rocky, you get a strange feeling, it's not just the style of filming (no digital camera, no fast cuts, no rawness, no digital effects), it's rather the core of the retro elements, whether it's older cars, buildings, shops, neighborhoods, clothing, or the key final fight itself, there's simply a magic of old age. Different times, different world, and if you haven’t experienced it, you will look at it completely differently. Simply put, it's heavyweight nostalgia with all its trimmings.
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If you do the same thing twice, you may not get the same result. In the first one, everything worked, from the basic human emotions to a motivational boxing formula with a disarming ending. In the second one, however, we're more or less only eating nostalgia, with the main characters trying to be even more likeable, and the final fight, where Sly gives a really good performance. It's still a genre classic, but if it weren't for the first film, the Italian Stallion would hardly have gathered so many loyal fans, whether from the ranks of ordinary viewers or film critics.
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I immediately like that it's not just a boxing movie, but a romance where you expect something to go wrong. Sly simply works in this role. He's simply a cool dude, but he means well. Sylvester Stallone created an iconic role here - not necessarily in this film, but in this series - and he shows that he is capable of portraying virtually every aspect of his character. Sad, joyful, troubled, awkward, and determined. I just eat it up, hook, line, and sinker, and I'm damn subjective about it. These are just the kind of movies that captivated me in childhood, and I can't help it that my fascination with the desire to defeat someone persists.
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