Review of Rocky II (1979) by Melvin W — 30 May 2012

Mickey: 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. .

"The Rematch Of The Century".

Rocky II is a lot like Rocky. In fact, it is the exact same formula. So that subtracts a little from the film. Despite that, it is an adequate sequel to a cherished original. There's nothing too great going on here, but for fans of the original, it is easily enough. The film has a lot of heart(maybe a bit too much) and the happy ending is sure to send viewers home feeling good. Stallone steps into the directors chair here and does a decent job. I can't really say it was anything special because he pretty much copied the original direction for every scene. Nothing really screams new director. His screenplay also is nothing special.

This sequel picks up right where the first one left off. Rocky has just lost the big fight to Apollo, but it was a moral victory. Doctors tell him he shouldn't fight anymore because of a severely damaged eye. He listens to them, marries Adrian, and impregnates her. Soon, Apollo is back asking for a rematch; telling the world that Rocky is scared since he won't fight. So here comes Rocky, back, ready to fight. We have the same sequences where Mickey says he's a bum, then trains him. The story is nothing to write home about.

It's a feel good, fan pleasing movie, and nothing more. I don't love it, I don't hate it. I've watched it many times, and still I am able to watch it all the way through with no problems, which is the best praise I can give the movie. Not as classic as the original, but it never needed to be. It serves the purpose of advancing a beloved characters story. Too bad they had to keep advancing it.