Review of Rocky III (1982) by Peter N — 08 Aug 2012

Rocky's triumph over Apollo Creed has turned him into a successful, popular celebrity. He fought the best and won. What else is there? Well, there's a bunch more sequels so there has to be more to the story, right? Yes, but I like to think the first two films are better viewed in the context that there were no more sequels afterwards.

Rocky III still manages to be entertaining, if less intelligent and more formulaic than its predecessors. Clubber Lang is a much different, more physical threat. The fact that Clubber actually beats Rocky is necessary to the structure of the film, as it humbles him back to his old self, providing the necessary motivation to recapture his old glory.

Apollo Creed's role as Rocky's friend and trainer is brilliant, adding a new dimension to their relationship. The fact that their heated matches in the ring produced a constructive friendship is an accurate portrayal of the positive outlet that competitive sports provides.

The final match is exciting, but at this point it's all executed according to a specific and predictable formula, causing the film to be a slight downgrade from the first two.