Review of Rocky III (1982) by Lee-Ann P — 10 Nov 2009

Rocky has made the transition from the dingy 70's to poppy 80's as Sylvester Stallone's epic character also makes a unique transition from the slums of Philadelphia to the wealthy high class level as Rocky's boxing career continues to thrive with win after win.

In the shadows though hides a contender fueled by anger and rage as he himself also defeats boxer after boxer, mouthing off at each and every corner by declaring that it's his time to fight Rocky for the championship.

That man is Clubber Lang (played infamously by Mr. T in his film debut). When Rocky finds out he's been fighting strategically placed bums this whole time, he sets out to prove to himself that he can take on Lang.

The match results in Mickey dying and Rocky losing badly, thus putting him in a funk that takes the return of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers returning) along with wife Adrian (Talia Shire again) and Pauly (Burt Young again), to pull him out of that funk and re-train him for the rematch against Clubber.

Rocky III is another exhilarating underdog movie that is still classic to some degree, but loses its a lot of edge during the transition from decade to decade where fads, music, and aesthetics have drastically change.

As a result, there are some comically corny moments that yell out "80's" (the biggest part that comes to mind is Rocky's violent battle with wrestler Thunderlips, played with over-the-top gusto by none other than a young Hulk Hogan), however the film still manages to finish up strong and deliver another fine chapter in this long series.

Despite the change in time, Stallone once again delivers a great story, good direction, and a fun performance, as does the rest of the cast. Though the character and overall aura of Mr. T is also a bit dated and campy, he actually pulls off a powerful and villainous character, which helps make the final boxing match all the more bittersweet in its execution.

Seriously, watching that match made me want to get up and punch someone. Great film, but a slight decline from the first two.