Review of Rocky III (1982) by Rebecca H — 13 May 2009

I'm not sure why there are so many Rocky films - I very much did not enjoy the first one, and there isn't much of a plot to each film, but Rocky III surprised me. It is actually uplifting and has a fast pace, which makes a huge change.

Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) is more likeable, funny and sharper than previously and his wife Adrian (Talia Shire) is stronger, making them both more watchable than usual. However, her brother Paulie (Burt Young) is still a creep, but Rocky for some reason still doesn't mind. Meanwhile, Rocky's trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) drops dead, apparently because the doctors can't be bothered to give him any treatment.

This depresses Rocky and he loses his Heavyweight Champion title to Clubber Lang (Mr T). Clubber isn't a character, just a monster-figure to be defeated. Unlike Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), the 'villain' of the first two films, Clubber has no background, no personality, and is determined to kill Rocky. You can't for a moment sympathise with him. You just want to see this psycho destroyed. Although this is simplistic, it is nice not to have mixed messages, which bogged down the first two films, and it gives us something to root against.

Since Apollo was so likeable, it is nice to have him back in a different role, as he decides to train Rocky to win back the championship. However, it is quite annoying that Rocky loses spirit. It just makes him sulky and having sat through two films already, you just want to slap him out of it.

The final fight is much more interesting than before - it is actually about skill and strategy, instead of standing there and getting punched. Overall, this is exciting. Shame about the final scene and some of the homoerotic training montages. Still, definitely the better of the first three. Now, how many times can you say Eye of the Tiger?