Wai Ting and I continue our series of Rocky reviews as we discuss ROCKY II this month. Thanks to everyone that checked out the review of ROCKY I last month, which we have made available for everyone.
This show will be released for all members of the POST Wrestling Café on Tuesday, September 8th.
Leave us your feedback in the thread and we will read them at the end of our review.
Rocky struggles in family life after his bout with Apollo Creed, while the embarrassed champ insistently goads him to accept a challenge for a rematch.
I’ve always been a fan of the Rocky franchise and post wrestling has given me a reason to revisit it. I think the second film often gets forgotten for the more iconic rocky 3 and 4, but it starts to set the stage for what the series would become. All in all an enjoyable watch. Stallone was great at playing a loveable underdog, Carl Weathers looked like a world beater, Burgess Meredith made me think that I could eat lightning and crap thunder, and Paulie scared me every time he opened his mouth with his solution to everything involved smacking around Adrian. 3/5
In my head I seem to remember this film being one of those sequels that is on par/surpasses the original, but after a rewatch I would say - whilst still a good film - it doesnt get anywhere near the heights of the original Rocky, probably because the story of the first film is just naturally more compelling then the story here.
I think I got my Rocky 2 and 3’s a bit mixed up in my head because I thought Apollo was in this a lot more then he is… looking at where the series goes with his character and then later with his son in the Creed films, I think it’s a shame we don’t see more of him here and see the fight from his POV. All we really see is him being angry and that’s about it… where as a deeper look into his side of the fight could have been an interesting way to set this sequel apart from the first film. Still, even though he isn’t given much to do, I do think Weathers steals every scene he’s in.
Random boxing question - Is there a big boxing match you have a fond memory of watching? And will you take any interest in the potential Joshua vs. Fury fight next year that will probably be the biggest fight in British boxing history?
Probably my least favourite of the franchise. It’s fine, well made, well acted, etc - but really lacks the emotion of the first film.
The drama isn’t there, as there really is never a question if Rocky is going to beat Apollo and win the title.
I will say that perhaps it’s because I have only lived in a world where Rocky was a franchise, and there are other more enjoyable films that come after - that I unfairly compare it. But I struggle even taking Rocky 2 as a stand alone sequel, because all it does is redo the first with a more crowd pleasing ending.
Hopefully you guys see something more in the film that I am missing.
Stallone is still working hard, and doing good work. He is still a star on the rise. Much like the Rocky character. However once we hit the 80’s, as Rocky is a Champion - Stallone is poised to become one of the top stars of the decade ahead. As I’ve said before - Rocky the character and these films are the perfect mirror to see Stallone’s own path through and statys in Hollywood reflected.
