The Rocky Movies

[Squints]

I sat down a few days ago and watched Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI) for the first time all the way through on FX the other night. I liked the movie and it gave some (hopefully) closure to the series. The story was a bit of a stretch, a 50+ year old going the distance against the reigning champ, but I enjoyed it anyway.

Got me thinking which Rocky movie is the best/favorite. I know each plot has the same premise, it can be a little hoaky at times, but I am a fan anyway.

For my money, I liked III the best- Mick dying before the fight, the comeback and being trained by Creed, Eye of the Tiger. Also, liked IV- they played the Cold War angle to perfection and really had you hating Drago. And of course the original is a great flick as well, but not my personal favorite

Least favorite is V- Almost ruined the franchise for me and thought it was a horrible way to end the series (at that time).

Rank 'em if you want. Discuss. Stay away haters

[metalhead9x9]

If they wanted the series to end on a good note, they should have ended it after the first one. That was such a great movie that there was no way any of the sequels could have ever topped it. II and IV are up there for me(II cause it was a worthy follow-up and had a good story, IV for the guilty pleasure and cheese factor, plus the main fight was so awesome). III never piqued my interest and V was better off never leaving the page. Balboa wasn't as good as I had hoped. It wasn't bad, but nothing special, imo. Didn't understand Rocky's motivation. The whole "I wanna prove I can still do it, yo" was kinda resolved in the fifth one when he beat down Tommy Gunn and his mullet. Plus a Rocky movie hinges on the epicness of the climactic fight and I didn't get any goosebumps like I did with some of the other fights. It's great that they didn't get a one-dimensional villain like Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago, but "The Line" was pretty damn forgettable and appeasing both fighters' goals had me all, "Meh."

[Guest]

1. Rocky (first one)
2. Rocky III
3. Rocky Balboa
4. Rocky II
5. Rocky IV
6. Rocky V

[FUDU]

1. Rocky (first one)
2. Rocky III
3. Rocky Balboa
4. Rocky II
5. Rocky IV
6. Rocky V

Mitch is your ranking for sheer entertainment or overall quality of the movie taking into account acting , writing etc...?

For me personally Rocky 1 wins any way you look at it, but if by movie standards and not just entertainment I'd have to put 2 above 3, even though 3 was a fun movie.

IMO 4 is the worst and 5 and 6 are near after thoughts that I really care not to even remember just b/c it got old already.

[Tymaster]

I , II, and III.
Really, they should have just ended after one.
I'm not a hater, but really folks, if you want to view a GREAT boxing movie, it's all about Raging Bull!!!!

[The Brook]

3 is a joke, its a music video. I mean he fights Hulk Hogan and Mr T in it and he's suddenly faster than Apollo Creed???

1. is amazing. Its a real movie and a great story.
2. is cool, good job continuing the story and the rematch is great
3. sucked I thought
4. I can't believe nobody likes 4, maybe its because I was a pretty young kid when it came out, but I'd put that one right with #2. I know its pretty corny, but there are so many classic lines from that movie and the training scenes and final fight is great in my opinion
5. the only thing good from it is the song "my hearts on fire", and the very end when the promoter says "touch me and I'll sue" for like the 5th time, Rocky says "Sue me for what?" and gives him a swift uppercut
6. Must have been terrible, I remember nothing.

Below are all quotes from Rocky 4. Lastly Drago was the PERFECT name for the enemy in this movie.

"Adrian: It's suicide. You've seen him, you know how strong he is. You can't win.
Rocky: Oh, Adrian. Adrian always tells the truth. No, maybe I can't win. Maybe the only thing I can do is just take everything he's got. But to beat me, he's going to have to kill me. And to kill me, he's gonna have to have the heart to stand in front of me. And to do that, he's got to be willing to die himself. I don't know if he's ready to do that. I don't know."

Rocky: I see three of him out there.
Paulie: Hit the one in the middle.
Duke: Right! Hit the one in the middle.

Rocky: [Addressing the Soviet crowd, translated into Russian line by line by announcer]
Rocky: During this fight, I've seen a lot of changing, in the way you feel about me, and in the way I feel about you. In here, there were two guys killing each other, but I guess that's better than twenty million. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!

Drago: You will lose.

Drago: [after "killing" Apollo in the ring] I can not be defeated. I beat all man. Someday, I will beat a real champion. If he dies, he dies.

Drago: I must break you.

Rocky: Going in one more round when you don't think you can - that's what makes all the difference in your life.

Paulie: I know sometimes I act stupid and I say stupid things, but you kept me around and other people would have said "drop that bum". You give me respect. You know it's kinda hard for me to say these kinda things, cuz it ain't my way, but if I could just unzip myself and step out and be someone else, I'd wanna be you. You're all heart, Rock

[Drago has just entered the ring]
Paulie: Uh, Rock, you remember what I said about wantin' to be you?
Rocky: Yeah.
Paulie: Forget it.
[exits the ring]
Rocky: Thanks, Paul.

Drago: He's not human, he's like a piece of iron.

Nicoli Koloff: [at the Creed-Drago press conference] You are not very realistic, are you, Mr. Creed?
Apollo: Now who is this guy? Where did you come from?
Nicoli Koloff: You can box, yes. But you are far too old to think that you can beat Drago.
Apollo: Is that a fact?
Nicoli Koloff: Yes. And it could be a painful one!

Nicoli Koloff: [at the Balboa-Drago press conference] It is a matter of size. Evolution. Isn't it, gentlemen? Drago is the most perfectly trained athlete ever. This other man has not the size, the strength, the *genetics* to win. It is physically impossible for this little man to win. Drago is a look at the future!

Apollo: We always have to be in the middle of the action 'cause we're the warriors. And without some challenge, without some damn war to fight then the warriors might as well be dead, Stallion. Now I'm asking you - as a friend - stand by my side this one last time.

Apollo: Without some damn war to fight, then the warrior may as well be dead, Stallion!

Ludmilla: You call him a killer. He's a professional fighter, not a killer. We are getting death threats. We are not involved in politics. All I want is for my husband to be safe, and to be treated fairly. You have this belief that you are better than us. You have this belief that this country is so very good and we are so very bad. You have this belief that you are so fair and we are so very cruel.
Nicoli Koloff: It's all lies and false propaganda to support this antagonistic and violent government.
Paulie: Whoa. Violent? Hey, we don't keep our people behind a wall with machine guns.
Nicoli Koloff: Who are you?
Paulie: Who am I? I'm the unsilent majority, bigmouth.

[jfiling]

1) Rocky
The first, and while it might not have had the traditional "happy ending", it told a thoroughly realistic story with a finale that fit just right.

2) Rocky II
Still realistic, although the pregnancy came off as almost cheesy, and the ending could be seen from a mile away.

3) Rocky Balboa
It just seems to me that if the franchise ended after the first two, this would have been the perfect coda.

4) Rocky III
Mindless entertainment. Mr. T was pretty good, and we got the death of Mick.

5) Rocky IV
A damn music video. And I hate that robot that Rocky bought Pauly. I always love the training montage in this one.

6) Rocky V
Bill Simmons says it never happened, and I believe him.

[davemanddd]

personally, my favorite "rocky" movie was "the rocky horror picture show".

let's do the timewarp again!!!

it's just a jump to the left . . . and then a step to the right . . . put your hands on your hips . . . and bring your knees in tight . . . and it's the pelvic thrust . . . that really drives you insane!!!

let's do the timewarp again!!!

hee-hee!!!

[consigliere]

III and IV will always be my favorites as I saw them in the theater, was huge into the WWF at the time, was big into Stallone movies and Rambo, and played the soundtracks from those movies to death. The soundtrack from IV is one of the best original music soundtracks for a movie ever, IMO.

Anytime III and IV come on, I will ALWAYS watch them. Love 'em. Are they great stories? No, prob not, and a little cheesy.....but the entertainment value is great. I and II are too sluggish and I never watch them when they are on except if it is the last half hour of the movie. V is a waste, though I like the final few minutes when he beats down Gunn ("my ring is outside"). Balboa was solid, and a good way to end it.