"It's not so bad..."

Rating: 8/10 (27 November 2015)

Freud called it the repetition compulsion and for him it became the major drive, even surpassing the sex drive. It's the reason behind why children enjoy hearing the same tale over and over again , and it's how a story like this, though we know how it's going to evolve, can nonetheless be entertaining. There are no surprises here, but it is very well done which makes the familiar journey all the more enjoyable.
Watching the film I am reminded of what a fine actor Sylvester Stallone can be. In the original "Rocky", his performance (and those of his co-stars) were among the best of the later half of the 20th Century. He did it again with his first "Rambo" film, putting in another great performance. As life would have it, they both became franchises, what were unique and compelling characters became caricatures, and in the end we yearned for them to stop because the authenticity was lost in the posturing.
The current film does justice to the original, and brings us back to a place where we can contentedly look back and see the cycle come full circle. A great script, fine acting, and a good musical score help make this one to remember. I was a little disappointed in the fighting scenes, which do not do justice to the first 3 Rocky features, but otherwise it's a good film