Still a crowd pleaser that will make you cheer 40 years on.

Rating: 9/10 (2 December 2016)

Rocky is still a movie that is enjoyable 40 years on. Released in 1976, the movie itself could be classed as an underdog story that came out of nowhere that was met with critical acclaim as well as a box office success. Rocky also netted 3 well deserved Academy Awards but unfortunately nothing for Sylvester Stallone who was not only the main star of the movie, but also wrote the screenplay. Rocky was also the movie that catapulted Sylvester Stallone into stardom.
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a small time boxer in Philadelphia struggling to make ends meet in the ring and outside the ring where he earns a meagre wage as a debt collector for local crime boss Gazzo (Joe Spinell). To make matters worse Rocky finds himself on the outer with his trainer Mick (Burgess Meredith), with Mick dismissing Rocky as someone that has needlessly wasted his talent as a boxer. Rocky's fortune changes when heavyweight champion boxer Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) seeks out an unknown after his scheduled opponent withdraws after injuring himself. Apollo Creed picks Rocky on the basis of his nickname "The Italian Stallion". Rocky also finds love after hooking up with the shy and timid Adrian (Talia Shire), sister of Rocky's good friend Paulie (Burt Young). Mick also mends fences with Rocky and agrees to train Rocky. Rocky trains harder for his million-to-one shot at the title to earn his own self-respect and vows that no matter if he wins or loses, he wants to go the distance with Apollo Creed.
Sylvester Stallone is a delight to see light up the screen as his now iconic character Rocky Balboa. After a successful shot at box office glory, Rocky spawned 5 sequels as well as the spin off movie Creed (2015).
Director John G. Avildsen nets himself a well deserved Academy Award for Best Director bringing the story of Rocky to life on screen but the main driving force is Sylvester Stallone who fought to have his screenplay made into a movie after being inspired by the Chuck Wepner-Muhammad Ali fight in 1975 which prompted Stallone to put pen to paper and the end result paid off with Stallone triumphantly earning himself a winner.
The now inspirational theme "Gonna Fly Now" is synonymous with Rocky which plays during the montage of Rocky training his heart out at the gym and running around Philadelphia which ends with one of the famous scenes of the movie as Rocky runs up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and triumphantly makes it to the top of the now famous "Rocky stairs".
40 years later, audiences still loves to cheer for Rocky as they watch the underdog Rocky Balboa earn himself a shot at the championship title.
9/10.