Going the distance.

Rating: 10/10 (4 July 2007)

I was born in the late 80s and never gave much attention to the Rocky saga. The underdog rags-to-riches story had been used so many times in the 90s; Rocky simply didn't have much appeal. With all the hype about this sixth installment raging around the internet, I finally decided to give this original a shot. On my first viewing, however, it didn't impress me much. I got pretty bored and tired of the insipid lifestyles in a rundown neighborhood that I wasn't paying attention to some of the scenes.
A few days later I came across an article saying that Sly Stallone got drunk for a scene because they could only do one take of it and he didn't want to mess it up. It was during the night before the fight, where Rocky was confiding his fears and ambitions to Adrian. I revisited that scene and watched all the way till the end. This is the time I use the words: It was a knockout. Rocky reminded us what life is all about; taking a shot, and giving it everything you have. I got so pumped up that I watched 2-5 over the next two days, but only the second could come close to rivaling this.
The low-life characters Stallone created in this depressed environment could relate to just about anyone who has been down and hopeless. There's the life-wasting bum in Rocky, the shy and unconfident Adrian, and Paulie, an outcast of society, among many others. When Rocky receives his shot at the title, its compelling to see the way that people around him change, even his aging trainer Micky. It gave them hope and something to believe in, but ultimately it is down to Rocko to complete the Cinderella act.
In the end, Rocky not only restores hope to a society where dreams seemed distant and impossible, but earned the ever elusive prize everyone toiled for from the moment they dreamed; self-respect. A wonderful tale for the underdog in all of us.