A sensationally inspiring and well-acted melodrama that set standards that are still followed today but seldom with the same emotional grandeur

Rating: 10/10 (3 October 2010)

The New York Times critic Vincent Canby dismissed "Rocky" as being "pure 30s make-believe" and being the intelligent, knowing critic that he was, he had a solid point in his review. I don't think there's a single person who has seen "Rocky" whether or not they enjoy it who would disagree with him. I don't even think the movie's makers, including writer/star Sylvester Stallone would strongly argue against that. It is sort of an old-fashioned tale about the underdog trying to become somebody in a moment that is really a scandalous motive for publicity. But as much as I admire and will always admire Mr. Canby as a critic and thinking man, I cannot agree with his overall verdict of "Rocky." Sure it isn't exactly fresh material in terms of its plot, but I think it is more than fresh (even today) in the way that it unfolds itself.
"Rocky," which has five sequels and countless wanna-bes, set the standards for the underdog story which even today is still being followed almost religiously. You can even see references in Clint Eastwood's daringly different boxing saga "Million Dollar Baby" a film which is only slightly better than this one. Sylvester Stallone plays the titular character of Rocky: a goodhearted and world-wary boxer who is down-on-his-luck. He's got a talent, but no opportunity. That is until the world champion (Carl Weathers) needs a brand new opponent for his upcoming match. If his contender can beat him, he gains instant fame as the new world champion.
But there's more depth and more character involved in this story. "Rocky" is described as a Cinderella story and not only is it about hope for change and eventual success, but it's a sweet little love story too. Rocky's freshly-written romance is to a shy petshop cashier played by Talia Shire. He's also got an on-and-off friendship with her persistent brother (Burt Young) and a cantankerous old pro (Burgess Meredith). The movie's themes about striving for success also unfold when the depths of these characters are explored. Some of them are almost like leeches; they want to suck off of Rocky's moments of fame, even if he is destined to lose the match.
The movie really rests on the performance, however, by Sylvester Stallone and he never makes a wrong gesture. It's one of his two or three best roles in his career and if you ignore some dicey movies in the 80s and 90s, that's quite a showcase. Mr. Stallone plays his character sort of like a Rodney Dangerfield impersonation. He goes for laughs, as the character is oftentimes trying to entertain other characters with cheap jokes. His antics often fall flat for Talia Shire, but draws a broad grin upon the faces of the audience. Roger Ebert compared Stallone's performance to the early works by Marlon Brando and I think it's a performance that is just as memorable as those, and even the immortalizing ones that Brando did later on films such as "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now." In other words, yes, I agree with Mr. Ebert.
But it *is* a movie about boxing...right? Well, that's just the excuse. That's the setup. A friend of mine once said that when he first saw "Rocky" as a boy, he hated it because he wanted to see the fights and couldn't have cared less about the love story or the relationships between the characters. Of course now as an adult, his opinion has vastly changed, but let's address the boxing scenes. They do work. In fact, they are very well-choreographed. I really appreciate how director John G. Avildsen avoided clichés such as slow-motion and rotating shots. He set up many angles, like a television match, and filmed the scenes like that. Mr. Avildsen's directing is especially effective here and is more than competently done throughout.
Many have tried to be what "Rocky" has become and most have failed. But it's not a shocker to most that this film has become the subject of such praise and imitation. It does have a very unique charm in its otherwise familiar setup and plot that allows it to work wonders on the audience's emotions. "Rocky" is one of the two or three best sports dramas I've ever seen and one incredibly entertaining motion picture. I've seen it many times and look forward the many times I will watch it again in the future.