Better than Raging Bull

Rating: 8/10 (10 May 2003)

OK, that's not strictly true, but it grabbed your attention. And while Raging Bull is most probably a better piece of film art than Rocky, it's the latter that holds the title in the enjoyment stakes. And although Rocky is essentially one great big cliche, as Appollo Creed says: "A lot of other people are just as sentimental". And it's true, we are. And Rocky manages to stay just the right side of sentimental to stay charming rather than mawkish.
Stallone's script is surprisingly effective for someone who later wrote Cliffhanger and who is traditionally painted as nothing more than a set of muscles and a mumble. However, Stallone's actual acting ability leaves much to be desired, and it takes Creed's rearranging of his facial features to shift his one expression into something else. But it can't detract from the fact that Rocky is extremely enjoyable hokum. It may not quite be what I think of as a deserving Oscar winner (maybe the competition was weak that year), but it is certainly more than worthy of the praise it receives from my action film loving friends.