Simply Brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (3 May 2004)

Probably the second-best boxing movie ever made, Raging Bull being the best (in my humble opinion), this is the picture that made Sylvester Stallone a star, and a household name. His bravura performance as Rocky Balboa, "The Italian Stallion" who gets a million-to-one shot to fight the heavyweight champion is at the heart of this rousing film. Never mind that such theatrics simply don't happen in the world of professional boxing. Stallone's writing captivates and draws in the audience such that we cheer along with the crowd in the climactic (and brilliantly choreographed) fight scene. I remember seeing this in its first theatrical release and being so caught up in the moment that I was cheering as loudly as anyone else; I never heard half of that final sequence until I saw the picture on HBO years later.
Rocky features stand-out performances by everyone, most notably Talia Shire (taking a break from playing Connie Corleone) as Rocky's plain-Jane girlfriend, and the always-brilliant Burgess Meredith as Mickey, Rocky's gravel-voiced trainer and manager. Ex-football player Carl Weathers give a nicely understated performance as Apollo Creed, a role that could have all-too-easily been played over the top. Look for cameos by Joe Frazier and Stu Nathan. Probably the best performance (other than Stallone's) is turned in by Burt Young, who in this picture perfected the greasy low-life that's become his signature. One can only hope that he's acting, as he's so convincing in his portrayal that the viewer just wants to beat the crap out of him on general principles.
John Avildsen perfected his directorial signature in this effort, a signature that would later appear in the Karate Kid pictures with Ralph Macchio. His camera captures the gritty, seamy side of south Philadelphia perfectly and, like Stallone's script, sucks the audience into his environment totally. Notice, though, how the lighting appears to brighten and intensify as the story progresses and Rocky gains confidence. Most of the first third of the picture seems to be shot in dim lighting, slightly out of focus, and with a narrow, claustrophic feeling. As Rocky gains strength, both physically and otherwise, Avildsen's lens seems to open wider and the light to come up. The focus sharpens until the scenes appear almost three-dimensional in their intensity.
If I had to pick one flaw in this cinematic masterpiece, I'd have to quibble with the physical appearance of the fighters, both Rocky and Apollo Creed. Neither is truly built like a heavyweight boxer; their waists are too narrow and their muscles too "cut." Either one of these guys, if he were to step into the ring with a Mike Tyson or a Buster Douglas, would be pounded to a pulp before the end of three rounds. And, let's face it: if any heavyweight fight were to get that bloody in reality, it would be stopped before any more damage could be done. But, hey, it's just a movie, right?