Not as good as the first, but definitely a worthy sequel

Rating: 7/10 (9 July 2004)

Like in my review of the first Rocky, I will point out right away that I am not a fan of boxing, in or out of movies, so my review will be based on the drama of the film, rather than the boxing. I really enjoyed the first Rocky, and it was obvious from the very first glance that it was not a boxing movie, but rather a drama that involved boxing, much like 8 Mile isn't a movie about rapping, but rather a drama that involves rapping. The sequel is the same thing, and I'm very glad that it is, since that allows non-boxing-fans like myself to enjoy it. The film picks up exactly where the first one left off, and follows the events of the first film directly. Personally, it felt a little like the plot was mainly made up to make a sequel to the first, but, hey, the film is good, almost as good as the first, so I'm not complaining. It just doesn't seem one hundred percent likely. The plot is good, about as good as the first. It takes off at the beginning, like the first, and remains interesting throughout the entire runtime. The acting and characters are just as good as they were in the first, as pretty much every one of them were in the first as well. The direction lacks a little, which the first didn't, probably due to Stallone taking over directing duties. One thing that bothered me a little was that the end boxing match seemed a little unrealistic, more than the one in the first Rocky, but, like I said, I'm no fan, so I don't know for sure if it is unrealistic. All in all, a worthy sequel to the first, and definitely worth watching for any fan of the first film. I recommend it to fans of the first Rocky, fans of dramas and possibly boxing fans in general. 7/10