My favourite Rocky film

Rating: 10/10 (19 May 2005)

God I love this film. The best rocky in my opinion and such a great sequel. It starts exactly where the first one ends. Grabs the audience, as a sequel should, by showing again the fight from Rocky I and then developing the characters further. Whether Apollo frustrated by only just winning, Rocky and Adrian as they marry and have a child or Mickey spending that time with Rocky in the chapel. The tenderness between R and A is just wonderful. Unlike some directors they just keep the romance simple and I just love the innocence of their relationship. Him a lowly boxer, she a dour shop girl but they love each other and that's all the need. The training sequences are brilliant, making you wanting to punch the air when they've finished. The fight is great, unrealistic maybe but exciting nonetheless. My favourite scene though is right at the end. Everyone slates it but it always brings a genuine tear to my eye. He's beaten Apollo and achieved his dreams but the only thing important to him is showing this to his wife. The emotion of his 'Yo Adrian, I did it' is just wonderful, like a young boy wanting to show off to his mother. Rocky has been through hell but all he wants is his wife to be proud of him. Mesmerising and touching.