I'm gonna drop you like a bad habit!

Rating: 8/10 (25 April 2013)

****SPOILERS**** After the spectacular 15 round World Championship fight against heavyweight champ Appollo Creed, Carl Weathers, that he lost in a unpopular, to almost everyone watching, split decision club fighter Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone, decides to hang up his gloves before he ends up either getting blind or killed in the ring. This doesn't go so well with Creed who's been getting hate mail from his many fans in how a bum like Rocky Balboa could go the distance with him without Creed, in order to build up the gate for a rematch, carrying him for 15 rounds. Finally marrying his sweetheart the former Adrian Pennino, Talia Shire, Rocky tries to use his new found fame, in going the distance with the heavyweight champ, to make a decent living for him and his future, Adrian at the time was expecting, family.
As things turned out nothing went right for the Balbo's, Rocky & Adrian, financially with Rocky unable to get a good paying job and Adrian having to get her old job back at the local pet shop that barley paid the couples rent. Laid off from the meat packing plant that his brother-in-law Paulie, Burt Young, got him Rocky now desperate goes back to his old haunts at Mickey Goldwill's, Burgess Meredith, Gym to get back in shape and box for a living; which is about the only thing that Rocky can do well. Mickey reluctant at first to train Rocky in fear that he may end up getting blinded in the ring finally gives in and decides to train him. That's when Creed in an attempt to lure Rocky into a rematch with him starts shooting his mouth off in what a two bit coward he is in not wanting to fight him.
In the end it's Adrian who just survived giving birth to Rocky's son, Rocky Jr, who gave her husband the go ahead to fight Creed. That motivated Rocky who was half hearted in his training program to go all out in getting himself in shape for the big rematch between the two on Thanksgiving Day at the Philadelphia Spectrum: The very place their first fight took place!
Every bit as good as the original "Rocky" with the fight scenes where Rocky finally learned, with his trainer's Mickey's help, to fight defensively as well as slugging it out with Appollo Creed that are even better then in he first Rocky movie. The movie recreates the heart thumping and stirring scene of Rocky seriously training for the big fight ending with him sprinting to the finish line, after a five mile run, at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to the music of "Gonna Fly Now". But unlike in the first "Rocky" movie this time he's not alone but with what looked like the entire city of Philadelphia tagging or running along with him!
***SPOILERS****The highlight of the film the fight between Rocky and Appollo Creed even outdid the original with Rocky not a bit intimidated by Creed and after getting belted around taking the fight to him before the bell ending the first round, where Creed decked Rocky, sounded. Rocky also in being trained by Mickey to fight right handed, he was a natural southpaw, confused Creed long enough that he lost his cool a number of times in trying to figure out how to accurately fight him. Like in the first fight this one went, or almost went, the distance but in the end there was no doubt in who won it! It ended in a solid and undisputed knockout not like in the first fight that was in a split and unpopular decision.