Unforgettable third act.

Rating: 8/10 (4 May 2020)

Rocky II feels as though it's been cut from the same cloth as it's the original and that's what makes it so familiar and enjoyable. The next 4 sequels have a very different feel about them, each more unlike the next, while Rocky and Rocky II feel like a completed set. You could honestly cut these two together and watch it seamlessly enough.
While Rocky spent time introducing characters and setting up the protagonist as a legit underdog, Rocky II has no obligation to do this and instead explores Rocky's new found fame and the reasons why he ends up going for the rematch against Apollo after he originally retired.
This sequel is not better than the original but it is a fitting (and dare I say, necessary) second chapter. The final act is especially brilliant and hits home right to the end.