Sequel But A Little More

Rating: 7/10 (20 April 2008)

The original film is a classic. This one actually goes beyond the classic and makes Rocky a Legend. The sad thing is that the ego of Stallone & others went so far that the series became like the Energizer bunny & keep going & going to oblivion.
This one, while not quite as strong as the original, does pick up the story logically & build to a fitting climax of the Balboa-Creed rematch. All the first films principals are here along with some new faces along for the ride.
The strengths of this film are the logical story of what success does to both boxers who are strong men but yet both weak in ways. The development is logical to the conclusion & Rocky winning this time is the fitting ending movie goers yearned for after the first film.
What is interesting and often forgotten now is the way both films tried to develop Apollo Creed to be a Muhammed Ali like type of boxer. One of the strengths of both films is having that type of character for Balboa to play off and Carl Weathers brings it off brilliantly. While Creed isn't exactly Ali, there is no doubt the real life Greatest had much to do with the success of the first 3 Rocky films in the box office, though the third one goes too far & loses too much of what the first 2 installments were all about.