"I pity the fool."

Rating: 6/10 (6 July 2015)

The Rocky series stumbles a bit in this third movie. Sylvester Stallone once again writes and directs the film, in addition to starring. The plot has Rocky becoming rich, famous, and beloved as he defends the championship successfully in one bout after another. Then a hungry up-and-comer named Clubber Lang (Mr. T) publicly challenges Rocky, who accepts despite the reservations of his trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith).
A good popcorn movie but the first of the series to feel like that's all it's striving to be. Mr. T is fun but hard to take seriously. Hulk Hogan has a comedy appearance as "Thunder Lips," a wrestler Rocky has to fight in a charity event. This whole part is silly and kind of out of place with the rest of the movie. Nice to see most of the regulars back, including a smooth way of fitting Carl Weathers' Apollo Creed back into the story. Bill Conti's score is good but what most people remember from this one is Survivor's hit song "Eye of the Tiger." Not a bad movie in any way but a step down from part two.