Come on, hit me harder! Ain't so bad! Ain't so Bad!

Rating: 7/10 (3 February 2007)

Rocky 1 and Rocky 2 together were a nice coherent story. So when I heard of Rocky 3 I seriously did not know what precisely to expect. What would be the story line? What aspect of Rocky's life was to be explored now?
Rocky 3 portrays a possible problem a boxer might face after his career reaches the peak. As Micky puts it, the boxer gets "civlized". Rocky has achieved all fame and name and not to mention a lot of money. He has changed his lifestyle completely much to the disapproval and dismay of his wife and trainer cum friend Micky. His training becomes less intense and over-confidence takes over him after a streak of wins. He does remain the kind hearted and humble man that we have seen him as. This change in Rocky's life and perspective is a possible reference to Apollo's life as well. Apollo too was shown to be over-confident and over-relaxed in the first part of Rocky series.
In the meantime, we see emerging, another vicious, brutal boxer Clubber Lang. Clubber Lang clearly has one advantage on his side. His training is mean and vicious. And he is rising up...fast! So when Clubber Lang and Rocky are scheduled to meet in the ring we see the difference in the training styles of both boxers. One can clearly feel the tinge that Rocky is going to lose and he does. With Micky suffering a heart stroke, Rocky under-prepared and over-confident gets a beating from Lang and loses in the second round by KO.
With Micky dead and Rocky's confidence and pride totally shattered, Apollo now offers to help Rocky train once again for a rematch. Apollo however teaches Rocky to be faster and more agile. Now make a careful comparison between Stallone's fighting method as Rocky in the first two movies. He did not move fast but gave intense punches and almost had a street brawl. This is of course the reason why the decision goes in favor of Apollo in the first part for Apollo had been able to land way more punches and jabs on Rocky. And now see the way he fights in the third installment against Lang. He moves faster, has a very good footwork, excellent dodging capability and has more stamina. I have to appreciate Stallone for having trained hard to show this new ability of Rocky's.
The movie does get a little off the track when we see the fight between Hogan (as Thunderlips) and Rocky. The training scenes are very good but still there is something absent that was present in the first two movies. It is difficult to describe what exactly seems to be missing. The movie tries to tell that one should not let success get into their heads. It also shows an emerging friendship based on mutual admiration and respect between Apollo and Rocky.
And I believe that a write-up on Rocky 3 is incomplete without Rocky 3's soundtrack "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. Was possibly a song with the best lyrics to suit a boxing movie. The soundtrack covers up a lot for the very slightly reduced luster of the Rocky saga.
In the end, I'll say it is a well done movie and not bad at all! It is a highly entertaining, warm and an encouraging movie.