My favorite one in the series.

Rating: Null/10 (24 May 2010)

This is my favorite Rocky movie of the whole series mainly because of the fast paced fights, the action and Mr. t. This movie takes place three years after the second movie after Rocky has beaten the world heavyweight champion Apollo creed. life couldn't be better for Rocky balboa(Sylvester stallone). He now has a mansion with his wife Adrian balboa(Talia shire), He's got everything, cars, money, he's doing commercials and he's beaten 10 opponents since he became champion.
He still hangs out with his best friend Paulie (Burt young) and Rocky even does charity bouts like fighting against the world wrestling champion Thunderlips (Hulk hogan). But Rocky is unaware that a new fighter by the name of Clubber lang (mr. t), has been watching Rocky in his fights and scouting him and Clubber lang is pulverizing his opponents to get to the top. Only Mickey (Burgess meredith) recognizes Clubber's strength and tries to keep Rocky away from him. Mickey is only giving him fights with people who are steup to lose.
At a statue unveiling Rocky decides to retire but Clubber lang comes out of the shadows and challenges him to a fight and Rocky thinks he is just another fighter but Mickey tells him the truth and he thinks Rocky wouldn't stand a chance against him. But rocky convinces mickey to train him but Rocky starts training like a showman,(having the press watch him train, renting out a fancy gym where people sing while he trains).
Just before the fight is about to begin Rocky and Clubber almost go at it backstage but then Mickey starts having heart problems. Mickey tells rocky to just go and he does and Clubber lang whips him pretty good and knocks rocky out in the second round. Just after that Mickey dies and Rocky goes into a deep depression and almost hangs up his gloves, that is until an old foe of his Apollo creed(Carl weathers) comes to his aid and decides to train Rocky for a rematch agains the ferocious Clubber lang. But rocky is feeling guilty about micks death and he blames himself and only Adrian can bring rocky to stop blaming himself and and realize that micks death was not his fault and that mickey was only protecting him when he put him against the setup fighters. Now rocky starts training like his old self and Apollo teaches hima new way of fighting where rocky can stick and move and block. Now it's the rematch against clubber lang and Rocky will prove that even if he loses he will have lost with no excuses and no fear as Adrian said to him earlier.
I love this movie of the series and I think it had a good message that if you lose something and you learn from it, you never really lost it to begin with. And it takes a hell of a man to recapture something you once loved. All of the actors are tremendous in this movie. Sylvester stallone proved once again that he can act and Talie shire was wonderful as usual. Burt young was great as the loving jealous brother in law. I think it was cool and exciting to see Carl weathers' character Apollo creed to swallow his pride and become rocky's friend and trainer. And of course Mr.t was great as the ferocious, mean and nasty clubber lang and he gave a new meaning to the word tough. I think this role should have won him a supporting actor nominee.