A fresh life for the Rocky series. Stallone once again proves to be the master of making a sequel.

Rating: 6/10 (18 November 2000)

Stallone goes the rounds as both writer and director in this the third installment of the Rocky series, and a winner is produced. Rocky III is often described as Sylvester Stallone vs. Mr. T. Much more can be found and learned from Rocky III the film for one contains emotion, love, sadness, dedication, and friendship but most of all the once again discovery of "The Eye Of The Tiger". You have it Rocky (Stallone) the heavyweight champion of the world makes ten straight title defenses with no problem, but complacency plagues Rocky who shows his odd manner by taking a circus act charity wrestling match against Thunderlips (Hulk Hogan). The lack of training hurts Rocky and he suffers a crushing KO at the hands of punishing challenger Clubber Lang (Mr. T) nearly at the same moment Mickey (Burgess Meredith) suffers a KO to his life in a physical sense only later to die with Rocky crying over him in the dressing room. Death actually occurs in two separate means with the death of Mick it's in a literal sense really happening and with the knockout title loss that Rocky (Stallone) suffered in a sense a figurative death occurred though not in an exact sense, but a title loss felt like death to Rocky (Stallone). I could see the graphic match technique was used to compare the loss and death scene, that's exactly what graphic match does it ties the story together with issues representing both a literal and figurative meaning. After the defeat Stallone once again meets up with former opponent and friend and think god Rocky has a friend Appollo Creed (Carl Weathers) who trains to help him once again discover "The Eye Of The Tiger". Wife Adrian (Talia Shire) supports Rocky to bury the past and to not once again become complacent, and to not bear the burden of Mick's death because guilt will only destroy, by once again believing in yourself and soul searching "The Eye Of The Tiger" can be found. In the rematch with Lang which went three rounds with a KO going to Rocky "The Eye Of The Tiger" was discovered. See a fresh start and be like millions of others and discover "The Eye Of The Tiger".