Surprisingly good sequel...

Rating: Null/10 (13 October 2003)

Sequels often fail to live up to the quality of the original, but here we have a sequel to a sequel of a sequel. But it holds up surprisingly well, thanks to the fundamental strength of the "Rocky" storyline: the underdog against the giant, the triumph of will and determination against machinelike brute strength.
Here we have the added twist of an East vs. West subplot. But screenwriter-director-star Stallone is able to turn this to his advantage in terms of plot and character development. Initially we see Rocky focusing strictly on revenge for his fallen colleague and friend Apollo Creed, but comes to have a deeper understanding of the bonds that can form between people and peoples. Likewise, his opponent, Ivan Drago, is initially depicted as the stereotypical, one-dimensional cog-in-the-machine Soviet apparatchik, but who achieves a measure of personal redemption and fulfillment at the conclusion. Of course, Rocky has "made it" and could just as well retire with the title and enjoy life, but at heart he is still the up-from-the-streets fighter and will do his best to achieve the task at hand in spite of the usual objections from Adrian as well as the long odds he faces.
The cast is its usual fine collection of familiar players. Stallone of course is the featured actor, aided well by his usual cast of family and friends, Talia Shire as the loving and loyal Adrian, Burt Young as the somewhat brutish but loyal brother-in-law Paulie, and underrated Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, all do good work in their respective roles. Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren does a good turn as Soviet boxer Drago, even though his dialog is severely limited, maybe a dozen lines or so (in English), and his hulking build (6'6") is a stark contrast to the smaller but compactly-powerful Stallone.
The climactic fight scenes are always the hallmark and high point of the "Rocky" films, and this one does not disappoint on that score. But there is an equally good high point just before the inception of the finale, and that is the brilliantly intercut sequence of the contrasting training styles of Rocky and Drago. We see shot after shot of the low-tech Rocky lifting stones and climbing snowy hillsides, contrasted with the high-tech, mechanized Soviet system of digital readouts and computerized treadmills, all backed by the thumping, pounding, powerful soundtrack and vocal by John Cafferty.
So, compared with the other Rocky films, I'd have to place this on a par with Rocky II for well-crafted story and execution. Give it a look especially if you're a Rocky fan, or just looking for an inspiring story of grit and determination and triumph in the face of long odds.