Better than Rocky IV

Rating: Null/10 (21 June 2000)

Immediately after his successful fight in Russia against Ivan Drago, Rocky (Stallone) begins to suffer from brain injuries, and he retires with a push from Adrian (Shire) despite a challenge from the latest up and coming boxer, Union Cane (Williams). Just a few days later, Adrian discovers that brother Paulie (Young) gave power of attorney to their accountant, who has lost all their money. The Balboa family must auction off all their possessions and move back to their old rough neighbourhood. Rocky Jr. (Sage Stallone) enrols in Rocky Sr.'s old school where he's bullied, Adrian returns to her old job as an assistant in a pet shop, and Rocky reopens Mickey's old boxing gym. He soon acquires a protégé fighter from Oklahoma, Tommy Gunn (Morrison), who he begins to take to the top. However, Tommy is frustrated at the amount of time it's taking for him to get to challenge Union Cane, now world champion. Duke, a big promoter gets hold of Tommy and lures him with money, cars, and homes. Meanwhile, Rocky Jr. is angry at the lack of attention he is receiving from his father. After beating Cane, Tommy is faced with the allegation that it was too easy of a fight and that he'll never be as good as his former coach. The only way Tommy can get out of the shadow is to challenge Rocky, who refuses to fight him, although already hurt at Tommy's betrayal. When Tommy shows up at a bar where Rocky is, however, they launch into a street fight, and Rocky, obviously, beats Tommy.
Probably conscious of the similarities between the last 4 movies, Stallone has written a significantly different story here. For one, Rocky definitely retires and stays that way, plus it is more focussed on Rocky's family. There are echoes back to "Rocky", with several references to the Creed/Rocky fights and memories of Mickey (Burgess Meredith returns for this short stint). Soppy, predictable, and far-fetching, yes. But it is certainly a departure from the tiresome ROCKY IV. Designed as the last of the ROCKY series, the ROCKY V credits are a montage of scenes from the five movies, mainly from the first. Also features, interestingly, Sylvester Stallone's real son, Sage, as Rocky Jr.