Brilliant

Rating: 10/10 (27 January 2006)

After his last fight against Drago, Rocky realises it is probably time to retire. This makes Rocky come to terms with his life and what is really important in his life. Whether his success as a boxer is most important to him or whether his family and happiness is. He tries to train a new boxer to try and recapture his old glory but it just bites back in his face. Which is a metaphor i think for the way recapturing old glory just makes people feel worse about themselves when they inevitably fail. Sylvester Stallone acts brilliantly as Rocky in this film with raw emotions such as anger and sadness. He is completely believable as Rocky from start to finish and not one scene is badly written. Some fans think the film is not part of the storyline (canon) but I think it makes perfect sense. The fans were angered that the last film has Rocky not glorious, just carrying on with a normal life. All boxers eventually end their careers with no glory. they are not the champions they once were. George Foreman is just a priest and family man now, and Frank Bruno is not what he used to be. So Rocky V was a fitting end to the Rocky series. His glory behind him but still better things to come as he looks after his wife and son. The press gave it bad reviews probably because it was a long drawn out saga and they were probably angered about Stallone's not being able to write new material. RockyV also shows the bad side of boxing with George Washington Duke (played brilliantly by Richard Gant) representing Don King. Duke tries to lure Rocky back to the ring even though it may cause brain damage. He does it for his own personal gain. Rocky V shows what happens towards the end of a boxer's career and what can happen if people like Don King ruin and disgrace such a noble sport for their own profit. The fight at the end is brilliant with wonderful drama, emotion and adrenaline with Rocky triumphing against the odds to deliver another awe-inspiring victory making this film the best in the series.