Pretty good sequel, underrated Rocky movie

Rating: Null/10 (22 April 2002)

Out of all the Rocky sequels, Rocky 5 is one of the best ones, and it's the last one in the series.
Even more surprising is that the film has good acting, great scenes, and it's very realistic too.
Sylvester Stallone even wrote the story for it.

After his last fight,with the Russian Drago, Balboa (Stallone) starts to feel pain, which turns out to be a concussion to his brain which has left him in pain.
As added damaged Balboa, finds out that Uncle Paully (Burt Young who starred in "GodFather", and "Mickey Blue Eyes") has accidentally signed over power of attorney to a greedy lawyer.
In other words, the Balboa has lost every all the money that Balboa has won over the years.
The lawyer who doesn't come out in the movie, tricked Paully into signing what he said were tax papers but weren't.

It's very realistic in that Balbao has to come to grips with the fact that he his body can't take the brutal punishment in the ring, a dilemma every great fighter has to face.
Mohammed Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and others had to face, to face
this with the exception of Mohammed Ali.
Ali chose to continue to fight, but his body paid the price later on.
I like the fact that even tough Balboa is bruised and has no money, he doesn't let that get him down. Other rich and arrogant fighters would probably be bothered by not living the wealthy lifestyle, but Balboa is not.
He goes back to live in his old neighborhood, with Adrian (Talia Shire) and his son (played by real life son Sage Stallone)
Balboa starts to train Tommy Gunn , a young fighter on the rise,who is played by Tommy Morrison.
Gunn has talent but he can't focus enough to use it, which parallels the life of Tommy Morrison himself.
Morrison at one time was a good fighter, but he was arrogant, cocky and lazy at times.
Everytime he got a good chance to be a champion ,he would show a poor performance.
Morrison retired after receiving the aids virus, I believe.
A greedy fight promother named George Washington who resembles Don King, wants Balbao to get back in the ring.
He promises Balbao a big contract, but Balbao refuses already knowing the slimeball his dealing with.
So Washington lures Tommy Gunn into fighting for him, but Gunn can't escape the shadow of Balbao.
In a good scene, Washington, shows what an ugly character he is by manipulating Gunn into fighting Balbao.
Gunn confronts Balbao and we see both guys beat up each other to see whose number 1.

Rocky 5 is more intense than the horrible Rocky 4 movie and has better acting.
In another scene, Balbao starts having Flashbacks to his glory years with his manager Micki (Burgess Meredith) , it's a very sentimental moment.
In another scene I like, is when Adrian talks to Rocky about how much she loves him and how no matter tough things get, she will always stick by him.
In a way, Adrian (Talia Shire) represents the most important thing, a man wants in a woman.
That is a woman who loves a man, for the person he is and not by the superficial material things the man can give her.
That's my kind of lady.
So as you can see, there are many good points in Rocky 5, good acting and good action mixed in with many sentimental moments.