A fitting film for #1800 reviews and Sly's special Day

Rating: 6/10 (7 July 2016)

This is 1800 reviews for me and I usually try to pick something important to me for these milestone reviews. There isn't much more important to me than the films of Sly Stallone for a number of reasons, some more personal than others. I just went through the Rocky Series again for the umpteenth time loving them as much as I ever have but I had yet to review Rocky V so here I am. And the irony is that this is considered the worst of the series and rightfully so. It is definitely a departure from the franchise. There are some good things about it but the problem is that it doesn't feel like Rocky. It doesn't have the same heart or style and the fact that it ends in this street fight just feels so un-Rocky like. However, it does definitively show a huge arc in the character we all know and love. Truly thank goodness, Rocky Balboa came out 16 years later to do justice to the franchise and not leave it on this note. The positive thing is that this is still about rising above. It's watching Rocky struggle as he loses everything and has to start from the beginning. It also sets him up basically for the rest of his life as we find out in Rocky Balboa and later Creed.
I'm sure I've said this before but anyone who claims Sylvester Stallone can't act or is untalented needs to look again. He is an incredible Oscar-winning writer who created this indelible character who has lasted forty years successfully. Even in Rocky V which is disliked greatly, he is still the hero he always was and the character that is perfectly crafted by Stallone. He literally turns into Rocky and you're mesmerized. The scene with him watching Gunn fight and his brain issues is disturbing almost bringing tears to my eyes. Stallone is a powerhouse even if this is his worst script for writing. Happy 70th Birthday Mr. Stallone, my hero, my larger than life idol. The entire cast returns, Taila Shire gives her final Adrian performance and definitely has some great scenes and still has incredible chemistry opposite Stallone. Burt Young almost plays a bit of an accidental "bad guy" as he is the cause of Rocky losing everything. This is a toned down performance for him but he is still an integral part of the series. Sage Stallone is actually the scene stealer in this film. Sage is fantastic as the young Rocky Jr. The best part of this film is the dynamic between Sage and his real life father Sly. This film revolves around father and son and does that one aspect of it well. More or less his only film credit, real life Heavyweight Boxer (briefly) Tommy Morrison plays Rocky's protégé turned nemesis Tommy Gunn. Morrison doesn't hold a candle to any of other Rocky's nemesis in the films and certainly not to the first 4. He doesn't even seem to be in the same boat. Morrison and Michael Anthony Cane who plays a blatant attempt at Don King are both very cheesy and B-Movie quality which drags down the film significantly.
Besides Rocky being the underdog and a force of nature the thing fans love about this series are training montages and the final fight. Rocky V has neither of this. And not only do you not get an epic final boxing bout in a the King of Boxing epics but it's reduced to a street fight that is okay at best. I am actually floored that this was directed by John G. Avildsen who directed the original Rocky. But maybe he got lucky with that one? If you look at all his other films over 4 decades, nothing else stands out as being impressive or a work of art. He certainly knows how to give Rocky and his Philadelphia world that grit and poor look but this is a weak script with very little to be impressed by or remember in this series. Still as a huge fan, I watch it every time I go through the franchise because it belongs and it has it's plus' (the Stallones' for one thing) and it's important for Rocky's story because this was his real life down and out before he came thundering back 16 years later with the incredible Rocky Balboa. 6.5/10