The "Underdog" of the Series

Rating: 6/10 (31 March 2004)

Often deemed the weakest film of the series, "Rocky V" is an underrated look at the "dirty" side of boxing, fatherhood, and the triumph of the human spirit. Okay, so it's not filled with Oscar-caliber performances, but it's well casted and very gritty.
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) returns home from his latest victory, a 15-round slugfest with Soviet boxer Ivan Drago, only to find out that he's been victimized by a crooked accountant and has lost his entire fortune. On top of that he learns that he has suffered irreversable brain damage which will force his retirement from the ring. Rocky is then forced back to his roots when he moves his family back to inner-city Philadelphia. There, he re-opens what was once Mickey's gym and begins to train young boxers. Along the way he crosses paths with Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) an aspiring young boxer craving Rocky's guidance. Rocky, reluctant at first, finally decides to become Tommy's manager figuring that this could be his last shot at regaining respect for himself and his family. While all this is going on, Rocky's son Robert (Sage Stallone) is being bullied in school. Robert then begins to feel neglected by Rocky because of all the attention he's giving to Tommy and his boxing career. Soon thereafter, Tommy is enticed by a ruthless promoter (Richard Gant) who promises him a shot at the title. In the midst of this, Rocky struggles to regain the love and respect of his son while Tommy turns against his mentor and challenges him to a fight. The climactic streetfight is one of the more intense fights seen on film, not to mention Bill Conti's wonderful score. Sure, this is not the most inspiring film of the series, but it's one of the realist. It's tough, warm, and nostalgic all rolled into one. Notice the music and feel of the film and you'll think back to the earlier Rocky films (I and II).