Reviewed by Glenn Gaslin (December 2006/January 2007) Starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, Mr. T, Dolph Lundgren. Directed by John G. Avildsen, Sylvester Stallone. Released by MGM. Production budget: $1 million. Box office (U.S.): $117 million; $85 million; $124 million; $127 million; $41 million.
Rocky movies are about the moments, the climaxes, the payoffs; and even when the numerals start climbing higher, the emotional sucker punches you shoulda seen coming still get you in the gut. The original, with Stallone's underdog scrounging his way into the ring and punching Apollo Creed right into the hospital, was so tightly wound, so dadgum feel-good, that it took home a pile of Oscars. You know how it's going to end, but it gets you anyway. Heck, even the smaller moments became iconic, and the sequels kept it up, and the next thing you know you're chanting "Rocky!" along with all the Russians in Rocky IV or feeling winded by Apollo's death in the fading afterglow of James Brown's Vegas-like monstrosity of a national anthem. The original's out in a two-disc edition, with new commentary from Stallone, and the whole series is repacked so you can catch up before the sixth one. Right, you shoulda seen it coming. |
