Rocky III (1982)

I don't know what you want me to say. I mean, what happened? How did everything that was so good get so bad? *** This review contains spoilers *** Rocky is reigning World Champion and is dispatching all comers to his crown with ease. But looming in the distance is Clubber Lang, a young and hungry boxer intent on becoming the new champ. Pretty safe enjoyment for anyone into the fantastical world of Sly Stallone's Rocky Balboa franchise. Into the narrative this time comes a new boxer, portrayed with relish by Mr. T, a revelation that cuts Rocky to the quick, and personal grief when his mentor and friend Mickey (Burgess Meredith) dies (Stallone doing brilliant believable grief). Back comes Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed, only this time he wants to train Rocky to beat the mighty Clubber Lang. Rocky's heart isn't in it though! Can he get that Eye of the Tiger back? Well of course he can and thus we get the obligatory training montages and a ferocious fight to crown the story. It's comfortable film making with comfortable acting performances and it's often very exciting as well. 7/10

OK, fair play would have to say that Rocky I and II were better films... but this had Mr. T in it and given that he was one of my childhood favorites I feel horrible not giving it 10 of 10. It was a decent film and Mr. T does a great bad guy (even though the kid in me hates to see him in a villainous role). And we get Action Jackson back, which always makes it feel like a Rocky film. Where this differs from I and II is in the characters... they don't take much time to develop them further. The plot is centered almost entirely around the fight and that kind of makes me miss the depth of the first two... however, it is just as inspiring, it is just as motivating, and in a way that only Rocky films can really pull off. And again we get to see Rocky as the perpetual underdog that has to fight and struggle and only rises to the top through will power and hard work... and that, the concept of a hero that has to struggle, is missed in modern movies.

While Rocky III may have the weakest story of the series thus far, it is still able to create unique and believable obstacles for Rocky Balboa as he nears the end of his boxing career. To start off, the acting is very inconsistent in this film. Our leads, Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, and Carl Weathers, do an excellent job and improve with each entry. But our antagonist (Mr. T) is bad. He does not get very much screen time, and when he does, he is spouting generic lines in his weird-tempo talk. He was physically intimidating but lacked the emotional ferocity that Rocky and Apollo possessed. The story is the weakest, but it still manages to deliver great moments of depth and character progression for our protagonist. It takes similar themes from the last film (lack of confidence and external pressures) and spins them on their head to create unique challenges for Rocky. The film starts off with a pretty rocking montage of Rocky’s boxing career as he racks up knockout after knockout. But with his discovery that the opponents were hand-picked by his management, Rocky finds himself in a downward spiral. He becomes that bum from Philly that he always was, and no matter how much success, money, and fame he gets, that past will always creep itself into his thoughts. After Mickey's somewhat rushed and cringe-worthy death, this conflict brings Apollo Creed back into his life. It is here that the two's dynamic blossoms, and we see Rocky earn Creed's respect. It was a great full circle moment and a fantastic way to lead us into the film's climax. The score is still great, as the iconic Rocky theme echoes through various versions depending on the scenario. Eye of the Tiger was an excellent addition, and I had no idea Stallone requested this song be made for this movie. It seems as if every song that rings through Rocky’s halls turns to gold. The cinematography is great once again, and Stallone proves that he has an excellent eye behind the camera by being able to film the boxing scenes very well. The pacing is superb, with the film being twenty minutes shorter than the previous two entries, which I quite enjoyed. Overall, Rocky III is my least favorite film in the franchise but is still a great addition to the franchise. I envy those who were able to experience the fandom in the theaters during the 1970s and 1980s. Score: 74% | Verdict: Good