ROCKY V (1990)
Reviewed By Jerry Saravia
(Original review from 1991)
R.I.P Sage Stallone and Tommy Morrison - both taken from this world much too soon
(Original review from 1991)
R.I.P Sage Stallone and Tommy Morrison - both taken from this world much too soon
Trying to differentiate one "Rocky" film from another can only be accomplished by seeing it as a gradual comic-book series with comic-book villains. After "Rocky II," Rocky fought Clubber Lang (Mr. T) in "III." Mostly all I can remember from "III" was that Burgess Meredith's Mickey character was accidentally killed by Lang. Otherwise, it was back to the usual training montages and the climactic finish (and the "Eye of the Tiger" song). "Rocky IV" had the cartoonish Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and there was the formulaic buildup along with the Russians screaming "Rocky!" during the climactic bout. So "Rocky V" was an attempt by writer Stallone and returning director of the original, John G. Avildsen, to bring back the mean streets mentality and heart of the first film. I think they tripped over each other on the way to the Philadelphia Museum.
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) has suffered some brain damage since his last brutal bout with Ivan, and is told by the doctors not to box anymore. Although Rocky gets a lucrative deal for a boxing match, dear old Adrian (Talia Shire) is against the idea (like in all the other Rocky movies). No more boxing, no more money, and no other skills does Rocky possess, so it is back to good old Philadelphia.
Rocky and his drunker-than-thou brother-in-law, Paulie (Burt Young), open the old gym where Rocky was trained by Mickey. Now Rocky starts training a young hotheaded punk (Tommy Morrison) and we get a Don King-like promoter (Richard Gant, with the wild afro) and the usual deals involving money and power. Rocky's son (played by real-life son Sage Stallone) is constantly bullied in school. Rocky himself is back to wearing his old clothes, and looking rather like a 70's street hustler reject. We get montages of clips from "Rocky IV" and new clips of Mickey offering some advice. Yeah, I think you are right in thinking what I am thinking - the franchise clearly ran out of steam.
The original "Rocky" dealt with a character who had low ambitions yet had a big heart - he did some boxing on the side for no reason other than money. He was the underdog and, yes, the character had changed since but in "Rocky V," he is too much of an anomalous dunderheaded fool. It takes Rocky forever to realize his son is being bullied in school, and that his protégé is taking him for a ride. Added to that, there is a finale that is so foolish and anticlimactic that it makes the other "Rocky" films look like films of extreme subtlety by comparison. Not only is "Rocky V" the worst Rocky film, it is close to being the worst Sly Stallone flick ever made.
