With the recent release of Creed 2, much has been made about the legacy of the Rocky franchise. From the heartfelt to the inane, Rocky has run the gamut on emotion. What follows is my definitive list of greatest in the series, complete with thoughts on their placement.
8. Rocky V - Set immediately after the events in Russia, this film was intended to be the denouement of Robert Balboa, with Rocky set to die in Adrian's arms at the end. What it turned into was a shallow attempt to place Rocky back in the life he led in film one. While there is a fair amount of ridiculousness going on, there are some worthy moments. First and foremost, the exchange before the final fight after Paulie gets punched. I mean, really, who doesn't get a little pumped up when Rock turns to the camera and says "You knocked him down, now why don't you try knockin' me down..." Sure it ain't Shakespeare, but it's Balboa-speare and it works. I don't seek it out, but I'll tolerate it on a rainy day.
7. Rocky III - My favorite part of this flick, aside from Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger", is the Adrian/Rocky dustup on the beach. She just seems to know what the man needs to hear and when he needs to hear it. Losing Mick is tough as hell, but gaining Apollo, albeit for selfish reasons never delved into, makes it palatable. I've just always felt while it's an entertaining story, I didn't feel fully invested in the narrative.
6. Creed II - Probably too low on this list, maybe only due to its newness. The real story in this installment is the relationships of fathers/sons, family/friends, internal/external. The finish of the Drago family story is simply heartbreaking, yet one of optimism as the relationship is reconciled in the face of emotional tragedy. Michael B. Jordan has proven to be a worthy bearer of the Rocky torch.
5. Rocky IV - I'll be lambasted by many a friend for this placement, but I have my reasons. First being the undercurrents of the story have not aged well. I still find it highly entertaining, and the soundtrack may well be the best soundtrack ever assembled. Second, in retrospect it's just so far over the top I can't give it any loftier of a status. That being said, this flick contains my absolute favorite Adrian/Rocky soliloquy in the franchises history. That scene, played out from the top and bottom of the stairs of the Balboa home, perfectly exemplifies what Rocky is all about: a love story that happens to feature a boxer.
4. Rocky Balboa - From the earliest scene of Rocky and Paulie visiting all the places most dear to the Adrian/Rocky romance, I was completely drawn into the solitude that Rocky was feeling as he felt his later years catching up with him. It also features my third favorite speech, delivered on the street out side Adrian's restaurant, as Rocky tries to impart hard life wisdom on his adult son. A little outlandish? Sure. But the nostalgia factor was high (with Spider Rico and little Marie providing) and, again, the themes of fathers/sons/family providing the pathos.
3. Creed - Ryan Coogler took the childhood emotions of watching his father's love of Rocky and simply turned in a tour de force, relaunching a franchise many assumed done. Infusing the script with equal parts humor and humility, I was astounded how much I enjoyed this film. As poorly as Star Wars VII rehashed Star Wars IV, Creed took the same formula and somehow made it fresh in the retelling. Much of that can be traced to the performances of Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson, with a splash of Sly, who falls so easily into the Rocky character it has to be part of who he is. One of the most powerful scenes came later, when Adonis revealed his true motivations for following in his father's footsteps. The final scene walking up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art is such a poignant, yet uplifting, piece of cinema.
2. Rocky II - For many, Rocky II was amazingly slow and too late to develop to be put into such a lofty position, but for me it was the slow burn that helped create the legacy. What I mean is that at its core, Rocky is a love story that happens to feature boxing. What Adrian represents in the entire series is the strength behind Rocky and the rock that he continually leans on to get through life's challenges. Simply said, Adrian is the heart of the Rocky franchise, and that is no better represented than the simple word "Win". Rocky needs the approval of Adrain's love to navigate the doubts in himself, thus helping to raise him up to heights he could never reach alone. Really, go back and watch the series and tell me that Adrian isn't actually the strongest partner in the Balboa household... it's the crux of the whole story.
1. Rocky - There is no other place for this one to land. Maybe the advent of the most perfect American film character ever created. Stallone did something with this script that literally no one on the face of the Earth could've foreseen. Watch it as a love story and it works. Watch it as a character study and it works. Watch it as a sports film and it works. Featuring my favorite introspective moment, Rocky comes back home after checking out the ring, and realizes he knows he won't win, but just by being there at the end he'll validate himself. That scene alone embodies what Rocky would always be about; and knowing that it was a one take effort due to money constraints makes it all the more impressive. Without that scene, the fact he made it to the end wouldn't hold the emotional weight necessary to carry an entire franchise for 40+ years.
By now, faithful reader, you can probably tell that Rocky holds a special place in my heart. He transcends time, place, and era. Near the end of Creed 2, Rocky looks at Adonis and says "It's your time, kid" and, truth be told, I shed a tear. In that one line, I knew that my filmic hero would soon be leaving the movie landscape for good. Rocky had just essentially passed the franchise to Adonis Creed and I fully expect Robert Balboa to join the heavyweights in the sky come Creed 3. I guess I'm ok with it, mostly because he will leave a treasure trove of life lessons, passed down from Adrian Balboa, Mickey Goldmill, Apollo Creed, Paulie Pennino, et al.
I leave you with the wise words of Mickey Goldmill, spoken to Rocky many years ago in the face of adversity, and something I think of often when things turn tough: "If you ever get hurt and you feel that you're goin' down, this little angel is gonna whisper in your ear. It's gonna say "Get up, you son of a bitch, cuz Mickey loves you".
