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1982
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ROCKY
III
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STARRING:SYLVESTER
STALLONE,TALIA SHIRE,BURT YOUNG,CARL WEATHERS,BURGESS MEREDITH,MR.T,TONY
BURTON,HULK HOGAN,IAN FRIED
WRITTEN
BY SYLVESTER STALLONE
PRODUCED
BY ROBERT CHARTOFF AND IRWIN WINKLER
DIRECTED
BY SYLVESTER STALLONE
GENRE:DRAMA/SPORT/ACTION
RATED:AUSTRALIA:PG/UK:PG/USA:PG
RUNNING
TIME:99 MIN
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In
the third installment of the Rocky series, Sylvester Stallone returns
as the slugger from Philadelphia who must contend against brutal challenger
Clubber Lang (Mr.T). Having successfully defended his title 10 times,
Rocky has come a long way from his humble beginnings; rich and famous,
he now lives in a big mansion with his wife Adrian (Talia Shire),
son Rocky Jr. (Ian Fried) and trainer/manager Mickey (Burgess Meredith).
Content with his life Rocky announces his retirement only for the
No.1 ranked Clubber Lang to challenge Rocky for a shot at the title
which he accepts to the disdain of Mickey, who wants nothing to do
with it. Rocky convinces Mickey to train him one last time only for
Rocky to give a sub-par training regime, the conclusion; Rocky loses
the Championship in two rounds to the hungry challenger.
Before hand Mickey suffers a major heart attack due to recent poor
health accelerated by a pre-fight scuffle between Rocky and Clubber.
When Rocky, battered and bruised, checks on his managers condition
he is left devastated as Mickey passes away in front of his eyes in
a truly moving and well acted scene. Wallowing in the depths of depression,
Rocky's former opponent Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) returns with
an offer to become Rocky's new manager so they can both get back the
title that has been taken away from them. Rocky agrees not only setting
up a re-match against his most brutal adversary thus far but also
fighting a battle within himself.
Star/writer/director Sylvester Stallone has created a good sequel
that although a lot more slick and action orientated, Rocky III
still contains the heart and emotional punch that made the first two
Rocky films so great. Script wise Stallone draws interesting parallel's
towards the first Rocky
film, as this time out Rocky becomes domesticated in very much the
same way Apollo Creed was, only for a hungry contender to knock some
sense into them (literally).
The first 45 minutes or so are average, the excellent montage at the
start of the film as we see Rocky's star ascending to the sounds of
"Eye of the Tiger" the only highlight. Stallone's decision
to have Rocky fight Hulk Hogan (here known as 'Thunderlips') in a
boxer VS wrestler match for charity is a rather dull move and does
nothing for the film. Only when the Italian Stallion gets his head
caved in during the first, brutal title fight do things get interesting,
Mickey's death the clincher that drags you in and does not let go.
The re-match between Balboa and Lang is an excellently well choreographed
fight scene that although abolishes any sense of realism is sure as
hell entertaining, especially when Bill Conti's final score kicks
in.
A worthy sequel to one of my favorite movie franchises, Rocky III
is an entertainingly thrilling and inspirational action/drama that
although a step down in terms of quality is still a good film never
the less. |
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