POLL- THE WEAKEST LINK: THE ROCKY FRANCHISE - ROUND 2

Any Philadelphian worth his/her salt will vote out the movie that took the franchise to Cali.

I've only seen through Rocky IV.

I stopped caring about Rocky Balboa as a character in, I don't know, the first one. Dude's a fucking meathead.

Perhaps I'd like the Creed films.

Johnny Abruzzo said:

Any Philadelphian worth his/her salt will vote out the movie that took the franchise to Cali.

Now, I agree the training in LA was a bit of a stumble in the writing department, but I get why they did it.  The running on the beach and 'no-homo' hugs don't hold a candle to jumping park benches in Philly or climbing the tallest Siberian mountain in a bomber jacket.  Hell, I even liked RB's junkyard training and running with the little dog in the snow.  The post-Appollo death montage and soundtrack in R4 are better, but that movie is overall pretty thin.  R1 and R2 are a tough 1-2 punch to top, but 3 is right there, just a notch below.  It had the classic feel and heart of 1 and 2, with a taste of the over-the-top 80's goodness from 4, all the best parts put together.

AllNiteThing said:

Johnny Abruzzo said:

Any Philadelphian worth his/her salt will vote out the movie that took the franchise to Cali.

No way!  Top-2 Rocky film for me easily.  You get all of this:

• End of the fight from Rocky 2 (best fight ending in the whole saga)
• Montage of Rocky's first title defenses, set to Eye of the Tiger (also includes the Muppets!)
• Exhibition fight with Hulk Hogan, aka Thunderlips
• Main fight #1 against Clubber Lang
• Main fight #2 against Clubber Lang (that's 2 championship bouts in 1 movie!!!)
• Talia Shire was extra flirty looking in this movie, probably her best look of the series
• The last training scene with Mickey where they talk of joining the circus when it's all over.  It was a touching sendoff for Mick.
  
• Mr. T as Clubber Lang was the ultimate bad guy and had by far the best lines of a villain in the whole series:  "C'mere woman!  Let me show you a real man!"  "Dead meat!"  "Prediction?.....Paaaain."   And the best Clubber/Rocky exchange:  Clubber: "I'm a bust you up"  Rocky:  "Go for it!"  And of course Rocky's "You ain't so bad!"
  
• The 'rematch' with Apollo at the end of the movie was one of the best endings, fading into that classic Leroy Neiman painting

Now, I agree the training in LA was a bit of a stumble in the writing department, but I get why they did it.  The running on the beach and 'no-homo' hugs don't hold a candle to jumping park benches in Philly or climbing the tallest Siberian mountain in a bomber jacket.  Hell, I even liked RB's junkyard training and running with the little dog in the snow.  The post-Appollo death montage and soundtrack in R4 are better, but that movie is overall pretty thin.  R1 and R2 are a touch 1-2 punch to top, but 3 is right there, just a notch below.  It had the classic feel and heart of 1 and 2, with a taste of the over-the-top 80's goodness from 4, all the best parts put together.

Well I'll respectfully disagree as Rocky III to me is kind of a mess of cliches, although some kudos for the big fight at the end not actually going 15 full rounds (come on that's been outlawed for decades - no way Rocky v Drago could've been a 15-round fight in real life) and definitely a nice robust treatise from you on this particular film! Clearly if my criteria was "pick the movie with the most stuff" Rocky III would be much higher on my list. 

https://youtu.be/YMqMKxJJYvY

Embarrassed to say I fell asleep during Rocky; not my kind of movie and I was most likely stoned.  Never fully saw any of the other Rocky movies. I know this thread is not for people like me, but living in the Philly area; just felt like I had to confess.  Plus I"m a woman so, boxing, meh.

OffSheGoes35 said:

Is your heart telling you to wait S_C?

Had to figure out what was the most pointless entry of Rocky III, IV or Creed

I've always felt Rocky I was the only great movie of the franchise. Although I'll admit that I enjoyed the hell out of most them, even if they ooze with runny cheese. (Creed dialed it back a bit.)
I watched Rocky defeat Drago countless times when I was a kid, and Clubber Lang is kick-ass.
But Rocky I is actually a solid movie.

RiotZact said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

RiotZact said:

I love Rocky IV with all of my heart. My favorite movie growing up. But there’s no fucking way that it’s a better film than Creed. 

There is no fucking way Creed is better than Rocky Balboa which bookended everything nicely. Creed was just dragging it back and stretching it thin.

The vast, vast majority of film critics disagree with you. And film critics are notorious for hating it when franchises drag things out. 

Okey. They are wrong and I am correct. Bummer for them.

Spiritual_Chaos said:

RiotZact said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

RiotZact said:

I love Rocky IV with all of my heart. My favorite movie growing up. But there’s no fucking way that it’s a better film than Creed. 

There is no fucking way Creed is better than Rocky Balboa which bookended everything nicely. Creed was just dragging it back and stretching it thin.

The vast, vast majority of film critics disagree with you. And film critics are notorious for hating it when franchises drag things out. 

Okey. They are wrong and I am correct. Bummer for them.

Clearly.