Rocky: The Underdog Story Perfected

Some movies are so legendary that it feels like everyone has already seen them. Movies like Alien, Terminator 2, Planet of the Apes, Jaws, the Shining, Good Burger, you know, the iconic films that changed pop culture. The movies that have lasted the test of time and will for…ever, probably.

Rocky is regarded as one of these movies. A film of high renown among movie nerds, it’s widely heralded as the greatest boxing movie of all time. Even nearly fifty years later, this series is still around with the Creed movies!

And I’ve never seen it. Not any of them. Not Rocky, not Creed, none. Oh, I know all the iconic bits, like the main theme and… uh… boxing happens. But that’s it. I’d never sat down and actually watched them.

Let’s fix that, shall we?

Our story begins in a less than savory underground boxing ring. After narrowly squeezing out a victory and taking a bloody injury, our leading man, Rocky, is given his pittance of a reward. He’s not exactly in a great place career wise.

I appreciate how this movie doesn’t waste your time. Right away, it hits you with the title, the iconic soundtrack, then bam! We’re watching our leading man in action. No opening title crawl, credits, or lengthy exposition. You came for a boxing movie, and not even a minute in, you’re getting one!

Hope you liked it, because you’re not getting another match until the very end.

On his way home, we get a little glimpse at what kinda guy Rocky is. He shoots the shit with some street singers, waves hello to a cat, and bounces a ball all the way back to his rinky-dink apartment to feed his pet fish and turtles. The next day, we see him awkwardly trying to flirt with bad Dad jokes. It’s hard not to fall in love with this dude!

Despite his energy, there’s a distinct sadness and loneliness to Rocky. As he speaks to himself, trying to organize his thoughts and needs, he grows frustrated and trails off. When he looks at the photo of himself as a boy, he goes completely quiet. He’s clearly not especially pleased with where his life is at.

Oh yeah, and he also shakes people down for money on behalf of a mafia. But even in that, he’s pretty chill and friendly, which gets him in trouble with his ‘boss’. It’s clearly something he feels he has to do, not that he wants to do. He’s a well-meaning moron trying his best to be kind and help people, but no one respects him or gives him the time of day. No wonder they named the movie after this guy, he’s a fantastic character!

But this being a movie from the 70s, his bad fortune is about to take a turn. Boxing champion Apollo Creed is about to host a huge event, and his first choices for opponents are unavailable. Lacking a ranked fighter, he chooses to pick an unknown to challenge: the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa.

Creed makes for a great antagonist. He’s all smiles and politics, and his head has inflated like a hot air balloon. Every polite word out of his mouth is laced with hidden insult and condescension. For him, it’s just a big publicity stunt. While Rocky is busting his balls training, he sits around making phone calls and showing off. For God’s sake, he rides into the ring on a parade float dressed as Uncle Sam! He’s Rocky’s opposite in every single way!

Now, the movie isn’t all just boxing drama. A substantial amount of the runtime is spent on Rocky’s romance with Adrian. I really like the two of them. A big dummy who never stops talking and a quiet girl who never starts. Their scenes together are stiff and uncomfortable, especially thanks to the lack of music, but that’s the point. They’re awkward people showing their affections to each other as best they can. It’s really sweet!

Completely unlike his relationship with his coach.

Going into this movie, I was expecting Mickey to be another Mr. Miyagi. Boy howdy, was I wrong! Mickey is an asshole, a jaded old man past his prime who sees Rocky as a fool who wasted the best years of his life. He only changes his tune when Rocky gets his big break. It almost feels like he’s trying to take advantage of Rocky, a fact that both characters are all too aware of.

The scene where the two confront each other is my favorite part of the whole movie. First, we get to see Mickey open up to Rocky, sharing his story and admitting to his feelings. Then Rocky does the same thing; all low self-esteem and frustration we’ve seen hidden throughout the movie boils to the surface, and he lets it all out. Once the air is clear, the two shake hands and get off to a new start.

This movie is a prime example of great character writing! No one is just a good or bad person. They’re just people, with good traits and bad, and their own emotional baggage to sort out. It certainly helps that all the dialogue is very natural and diegetic; characters often go into lengthy rants and awkwardly repeat themselves like real people would.

It certainly helps that the cast are all fantastic. Sylvester Stallone is the perfect casting for Rocky. Talia Shire perfectly captures the shy and sweet nature of Adrian. Carl Weathers puts so much energy into Apollo Creed that it’s hard not to like him, even if you want Rocky to knock his teeth out. And of course, the late Burgess Meredith is phenomenal as Mickey.

Then there’s the fight itself. The big event built up throughout the entire movie. Rocky VS Creed. One of cinema’s most renown climaxes.

Brief as this fight is (it’s basically a montage) it’s still incredible! It’s a brutal slug fest, leaving both fighters swollen and bloody! Every passing round is more intense than the last! By the end, Creed is looking at Rocky like he can’t believe he exists, and you feel that! This doesn’t feel like cinematic magic, it feels like a legitimate boxing match!

And then it abruptly ends. It’s a movie from the 70s. They hadn’t figured out how to do falling action yet.

I’d still say it was a satisfying ending. I came to love this big lug like family, so seeing him finally get the love and respect he deserved just filled me with delight. A solid conclusion to one of the best underdog stories ever told.

Even after nearly fifty years, Rocky is still a masterpiece. Everything about it has aged surprisingly well. You can still watch this movie and have a delightful time.

Will I be able to say the same for the rest of the series? Boy howdy, I hope so.

But considering how these usually go, I’m not getting my hopes up.