10 Reasons That Prove Sylvester Stallone Is Underrated

4. The Cult Classics

Again, not every film Stallone has made has been an instant hit, and indeed, some such as Avenging Angelo and the remake of Get Carter will never be looked at in this way. It's easy to forget now though that films such as The Terminator and Highlander were hardly cinematic favourites when first released though, and to that end, some of Stallone's cult classics deserve a hearty defence. Most bank holidays I enjoy watching Pele score a wonder goal (seven times in slow motion) as Ossie Ardiles makes a jinking run and Michael Caine puffs and pants all over the pitch with the 1981 Ipswich team in Escape To Victory. It's also great because we get to see Stallone in goal defending a penalty against a Nazi footballer. All this from an American actor who couldn't understand why he couldn't save the penalty and go up the other end and score the winner. And then there's Cobra: perhaps rightly maligned even now but it's a dark, nasty little film as Marion Cobretti, of the Zombie Squad, takes down the New Order of criminals who want to kill the weak in society. There's nothing subtle about this film and, okay, it's not actually that good, but it feels like a cheap seventies exploitation film and Stallone didn't really go there very often. Finally, Over the Top: how can you not love a film about a truck driving, arm wrestling championship guy called Lincoln Hawk? I love the premise. I love Robert Loggia being 'all evil and that'. I love the 'realistic' interviews at the championship. I love Bull Hurley. I love Terry Funk. And so should you.