10 Terrible Movies With Awesome Endings

Rocky V was a mostly miserable slog of a "conclusion" to the hit boxing franchise, saddling everyone's favourite cinematic underdog (Sylvester Stallone) with both bankruptcy and brain damage.

That the film's final clash against angry upstart Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) stepped out of the boxing ring and instead took place in the street also rubbed many the wrong way, seemingly ending the franchise on a deeply silly and ill-fitting note.

But it least it managed to briefly ping back to greatness for its very final scene, where Rocky and his son Robert (Sly's real son, Sage) run to the top of the iconic Rocky Steps.

Once they reach the top, Rocky presents Robert with one of his prized possessions - Rocky Marciano's cufflink, which was previously gifted to him by his late trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith).

After so much misguided storytelling and unintentional goofiness throughout Rocky V, the basic sincerity of this interaction - no doubt elevated by Stallone acting opposite his real-life son - at least allowed the film to end on a poignant note rather than a purely depressing one.

All the same, Rocky ultimately got a much better send-off with both the belated sixth film, Rocky Balboa, and his supporting role in the first two Creed movies.