The big thing that most of the Rocky sequels forgot is that Rocky isn't really a boxing movie; it's a drama about a working man trying to prove himself, romantically and personally. We begin and end on a fight and the scene everyone remembers is that awesome training montage, sure, but much of the film's runtime is concerned with Rocky's relationships with those around him; love interest Adrian, trainer Micky, friend Paulie. And that's what really makes the film excel. Totally unlike the popular view of his as an actor, Sylvester Stallone delivers an emotive, measured performance as Rocky, a nice guy struggling to find worth and driven by more than just money to enter into these self-destructive clashes. The sequels would never forget the man behind the gloves, but they still became a little too enamoured with the fighting over the motives behind it. Rocky's fights are great, but the bigger point is that they're a means to an end. The final beat of the movie sees Rocky lose the title bout to the reigning champion (the antithesis of a classic sports film), but his personal journey has reached a point where that really doesn't matter (heck, with the theme blaring out you may not even notice Creed's victory). No, the fight is all about him proving he can go the distance and sealing his relationship with Adrian. It's one of the greatest endings in movie history and caps off a damn-near brilliant movie. How would you rank the Rocky films? Share your list down in the comments.
