Rocky V: Review By moviegeek

In what may prove to be the most repetitive franchise in the history of cinema, Rocky V isn't so much a breath of fresh air, but moreso a relief. In a rather solid extension of a hyperextended franchise, this is a much better installment than parts II and IV.

Sylvester Stallone plays Bobby, just kidding. My lame humor aside, we have Rocky, newly retired again, challenged, of course, to one final fight to prove he's still got the stuff. Rocky's son is meanwhile having bully trouble at a new school, but his dad is too distracted managing a new up-and-coming boxer to even notice.

I was going to continue the plot summary, but then I realized any reader could guess how it will end up. That is typical of every Rocky movie (except the surprisingly good 2006 reboot). Now I don't know who decided that there needed to be a 5th movie in this non-horror series, but whoever did ought to be slapped.

Whoever wrote this should be applauded, however. They have changed the focus from the first pictures. In every one of the other movies, the fights have been either to prove his own strength and determination or to settle some bet. In this one, the fight is more personal. Rocky has to he a father and a husband. He has to set examples through how he acts.

There are several very annoying flashbacks of footage from the previous pictures. In these, we are supposed to get insight as to the motivation behind Rocky's actions. But instead of furthering the plot, it holds it back. The ideas and motivations are borrowed from past pictures, essentially keeping this picture in the past.

Rocky V succeeds on the levels of emotion and conflict not found in the other movies. But there is no tension, and no real excitement in eat watching a movie about Rocky's home life.

The movie is dull but intriguing, juvenille but mature, hackneyed but new. In my state of indifference, this is better than the preceding, average pictures. It was a relief that it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but, come to think of it, that's not really a compliment.