While it may seem strange now considering that it’s now themost iconic sports saga of all time, making a franchise out of the original Best Picture winnerRockydidn’t seem quite as obvious in 1976. Obviously,Rockyis a definitive crowd pleaser and its Oscar win came at the expense of the more subversive classicsTaxi Driver, All the President’s Men, andNetwork, but for all the film’s fist-pumping energy, it’s a definitive New Hollywood picture.Rockyis as much about the training montages as it is about sensitive conversations highlighting the plight of the working class. “To you it’s Thanksgiving,” he says. “To me, it’s Thursday.”
Of course, that nuanced dramatic weight would quickly become secondary to the spectacle as theRockyfranchise continued. The introduction of the new antagonist Clubber Lang (Mr. T) inRocky IIIpushed into a heightened reality, andRocky IVgot into the comically absurdwith Rocky single-handedly ending the Cold War. Comparing the pet shop conversation scene fromJohn McTiernan’s original with the blatant pro-capitalism ofRocky IV, and it’s shocking they exist within the same series.
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Ironically, when the series attempted to return to a street-level storyline inRocky Vwith McTiernan coming back, it broke with the escalated version of the Italian Stallion viewers had come to expect.Rocky Vsuffered from a myriad of other problems, and thankfullyRocky BalboaandCreedwere able to tellstripped-down, character-centric storiesthat possessed the same inspirational qualities of the original. While these films were rightfully hailed, the precedent of a more nuanced story featuringSylvester Stallone’s loveable Philadelphia boxer was established all the way back in 1979 with the first sequel,Rocky II.
While the later films would introduce exterior threats,Rocky IIretained the original film’s stakes and questioned them in a logical way. What happens when an underdog becomes an icon, and how does an arrogant celebrity cope with being overshadowed by a beloved new public favorite?Rocky IIequally considers the perspectives of both Rocky and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) and develops the ramifications of the original film’s ending rather than exploiting it.
Rocky IIpicks up immediately with an exciting recap of the original fight and the split decision, but follows Rocky and Apollo to the hospital as they cope with their injuries. While they had originally decided the match was a one-time media event, Apollo seeks an immediate rematch to prove his victory was well-earned. Rocky has no intentions of returning to the professional boxing world, as he’s more interested in reuniting with Adrien (Talia Shire).
The character stakes are incredibly different. Apollo just saw his reputation challenged, and while he doesn’t have any resentment towards Rocky, he knows his career hangs in the balance. While the film doesn’t specifically mention the racial pressure of being matched by a white man on a national stage, it’s an impossible factor to ignore that lingers over the story, and Weathers delivers a much more vulnerable depiction of the heavyweight champ. Shire is also fantastic, andRocky IIis perhaps the only sequel that actually treats Adrian with any respect.
Rocky simply seeks a return to normalcy, and he’s finally gifted the chance to pursue his actual intentions. His wedding to Adrian is just as unpolished as it would’ve been prior, and given his fragmented physical state as a result of his injuries, a quick return to boxing would be unwise. It prompts Apollo to go into less noble territory as he launches a smear campaign designed to goad Rocky into returning for a rematch. Rocky finds himself drawn back as a means of supporting Adrian financially when she reveals that she’s pregnant.
If the original film was a star-making vehicle for Stallone,Rocky IIexplores the same questions the actor was personally facing about the notion of being a celebrity. It shows a discomfort within Rocky when he’s launched into a world of product endorsements, media appearances, and newfound wealth he doesn’t know how to cope with. When Adrian falls under a coma as a result of her pregnancy, Rocky doesn’t know how to pay for the operational costs.
Stallone was still at a stage in his career where he’d yet to become a caricature. He had just starred in the neo-noir thrillerF.I.S.T.and the similarly nuanced wrestling dramaParadise Alley.He was about to launch another dramatic characterdestined to become cartoonish in sequelswithFirst Blood. There was a reason why critics like Ebert saw him as the next Brando, and it’s fascinating to see his early decisions as a director;Rocky IIwas his second work behind the camera afterParadise Alley. Like Rocky himself, he would become swept up within the spectacle.
The final fight sequence is arguably just as impactful, and Apollo’s desire to win by knockout adds to the intensity. Rocky’s victory as the new world champion is earned, as it comes as a result of Apollo’s ego. Rocky doesn’t truly want the belt; when he proclaims “Yo Adrien, I did it!” it’s more a moment of shock to him than any personal fulfillment.
Rocky IImay not have the same reputation among fans because it doesn’t introduce new iconography, but as a ‘70s drama about the consequences of victory, it’s a fascinating work. The reflective nature laid the groundwork for what theCreedseries would do in its consideration of legacy.Rocky IIis the hidden gem of the franchise.
