Description: The "Italian Stallion" rediscovers his roots in this exciting, thrill-packed drama that reunites Sylvester Stallone with the Oscar®-winning* director of the original Rocky®. Upon returning home from his latest triumph, Rocky Balboa (Stallone) learns that all his money has been lost by an unscrupulous financial advisor. To make matters worse, his fight-relatedinjuries force his retirement from the ring. So Rocky, his wife, Adrian (Talia Shire), and his son,Rocky Jr. (Sage Stallone), move to their old, low-rent neighborhood in South Philadelphia. There, the fighter must resolve the deep-rooted resentment held by his son, a bitterness that grows when Rocky trains Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison), a young boxer who soon rises to national prominence. When Tommy turns against his mentor and publicly taunts him, Rocky knows he must fight once more. *John G. Avildsen, 1976
As far as I'm concerned, this movie never happened As a Rocky aficionado, this movie disappoints me in so many ways. It nearly tarnishes the Rocky legacy, and should simply never have been made. If it weren't for the fact that Rocky I-IV are so stupendous (with Rocky IV being simply one of the best action movies of all time), this could have really hurt Sylvester Stallone's career.
Rocky IV left us with the champ just getting through the fight of his life against Russian behemoth with hammers for fists and enough chemical enhancements to drop a horse. Not only that, but Rocky was taking on a cold-war powerhouse, an entire country, and communism as a whole. He was crazy-busy. It's a good thing he signed over power of attorney to Paulie for all those pesky multi-million dollar financial details.
Meanwhile, Adrian never double-checked the finances on her gravy train - because she was too busy harping at Rocky - and lets Paulie squander the Balboa fortune faster than MC Hammer could have. Soon Rocky has moved back into the slums of Philly, can't fight because of a brain tumor - which is not shocking at all considering his fighting style, and has been relegated to training an up-and-coming boxer named Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrisson) in Mickey's old gym. During the training, Rocky treats Tommy like a surrogate son while neglecting his own son. Speaking of his son, this is one of my biggest problems with Rocky V.
In Rocky IV he was like six years old, a believer in Santa and the Easter Bunny, but just a few days later in Rocky V he's damn-near growing a mustache. Either there is a huge plot hole, or the kid's part werewolf.
Exactly how long was Rocky in Russia?
Much like her son, Adrian (Talia Shire) is also a horrible character. She once again seems to hate the fact that Rocky is a boxer, telling him that he can't win, that he's washed up, that he's going to die - just like she has done in seemingly every previous Rocky movie. She sure doesn't seem to be bothered by the furs, the fancy cars, the means to buy someone a robot, the jewelry, her ginormous house, or her plastic surgery throughout the years.
She's yet again the Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars, the Zander Barcalow from Starship Troopers - the character who doesn't help the movie's plot, and creates forced sexual drama or a love triangle where it is not needed or wanted. In fact, I think we can all blame Adrian's character for creating the "pointless love interest in an otherwise great sports movie"-niche. She essentially caused Barbara Hershey in Hoosiers, Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham, and Barbara Hershey in The Natural.
Anyway, the story comes full circle as Rocky learns that what matters most is family and friends as he meets up with his easily influenced protégé in a knock-down, drag-out street brawl finale. Lesson learned, he walks away without a belt, but he's still the champ.
Rocky V Item was not available in my area of the country. Much easier to order thru Amazon! Now we have the complete Rocky Series!
Sly's not wrong Stallone said he really felt he made a mistake originally ending the series with this one -- and audiences must have agreed as it was the lowest box office grosser of the series, up to that point. ROCKY BALBOA is a neater fit as a final film but don't get me wrong, this is an entertaining movie. I have to agree with the reviewer who asked how Rocky's son aged so quickly between IV & V!
Down But Not Entirely Out Well-intentioned yet hopelessly contrived, "Rocky V" (1990) earns a few points by avoiding the comic-book slickness of "Rocky IV." Unfortunately, Sylvester Stallone does a poor job establishing the Italian Stallion's bittersweet decline. The climactic street brawl works, but the family-oriented narrative goes in too many directions. At least "Rocky V" paved the way for a triumphant finale with "Rocky Balboa."
Just Cause I Had the Rest Easily the worst of the Rocky movies. Only got it cause I needed to fill the space on my shelf between IV and Balboa.
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