Rocky III (1982) Dir: Sylvester Stallone
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Part three of Sylvester Stallone's iconic boxing saga had a lot to live up to, considering how much I enjoyed the first two. I knew that some of the later films were much less popular, but I was still pretty certain I'd enjoy this one.
The formula that made the first two films so good was simple; an underdog overcoming the odds. This time, things were different. It wasn't just overcoming the odds at stake, it was redemption - and this was a classic example of it.
I loved the slightly cheesy montages and the upbeat, memorable soundtrack, which rejuvenated the successful dynamic of the first film in particular. It's all a bit dramatic and a bit over-the-top, but it's also very rousing and uplifting. It's very easy to get into and get excited about.
Sylvester Stallone was able to channel his most iconic character once again, to produce another very solid, deceptively nuanced performance. He's so good at mixing the introverted side of his character outside the ring, with the intense boxing maestro in it.
Talia Shire gave her best performance of the franchise so far. She and her character have grown so much since the first film, and entirely for the better. I enjoyed her performance so much more than I expected, based on those prior films.
Carl Weathers was as cool and suave as ever. The man had an elegance to him, in both manner and movements, which felt very befitting of a classic boxing champion. I really liked how he showed the development between he and Balboa - it made for some really satisfying moments.
I quite highly rated Mr. T's high octane, aggressive character. His intensity was off the scale, and his fiery, brash attitude was the perfect foil for Stallone's contrasting quiet humility. He was a solid villain, but I kind of wish he'd had more screentime outside of the boxing ring.
There were also a number of pretty good, but definitely smaller, performances from the supporting cast; Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, Tony Burton and, begrudgingly, Hulk Hogan. I'd put Meredith at the top of that list for his dramatic dialogue delivery in the first half.
Overall, I have to say that, once again, I enjoyed this one a lot. I think the simple but effective storytelling and the clever character developments make the film and its titular hero easy to invest in, and I was more than happy to enjoy the ride. I'm not sure if I prefer this one or the second one more - they're both good!
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