Rocky V (1990) Dir: John G. Avildsen
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I've been working my way through the iconic 'Rocky Balboa' franchise for a little while now, and I've enjoyed them all quite a bit so far. However, I knew I had to temper my expectations a bit for this fifth film, directed by John G. Avildsen; who did the first film - this one doesn't have the best reviews, by comparison.
The soundtrack was good in isolation, there were loads of songs I liked, but they really did not fit the feel of the previous Rocky films. If anything, I found it quite distracting. None of the music suited the film tonally, and it gave the impression that whoever was in charge of the soundtrack didn't really know what they should be going for.
I really didn't like the story either, to be honest. It had some good ideas, but it went a really odd direction that felt jarring and unnecessary. It just didn't work for me. For one thing, everything got a lot more depressing, and the film struggled to create the magic of the previous films.
It also featured the longest and most random street fight sequence I've ever seen, which, again, did not fit in wirh the rest of the franchise one bit. Moreover, it also contradicted the whole point of the rest of the film - it was such an odd creative decision.
Even Sylvester Stallone didn't feel his usual self this time around. He wasn't bad or anything, but he lacked so much of the energy that made him so easy to root for in the last four films. It was a bit of a shame, though, I don't think the story helped him.
In terms of fhe supporting cast, I'd say that Talia Shire and Burt Young gave the best performances. Both are deserved regulars of the franchise, and I thought each of them gave plenty once more - neither reached their best, but then, none did.
Sage Stallone had flashes of quality, but wasn't all that believable, in all honesty - he felt like he was acting more than he was being, if that makes sense. Richard Grant was a mildly interesting, but one-note and over-the-top antagonist, while Tommy Morrison wasn't really much of anything. I will give very quick mentions to Burgess Meredith and Tony Burton for their minor roles too.
Overall, this was by far the weakest film of the franchise thus far, and, unfortunately, it had none of the fighting spirit of the previous films. It some okay scenes, but was so far removed from everything great about Rocky's journey. I don't regret watching the film - I want to get through the whole franchise - but I don't imagine I'll ever rewatch it.
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