ROCKY — All 7 Movies Ranked
“Yo, Adrian! We done makin’ movies yet?”
When I say Rocky Balboa what comes to mind?
Is it the story of a man whose whole life was a million to one shot? Is it a franchise that has spanned 40 years? Burgess Meredith as Mickey? Hulk Hogan as Thunder Lips? “Yo Adrian”? Mr. T’s amazing feather earrings?
Whatever you think about, the plain fact that Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky could very well be one of the best, albeit kind of strange, franchises in cinema history.
Who could forget such memorable Rocky moments as breaking the ribs of a slab of beef in a meet packing plant? The speech from Rocky IV where he single-handedly ended the Cold War. Mickey’s untimely death. Or Rocky having to be trained by his once biggest opponent Apollo Creed, played by the great Carl Weathers. So many memories over the past 40 years of this storied franchise.
Now it goes without saying that what will proceed is my opinion alone. I’m going to stick to a simple formula, I’ll say what where the movie ranks, 1 out of 7, the good the bad and the final verdict.
Let’s Rank the Rocky Flicks!
#7 — ROCKY V
Released Nov, 16 1990
THE GOOD:
Rocky returns to his roots of where he started out. He has to fight his way back to find his self worth. The street fight at the end of the movie s great since Rocky was a brawler and he knocks him out the old fashion way.
THE BAD:
The whole movie is just awful. Stallone said it himself, “I’m greedy” Stallone said in an interview. “What can I tell you? It was a mistake.”
FINAL VERDICT:
The worst in the entire series, but still not a bad watch, just watch it once.
#6 — ROCKY II
Release Date Jun 15 1979
THE GOOD:
Continues the story from Rocky and see him win the title. It also sees Adrian and Rocky get married, and begin their family.
THE BAD:
Boring, not as enjoyable as the first one, and really could have been combined to make one movie with the first one.
FINAL VERDICT:
Just an ok sequel, but has its moments, with continuing the story and seeing the character progress to win the title. Watch it every now and then, but only back to back with Rocky.
#5 — CREED
Release Date Nov 25, 2015
THE GOOD:
The acting by both Michael B Jordan (Creed) and Sylvester Stallone is superb. They story is great of Rocky finding that eye of the tiger to fight when he is diagnosed with cancer. The feel of the movie is very much in the exact same tone as the original.
THE BAD:
There is not a lot bad with this movie. Honestly let me know what was bad and I will gladly accept it.
FINAL VERDICT:
A great addition to the Rocky franchise, and should have won Stallone the Oscar. The movie itself is so good, watch it whenever you need a pick-me-up.
#4 — ROCKY IV
Release Date Nov 27, 1985
THE GOOD:
The training montage and busting out James Brown when Apollo fights Ivan Drago is just super enjoyable. The battle between USA and Russia makes for a tense feeling throughout and Rocky’s speech at the end of the movie is really the icing on the cake.
THE BAD:
Rocky’s brain damage is explored in this and the next one and then never talked about again. It seems like an unnecessary addition to a character than has already struggled so much.
FINAL VERDICT:
This is the one Rocky movie people claim as their favorite, and it make sense. Good movie and a fun watch. Good for a viewing any day.
#3 — ROCKY III
Release Date May 28, 1982
THE GOOD:
The struggle for the character. Rocky loses so much of himself through pain and death and has to find the eye of the tiger. The friendship that Rocky and Apollo develop sparks one of the best bromances in cinema. The training and music which is so the 1980’s, just adds to the magic.
THE BAD:
It is by far the silliest movie in the series. Fighting Hulk Hogan at the beginning make it fun yes, but it just really takes you out of the movie at first.
FINAL VERDICT:
A great Rocky movie, and good for a viewing at least once every few months, it’s a classic.
#2 — ROCKY BALBOA
Release Date Dec 20, 2006
THE GOOD:
The struggle for Rocky to find out what he still has left and the resulting speeches he gives to his son, make even the toughest of men tear up.
THE BAD:
Rocky’s son is a bit of a whiner, and it makes you want to smack him around like Rocky does to Apollo.
FINAL VERDICT:
Such a good movie to see the character prove to himself and others that “Ain’t nothing over till it’s over”. Watch it anytime, anywhere.
#1 — ROCKY
Release Date Nov 21, 1976
THE GOOD:
The breakout movie of 1976, winning 3 Oscars, including Best Picture. The story of a man defining the odds to give the champion of the world, Apollo Creed a run for his money just makes you feel great. One of, if not the best underdog story put to film of all-time.
THE BAD:
It can drag, but you find yourself rooting so hard for this character that you start to not notice it.
FINAL VERDICT:
Hands down the number one Rocky movie of all time. It does not get better than this one. Stallone is great as the Italian Stallion puncher it launched his entire career. Watch this movie all the time.
Rocky’s whole life was a “Million to one shot” and the franchise has had some struggles, we are looking at you Rocky V, but with Creed it is alive and well. Creed II is set to hit theaters in 2018 and hopefully wont’ be going away anytime soon.
“Yo, Adrian! I did it!” — Rocky Balboa, Rocky II
What do you think readers? Is my breakdown of the Rocky movies the same way you break them down?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
