Posted: 02/12/2011

Rocky V Review

by Robert Baum

Review: Rocky V (1990)

Sylvester Stallone all but retires from the role which made him a star some fourteen years ago. The club fighter who would best a heavyweight great and take on formidable challenges both domestic and foreign comes home in Rocky V. After taking a beating in the ring—and many brickbats from the critics—Stallone returns to Philadelphia finding adversity that not even consuming raw eggs can remedy.
Following his victory over the Communist Colossus Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) at the conclusion of Rocky IV (1985), the Italian Stallion discovers that he is not quite the man he once was. In his absence from home, the champ’s chump of a brother-in-law Paulie (Burt Young) unwittingly allowed Rocky’s attorney to virtually bankrupt him. However, being broke is but one problem facing Philly’s favorite—well second favorite if you count Joe Frazier—fighting son.
At a doctor’s office, Rocky finds that all of those blows he has taken to the head have resulted in irreversible brain damage. The former champ is not able to meet the requirements to be licensed by any state athletic sanctioning board. The presence of a flamboyant, fast-talking huckster of a promoter a la Don King—minus the frightening hairdo—named George Washington Duke (Richard Gant) might just be able to eradicate Rocky’s financial woes.
Having had to sell his home and posessions to pay off Uncle Sam, Rocky returns to his old stomping grounds with wife Adrian (Talia Shire) and son (Sage Stallone, the first-born son of the star/ writer). Dad sets about restoring the gym where Mickey (Burgess Meredith, who appears in a cameo) turned Rocky from a bruiser to a contender and later the champion.
Into his life steps a young out-of-towner and aspiring up-and-comer named Tommie Gunn (Tommy Morrison, great nephew of Marion Michael Morrison—better known as John Wayne). Rocky and Tommy bond but Rocky Jr. (Stallone fils) is all but left out and having to virtually fend for himself is not exactly easy for the chip off the old rock.
Having struck out trying to sign the Rock to a contract, Duke sizes up Balboa’s would-be protege and sets his sights on Gunn. He tempts young Gunn with treasures beyond his wildest dreams. While Rocky might not be so sharp, now or ever, he does have a sense that Duke isn’t one to be trusted. Showing his expertise in showmanship, Duke manages to collar the boxer.
While nowhere near as great as the first film—but no other entry in the series could ever do that—Rocky V makes for an OK effort. No more and no less. John Avildsen, the director of the first film, returns and manages to give the film some of the magic but it’s incomplete. The scene where Rocky remembers a talk with Mickey is a nice touch. It’s the only time we’re reminded of the greatness of the little film which proved itself against some serious—and heavily favored—competition at the 1976 Academy Awards like Taxi Driver, Network, and All the President’s Men.
It’s a shame that there aren’t other moments like that in the film. Why don’t we get a flashback of Rocky with Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers, who was sent to boxers’ Valhalla in the last film)? We do get to see Duke (Tony Burton) in the opening but that’s it.
Rocky V was originally intended to end with the former champion’s death. Stop reading if you wish to be surprised; but the studio balked at Stallone’s intention to conclude the saga with a requiem for his heavyweight. Such an ending might have made for a better film and would mean that Stallone wouldn’t have to think about critics preparing to give low blows to Rocky VI before seeing it. Sadly like many real-life champs who have had one too many fights, Rocky V, despite some good intentions clearly has gone on a bit too long and is almost as punch-drunk as its protagonist.

Robert Baum is Currently a Bryn Mawr, PA-based film afficanado and pop culture junkie.

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