User reviews

At the age of 42 and as a self-professed life-long film buff and movie critic, I am a little embarrassed to admit that I only this week got around to watching the ROCKY films in order from the start. Unexpectedly, this one stood out to me as the most enjoyable, though I did appreciate the heart of the first movie and the catharsis of the second.

There's plenty to love in this film but I'll get a few of the problems out of the way first. For one, Stallone seems to have shed much of the character he'd so carefully crafted in the first two movies. Now that it was the 1980's, Stallone had a whole different look and persona to him, and Rocky here feels a lot less like the fictional character and more like Stallone himself. It's a bit off-putting but eventually the story overcomes this shortcoming.

The first third of the film drags in places, with Paulie and Adrian getting sidelined and simplified into caricatures. Paulie has started to morph into the unrefined comedy-relief sidekick kind of like John Santucci's character on "Crime Story". A few of his lines come off as so bizarre, idiotic, and off-character that they would briefly pull me out of the movie.

That said, the film really excites like no other boxing movie I have seen, and that includes RAGING BULL. Right out of the gate, the movie hits hard with some well-edited montages set to "Eye of the Tiger", an extremely catchy 80's jingle whose lyrics stand as the heart of this movie. Sure there's a couple annoying title-drops from Apollo later in the film and it's a bit-heavy handed, but this is a movie about boxing, right? The way Mr. T hungrily eyes Rocky's boxing success while the theme plays fits like a glove.

Stallone's charm (which is substantial) gets eclipsed by newcomer Mr. T as the villain Clubber Lang. I remember Mr. T being a big deal when I was a kid in the early 80's between "The A-Team" and his cartoon show where he goes around fighting crime with a van full of plucky kids. It's easy to see how this movie put him on the map as his rough, unfiltered, improvisational demeanor and ogre-like facial contortion make him hard to take your eyes off of.

Narratively, I love that things are not so straight-forward as the first two movies and I was made to feel sympathy both for Rocky and Clubber. Both trade places being underdogs and high on their own victorious ego at various places in the movie. It wouldn't work as well without the acting talent, the streamlined story structure, and Stallone's own direction which exemplifies a surprisingly perfect command of how to emotionally connect with the audience.

A triumph of boxing movies and sports-related films in general.

This Rocky movie is a rather quick flowing film compared to the first movies and features a bit more comedy while still having drama and inspirational scenes that were pivotal in the first two movies. The fights are different here too, as in this film we do not have the 15 round beat downs of the first films, but rather three rounds of pure hard hitting. In this one we start out with a strange charity match as Rocky the heavyweight champion of boxing goes against the heavyweight champion of wrestling, Thunderlipps (Hulk Hogan in his only decent appearance in a movie, then again it is not really a stretch). This match is rather entertaining and funny, but soon Rocky must face a new challenger to his belt, the very tough Clubber Lang played by a very tough Mr. T. Mickey does not want Rocky to fight this guy as Mickey has seen that Rocky has lost the fire in his eyes that got him the title and would most likely lose to this determined if a bit arrogant new fighter. Well they do end up fighting and Rocky loses and gets hit even worse by the passing of his mentor. Apollo having witnessed the fight and not liking Clubber Lang at all offers to help Rocky train and thus a new friendship is born. The training is nice to watch and I like how Rocky does different strategies against Clubber in the final fight. Sure this movie is a bit more over the top than the previous Rocky movies, it to me is still my favorite.

An unnecessary but entertaining chapter to the Rocky saga. Stallone laces up the gloves again. A very cliche and somewhat-misdirected plot, dialogue and moral knocks it down, but the energetic action and boxing drama and glory brings it back up and continues to swing to the final bell.

Acceptable follow-up in which Balboa is willing to risk his life against a violent boxer , Clubber Lang . Officially a sequel is most a rehash but happens to be a nice third chapter about Rocky saga with intimate Stallone . Interesting sequel that works every time and in which beloved Balboa is considering retirement , but he faces off a tough contender performed by Mister T (A Team) , being dethroned by the obnoxious , corpulent boxer , that's why Rocky sinks into a depression . Excessive confidence and complacency soon give rise to lose his heavyweight championship title . Two-bit fighter Rocky is now almost retired and has hit rock bottom , but he rises from ashes to fight a daring contender . About to be retired from boxing and back from riches to ring , Rocky takes on a new combat . Although he is homaged as one of the greatest boxing champions in the history also is panned as a down-and-out fighter . Then , ¨The Italian Stallion¨ , the one time champion , returns to take on the ultimate boxing combat , as he comes out from retirement for fame and self-respect to combat the strongest , youngest and faster contender . While Rocky attempts to prove himself and his family , his wife (Talia Shire), brother-in-law (Burt Young) and his veteran trainer (Burguess Meredith) . Shortly after , Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) and Duke (Tony Burton) decide to train Rocky for a rematch against the brave and invincible opponent Lang , so Rocky can attempt to win the championship back .

This agreeable predictable entertainment displays splendidly the 'formula Rocky'. The movie works in usual manner , fitting appropriately to franchise , even though we know the plot the film works . This soaper on the ring is developed in gentleness , dignity , feel-good style as well as the initial outing . Great training montage and spectacular and climatic final bout . Writer-director-actor Stallone new entry is surprisingly entertaining and packs good feeling . Usual and nostalgic musical score by Bill Conti and atmospheric cinematography by Bill Butler . The motion picture was lavishly financed by the producers of complete saga , Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler and well directed by Stallone who along John G. Avildsen created the six Rocky saga.

In previous and subsequent entries the contenders were the followings : ¨Rocky I¨ and ¨II¨ was Carl Weathers ; ¨Rocky III¨ the fast-mouthed and cruel boxer Mister T ; ¨Rocky IV¨ against a massive Russian boxer played by Dolph Lundgren ; ¨Rocky V¨ in which Rocky , nicknamed as the Chicken Stallion , lives from records being ostracized , but our hero returns as a coach , as Rocky goes back despite his own cerebral damage through a rematch on the streets , as he fights Tommy 'Machine' Gunn/Tommy Morrison ; meanwhile , the champ must adjust to his family's new life on bankruptcy ; subsequently ¨Rocky Balboa¨ proving his estranged young son Milo Ventiglimia who still can fight . And , finally , ¨Creed¨ in which Rocky eventually agrees to mentor Adonis , son of the known boxing champion Apollo Creed . Rating : Good , being impossible to dislike , the result is deliciously corny agreeable and predictable amusement . Although we've seen it all before , Sylvester manages to make it work one more time and it works every way even better than successive Rockys .

Rocky III (1982) is definitely tied best Rocky film with IV. It is my third favorite Rocky film. The first one will always be the best. I think the third entry of the franchise is a big improvement over Rocky II in my opinion. He's on top of the world now, bags a statue, and for some reason, Adrian became attractive in this one. Like, REALLY attractive. He got soft, he got arrogant, and he got lazy. He lost his trainer, his title, and most of all, his self-respect to one of the most that makes me angry villains ever to grace the silver screen: Mr. T's Oscar-robbed performance as Clubber Lang and had to regain the 'eye of the tiger' to get it all back in front of the world. This one also proves further that Apollo Creed is human. Guy went from an arrogant prick and sore loser to Rocky's finest ally. Kudos, Carl. I love Mr. T he become famous after this movie there is also Hulk Hogan in it. Adrian in this movie is very supportive and I love Apollo how he was helping Rocky. Rocky III has a heart beside Rocky I.

Why I love this film? This is the only Rocky film in which Adrian is well written - to further support my stance that III fires on all cylinders. Really, what purpose does Adrian serve in II, IV and V? She spends most of those movies telling Rocky not to fight - she is not supportive and just a burden to him. In this one, she actually encourages him and is an asset (speach on the beach.) Heck, there wouldn't be much of Rocky II if not for her objections to. It is the best all around Rocky movie. On a literary level (story), entertainment level, filmmaking level, boxing choreography, characters, etc... The fight at the end actually means something for Rocky. He has something to gain from it (unlike V.) This and Rocky I are the ONLY two Rocky movies where Adrian actually encourages Rocky the whole time (unlike II, IV, and V.) Mr. T is perfectly cast. It was so successful because it was the best.

Rocky lost everything his manager, his title, his self respect and mostly he lost his edge! Like Apollo said "Now, when we fought, you had that eye of the tiger, man; the edge! And now you gotta get it back, and the way to get it back is to go back to the beginning." That's what I love. When you lose something don't quit. You need gained back the thing you lost. I love how Apollo motivated Rocky in this film and I think Apollo is well written and portrayed in here. I seriously I think Carl Weathers did a wonderful job portraying arrogant Apollo to an awesome Rocky's friend, to a support and ally. I was surprised Apollo was back in the third entry of the Series franchise. I love the training sequences and the music Score by Bill Conti the same score he used in Rocky I, and II. The same year that Sylvester Stallone made Rocky III the same year he went and started in First Blood, his famous role to this days Rambo!

Carl Weathers also said that Rocky III is his favorite film he made. Not only that it is the only Rocky sequel film who won another Oscar award, which is the only one. Beside Carl Weathers I think Mr. T was the best actor portraying a villain in this movie I love how he provoked Rocky I really love that. This is the only film the lasted three rounds. The film has two fight with Clubber Lang (Mr. T) and more fights in which Rocky and Clubber are attending too in the opening scene. Rocky fights a wrestler Thunderlips (Hulk Hogan) in this film. I also love the music score Eye of the Tiger performed by Survivor!

I love this film it is my third best favorite rocky film alongside with Rocky IV. The rating I am giving is 9.5/10, I would have give it 10, I didn't because Mickey dies in this film and that was the most shocking disturbing scene to me.

Three years and 10 successful title defenses after beating Apollo Creed, with whom he has become great friends, a now wealthy Rocky Balboa is considering retirement. Fame and complacency soon cause Balboa to lose his title to Clubber Lang, who inadvertently causes the death of Rocky's trainer Mickey. Rocky sinks into a depression, and Apollo decides to train Rocky for a rematch against Lang so Rocky can try to win the title back. That is the basic main plot.

Rocky III is a 1982 American film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the third installment in the Rocky film series, and the second in the franchise to be directed by Stallone.

9.5/10 Grade: A

You know, a few months ago, I felt that it's kinda silly for me to claim to be a movie fan yet not see the Rocky movies and my friend even told me that it's a must see to be an official movie fanatic. So, I had decided to see all the Rocky flicks, and low and behold there is a 6th one coming out next year, so what better time? I felt that people are a little harsh on "Rocky III". Yeah, it's lost a little more edge and originality, but I felt that they kept it cool and within it's origins. Come on, I mean it's the eye of the tiger! Mr. T, he's so cool. He's so bad and you want to hate him, but you can't because he's just so cool. I loved the twist of having Apollo help Rocky train to defeat Mr. T. What more could a Rocky fan want out of this film? It's going strong and I can't wait to watch the fourth one. I know what happens unfortunately, I watch those "I love the 80's" shows. :P But I'm still excited, I love these Rocky movies. I may just see Rocky X! Come on, fans, this doesn't deserve a 5.6, let's get that rating up! 7/10

30 minutes shorter than its predecessors-- according to audience reactions I still disagree with, that's the same curse that held "Superman IV" in Hollywood Purgatory (or maybe lower).

Thank heavens "Rocky III" is still an enjoyable piece of work!

For Stallone's second shot in the director's chair, he pits his famous character against Clubber Lang, a testosterone-oozing Mr. T. The trouble is, has Rocky grown complacent in light of his massive celebrity?

While it does stick to something of a formula, R3 still comes out swinging, with more humor and better drama than the first two, but doesn't reach the cheer-inspiring fever pitch of the second.

A worthwhile entry.

this third rocky movie is of course, totally predictable, and it's

dumb as well(notice how clubber lang roars like a dinosaur at the

ring), but some viewers will find it entertaining.......it contains

the same moral message as all the rocky films, of believing in

yourself, and contains the unforgetable "eye of the tiger" song in it, but a movie needs more than a good song to actually be worth watching.......and this is not worth watching..... There's nothing new in this one......just another "undefeatable" boxer who's about to lose in the end...... ** out of 5

The Rocky series stumbles a bit in this third movie. Sylvester Stallone once again writes and directs the film, in addition to starring. The plot has Rocky becoming rich, famous, and beloved as he defends the championship successfully in one bout after another. Then a hungry up-and-comer named Clubber Lang (Mr. T) publicly challenges Rocky, who accepts despite the reservations of his trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith).

A good popcorn movie but the first of the series to feel like that's all it's striving to be. Mr. T is fun but hard to take seriously. Hulk Hogan has a comedy appearance as "Thunder Lips," a wrestler Rocky has to fight in a charity event. This whole part is silly and kind of out of place with the rest of the movie. Nice to see most of the regulars back, including a smooth way of fitting Carl Weathers' Apollo Creed back into the story. Bill Conti's score is good but what most people remember from this one is Survivor's hit song "Eye of the Tiger." Not a bad movie in any way but a step down from part two.

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is enjoying great success as the defending world champion. His manager Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith) has been picking fighters for him until he is challenged by the arrogant Clubber Lang (Mr. T) at the unveiling of his statue. Lang is exactly the one that Mickey has been avoiding. Rocky not only loses the fight but also Mickey and only Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) can help him recover from the loses.

First Rocky fights Hulk Hogan and then he fights Mr. T. It doesn't get more cheesetastic 80s than that. The story has all the iconic Rocky formula. He is put into an underdog position and he has an insurmountable hurdle to overcome. And Rocky has to have an opponent above all. Mr. T serves that purpose. The movie's big move has to be killing off Mickey and bringing back Apollo as now a good guy. It's a brilliant move. This is a mix of good 80s cheese and a broadly written sports movie.

Rocky 3 is not a bad movie,as far as the series goes.it has lots of action,some good training sequences and some dramatic moments.however it lacks something that the first 2 have.and that is heart.it just doesn't have the depth of that they have.this is not a tangible thing,but more a feeling.if you watch Rocky 3,you will understand.the antagonist,(villain)Clubber Lang,Rocky's rival,is fairly strong as portrayed by Mr.T.though i get the sense this movie was made just to keep the franchise going.I say this because if you watch the next installment,Rocky 4,you will notice there is more intent to the whole movie.The antagonist is much more developed and there is more at stake.there are actually 2 antagonists and you will understand if you watch the movie.anyway, back to 3.the filmmakers could have done without this installment and went right to 4.as for Rocky 3-- 7 stars/10

Another film worthy of a Frank Stallone sound track, Rocky 3 has been one of the biggest box office turn outs in history. Not only did every Italian American run out to see this film when it was in the theaters but it made the song "Eye of the Tiger" a national hit. Rocky 3 was also a debut film for MR. T. An excellent performance as one of the best villains in movie history. This one is not only written by Sly....it is also directed by him as well. Check it out.

Even though this is a boxing movie, what made its two predecessors stand out were the well constructed characters and a story that harmonized the fights with the dramatic moments. Rocky III leaves much to be desired in this aspect, even if some quite meaningful and emotional events happen. A story has some subplots but they are either wrapped-up quickly or poorly explored. The fights are very exciting, the technical aspects, such as shooting or choreography, are good, but they didn't put me on the edge of my seat. Adrian played by Talia Shire doesn't have such a strong presence as in the previous movies, her few scenes with Rocky, Sylvester Stallone, are enjoyable, specially one that she sees the need to make Rocky understand himself and recognize what he's feeling.

Clubber Lang performed by Mr. Tis not a great and mesmerizing antagonist, he transmits so much hatred that in the end it becomes excessive, it seems that he drank a whole bottle of coffee with a red bull pack, because I had the impression that he would explode anytime. Burt Young is Paulie, this character isn't emphatically developed, but his scenes bring a little of comic relief due to his sarcastic humor and complicated personality. Rocky and Mickey, Burgess Meredith, behind all their arguments, there's relation of love and care, like a father and son. An interesting and positive situation was the course taken in the relation between Rocky and Apollo Creed played by Carl Weathers. The soundtrack is almost the same but has some good and remarkable inclusions. It's amazing that even though in the third film, the training scene follows the same molds from the previous but still is incredibly awesome.

After winning the ultimate title and being the world champion, Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) falls into a hole and finds himself picked up by a former enemy (Carl Weathers).

The first film was serious, the second one was more humorous and light-hearted. This one has a few emotional bumps (someone important dies), a bit of a humanization for Apollo Creed (sudden;y a good guy), and some over-the-top absurd humor (Thunder Lips). It is a good mix.

Although few would agree, I believe the second film is superior to the first. The third is beneath both of them, but not by much. It is a welcome addition to the series, which they likely never thought would last nearly as long as it does.