rra
King Koopa
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Post by rra on Sept 13, 2007 20:50:13 GMT -5
Which I'll point out in my review.....I mean, was that kid taking Stallone's steroids or something? I mentioned the kid's sudden growth spurt in my review. And the "Rocky's broke" aspect of the story makes absolutely no sense. Well, it makes as much sense as Rambo driving the Russians out of Afghanistan in a movie released weeks/months after the Russians finally left Afghanistan. Of course, I offer some ideas of a better ROCKY V, but its like polishing a turd or trying to polish up the Petraeus Report.
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Jiren
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Post by Jiren on Sept 13, 2007 20:50:30 GMT -5
Which I'll point out in my review.....I mean, was that kid taking Stallone's steroids or something? I mentioned the kid's sudden growth spurt in my review. And the "Rocky's broke" aspect of the story makes absolutely no sense. I never liked the Rocky's broke stuff
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Post by Bob Schlapowitz on Sept 13, 2007 20:54:03 GMT -5
The financial advisor that Paulie signed P.O.A. over to would have been locked up in reality, and the Balboas would have been able to sue the living shit out of him. Not to mention, Rocky just got back from Russia, beating the Soviet Superman, Wouldn't you think he'd be a national hero? Talk shows, Speaking engagements, special appearances, all that equals ridiculous amounts of cash! And he couldn't get commercial deals because of his criminal past with Gazzo? Ummmmm yeah.....what about the commercials in Rocky II and III? That's why I was so harsh on Rocky V.
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Jiren
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Post by Jiren on Sept 13, 2007 20:58:19 GMT -5
The financial advisor that Paulie signed P.O.A. over to would have been locked up in reality, and the Balboas would have been able to sue the living crap out of him. Not to mention, Rocky just got back from Russia, beating the Soviet Superman, Wouldn't you think he'd be a national hero? Talk shows, Speaking engagements, special appearances, all that equals ridiculous amounts of cash! And he couldn't get commercial deals because of his criminal past with Gazzo? Ummmmm yeah.....what about the commercials in Rocky II and III? That's why I was so harsh on Rocky V. The Illogical moments in Rocky V make my head hurt Also what about Apollo's family i thought they would help out (They are friends), i bet they're not short a bob or two
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rra
King Koopa
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Post by rra on Sept 13, 2007 21:01:58 GMT -5
The financial advisor that Paulie signed P.O.A. over to would have been locked up in reality, and the Balboas would have been able to sue the living crap out of him. Not to mention, Rocky just got back from Russia, beating the Soviet Superman, Wouldn't you think he'd be a national hero? Talk shows, Speaking engagements, special appearances, all that equals ridiculous amounts of cash! And he couldn't get commercial deals because of his criminal past with Gazzo? Ummmmm yeah.....what about the commercials in Rocky II and III? That's why I was so harsh on Rocky V. Exactly. Plus, whats the dramatic point of it?
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Jiren
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Post by Jiren on Sept 13, 2007 21:03:17 GMT -5
Plus wouldn't the public do a charity thing for him
Ungrateful bastards
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Post by Bob Schlapowitz on Sept 13, 2007 21:04:49 GMT -5
The financial advisor that Paulie signed P.O.A. over to would have been locked up in reality, and the Balboas would have been able to sue the living crap out of him. Not to mention, Rocky just got back from Russia, beating the Soviet Superman, Wouldn't you think he'd be a national hero? Talk shows, Speaking engagements, special appearances, all that equals ridiculous amounts of cash! And he couldn't get commercial deals because of his criminal past with Gazzo? Ummmmm yeah.....what about the commercials in Rocky II and III? That's why I was so harsh on Rocky V. Exactly. Plus, whats the dramatic point of it? Not to mention it's pretty G*ddamn depressing, after all we see Rocky go through in the first four films, when part V ends, he's basically the same dirt-poor bum he was when part I began! Thank God "Balboa" was made!
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rra
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Post by rra on Sept 13, 2007 21:06:25 GMT -5
Plus wouldn't the public do a charity thing for him Ungrateful bastards Knowing America, people would call Rocky a bum for blowing all his money or some garbage like that. Really, I think its funny that Stallone totally disowns ROCKY V, but you know what? He scripted the movie, he was the star, and John Avildsen was a hired gun on that movie. IT was Sly's production, so its his fault for why the film fails, and its not just in the ending*. *=Rocky dies in the street alley fight. The studio thought it was too depressing and had it changed. Even if that ending was kept, this movie was still f***ed.
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rra
King Koopa
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Post by rra on Sept 13, 2007 21:07:53 GMT -5
Exactly. Plus, whats the dramatic point of it? Not to mention it's pretty G*ddamn depressing, after all we see Rocky go through in the first four films, when part V ends, he's basically the same dirt-poor bum he was when part I began! Thank God "Balboa" was made! As I'll point out in my review, ROCKY V was the first attempt by Sly to make a "full circle" to the original film. Thus, Sly loses his cash and is dead-broke again to where he was. I offer in my review my ideas of how to salvage...of what is possible....with ROCKY V.
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Post by Bob Schlapowitz on Sept 13, 2007 21:14:47 GMT -5
So far we can do the tally
ROCKY Bob - Thumbs Up rra - Thumbs Up
ROCKY II Bob - Thumbs Up rra - Thumbs Up
ROCKY III Bob - Thumbs Up rra - Thumbs Down
ROCKY IV Bob - Thumbs Down rra - Thumbs Down
ROCKY V Bob - Thumbs Down rra - We'll see!
ROCKY BALBOA Bob - Thumbs Up rra - We'll See!
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rra
King Koopa
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Post by rra on Sept 13, 2007 21:52:20 GMT -5
ROCKY V (1990) - * - BombWow. How did it come to this? How could a franchise go from a cherished American classic that won an Oscar to a movie that is so lousy, such a damn failure in everything it even tries, and so hated that even ROCKY fans spit on it? But people should have seen it coming. For each ROCKY sequel, Stallone coasted further and further on the action formula to the point that ROCKY V's script would have been more successful as a drink coaster for my margarita. Wose, Sly instead tries his first attempt at bringing the franchise full-circle, and his methods instead go half-way from greatness to ineptness. I think quite honestly that Sly wanted to make another ROCKY action picture, but as well have it both ways by including an attempt to go back to the "humble drama" of the original ROCKY. The problem is, the "drama" is very artificial, the characters are faces with illogic running them, and by the time the movie realizes to fulfill its obligations to being an "action" picture, the big action finale is so lacking and stupid, even fans of ROCKY IV call it retarded. Now that's bad. The sad thing is, unlike ROCKY IV, this 5th installment could have worked. Stallone as a scriptwriter has good ideas or at least such concepts when he isn't coasting. From the Don King-esque corrupt boxing promoter in George Washington Duke to Rocky becoming a mentor to a young boxer with origins that mirrors his, the fact that Rocky, a fighter at heart, can't do the one thing he's great at anymore....you could work with such stuff into a decent movie. But not when you have stupid s*** that makes no sense from the get go. As I explained before, these ROCKY sequels have serious continuity problems. Technically, ROCKY V takes place in maybe 1983/84 or whenever, immediately after Balboa comes back home from Russia, back to his little boy. Except his boy is now a teenager. WHAT?!?! Did this kid find Stallone's steroids or something? Damn. Then the whole melodrama of Rocky losing his fortune, and conveniently his family is thrown back into the white ghetto from the original movie. I guess Sly wanted his character to return "home" for the last movie, but it makes absolutely no sense. Its a cheap trick by Sly for cheap drama, and it stinks up the joint. Besides, Paulie is a lovable loser, but if he did cost Sly his entire wealth, why would that family stick with him anyway? He's not that big of an idiot. Plus, he would have been too busy, with his hands molesting that poor robot of his, its circuits raped nightly. No wonder the machines killed humanity in those MATRIX movies. So comes along the film's actual story: Rocky, retired from the ring by brain damage, becoming a trainer for a kid that is hungry for greatness....using his knowledge that Mickey passed down to him. And really, Tommy Morrison isn't a bad actor. For a then-prodigy boxer, I buy him. But when a pivotal moment comes when Tommy "The Machine" Gunn turns on Balboa and joins Duke, like a similar would-be powerful moment in REVENGE OF THE SITH, you just don't buy the turn. ROCKY V never convinces me why a decent kid, with a wife-beating father, would turn to the dark side of boxing. Then there is the whole melodrama sub-plot about Rocky's kid being a whiney kid because ole Rock is busy training Gunn. Really, with all this drama-cheese and bubbles, am I watching a ROCKY movie or a bad soap opera? But the ending....wow, what can I say about the ending? OK, like: *Why isn't Rocky or/and Gunn arrested for street brawling, on LIVE TV, by the cops? I could understand for Rock that he was only defending himself, but not after he slugs Duke? *What kind of a strategy by Duke is this? Wouldn't it make Gunn look an even bigger joke? Even Don King aint that stupid. *Why didn't the rest of Rocky's "friends" just jump on Gunn? *Why didn't Gunn earn a rough rep with the media like Tyson did: 3-6 for sexual assault? Now, while I'm glad the utter failure of ROCKY V inspired Stallone to make a more proper "conclusion" to the franchise, he's still to blame for ROCKY V. He scripted the movie, he was the mega-movie star being paid the big bucks, and John Avildsen was a glorified jobber director for him. It was Sly's show, and it blew.
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Post by Bob Schlapowitz on Sept 13, 2007 21:56:48 GMT -5
two thumbs down for Rocky V.
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rra
King Koopa
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Post by rra on Sept 13, 2007 22:03:10 GMT -5
No really, ROCKY V could have worked.
I mean, take the Don King-esque figure in Duke (or whatever his name was), the corrupt match-fixing promoter who's species has effectively made boxing polluted and irrelevant in today's time when fans would rather see a non-rigged sport like say UFC or MMA.
Stallone could have made a point in a flashback of how Duke offered quick cash to the financially-struggling Rocky in the second picture (back when Balboa is having to job at a meat factory) but Mickey threatened to kick his ass, and he keeps Balboa away from the dark side of boxing.
Thus, set up the second story to work, where Stallone would explore why Tommy "The Machine" Gunn, a decent kid who seems very much like Rock but from the Midwest, becomes Darth Vader while Rocky became Luke Skywalker...and ultimately, slightly dark ROCKY tale.
So you then ask.....well, how would I make Tommy's turn to the dark side actually believable?
Imagine if Rocky never lost his fortune. Hell, even if he's retired due to his injuries, he and his family is still set for life. Its just, he's a fighter, and fighter's fight. He gets depressed, and since he's this big masculine global sports icon, he can't relate it. The media doesn't care about him anymore, save for the occassional commercial job or some ESPN special about his career, or even card show convention appearances. But, he was taken away from the one thing he knows well at doing.
But his spirits rise up when he hears that Mickey's old gym is to be torn down, and Balboa springs the cash to save it....and ends up becoming the head trainer for it, using his knowledge that Mickey had passed down to him.
And it improves his spirits, but then Tommy Gunn shows up. He's the best of the would-be kids, and its also a possibility for ole Rocky to return to the boxing throne, or at least to the scene in grand style....by training Gunn to be the greatest boxer ever, the complete career that Balboa should have had.
But Rocky makes his fatal mistake when he invites Tommy back home to his mansion, and Tommy sees Balboa's sports cars, the crystals, the art pieces, the swimming pool, the raped-robot, you name it. To Tommy, this is success in boxing.
And thus, we will see exactly why Rocky never went to the darkside of boxing, unlike Tommy Gunn. For Rocky, his view was that boxing success was to show that he was the best in the sport as world champion. For Tommy, its about the wealth and lavish lifestyle that comes with being champion.
Thus, when Gunn's turn comes, it would actually mean something......
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