#209. Rocky

"You gotta be a moron... you gotta be a moron to wanna be a fighter."

Slum boxer Rocky Balboa receives the once in a life chance to fight against the world-renowned Apollo Creed.

There were a few things I liked about this film, and a bit more that I didn't like about it. For starters, I really like the underdog concept. I found it endearing, and I think that's one of the main reasons why this movie is a classic. Another aspect I liked was the music; it definitely set the ambiance of the film. 

What I didn't like about it was that many of the scenes felt contrived and unnecessary. I also thought Rocky and Adrian's relationship was extremely depressing, especially at the skating rink. I just didn't really like Adrian as a character at all honestly. Why did Rocky like her? What kind of redeeming qualities did she possess to make up for her extreme aloofness and lack of personality? Stuff just doesn't happen like that. Actually, the way all the characters acted was a bit off. They were all so mean to each other, and got exceedingly angry at the simplest of things. I mean, is this characteristic of the Rocky movies or just the way that Northerners act normally? Nevertheless, watching all of that was just bothersome.

I can understand why a lot of others may love this film for its underdog concept, and I tolerated it alright; I just thought that a lot of the scenes were irrelevant. I also couldn't understand a lot of what Rocky or anyone else said, which may have taken away a lot of the content for me. I can tell that this is one of those movies that must be watched a few times to be fully appreciated. I'll probably like it the second or third time around, but for now, I give it a 6.6/10.

Characters: 6.2/10

Acting: 6.3/10

Storyline: 6.8/10

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Immediate Rating: 6.6/10

Total Score: 32.9/50