Rocky III (1982)
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After a series of successful title defenses, Rocky Balboa faces a powerful new challenger who forces him to seek help from an old rival to prepare for a final showdown.
The story
In 1981, five years after winning the world heavyweight championship, Rocky Balboa has enjoyed a period of immense fame and success. However, his retirement plans are interrupted when a young, powerful, and hungry contender named James "Clubber" Lang publicly challenges him. While Rocky's manager, Mickey Goldmill, is initially hesitant to allow the fight due to the disparity in their physical capabilities, Rocky is pushed by the challenge. To prepare for the looming confrontation, Rocky must find a way to overcome his complacency and face a formidable opponent who views him as an easy target for the title.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following a public challenge from the powerful Clubber Lang, Rocky Balboa's manager, Mickey Goldmill, warns him that Lang is too strong and 'hungry' for a standard match. After a preliminary fight where Mickey suffers a heart attack and dies, a devastated Rocky seeks out his former rival, Apollo Creed. Apollo agrees to train Rocky for a rematch against Lang in exchange for a future favor. Under Apollo's guidance, Rocky transforms his brawling style into a more technical fighting style. The rematch takes place at Madison Square Garden. During the fight, Rocky initially dominates, but Lang eventually gains the upper hand. In the final rounds, Rocky adopts a strategy of enduring Lang's blows to exhaust him. This tactic works, and Rocky eventually knocks out Lang to reclaim the championship. The film ends with Rocky and Apollo engaging in a friendly sparring match.
- First release year
- 1982
- Runtime (minutes)
- 100
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Sylvester Stallone
- Writers
- Sylvester Stallone · writer
- Cast and characters
- Sylvester Stallone · Robert "Rocky" Balboa; Talia Shire · Adrian Pennino Balboa; Burt Young · Paulie Pennino; Carl Weathers · Apollo Creed; Burgess Meredith · Michael "Mickey" Goldmill; Mr. T · James "Clubber" Lang; Tony Burton · Tony "Duke" Evers; Hulk Hogan · Thunderlips
- Genres
- sports drama
- Themes
- overcoming complacency; the cost of success; redemption
- Tone and mood
- determined; action-oriented
- Setting
- Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and New York City in the early 1980s.
- Premise and plot tags
- sports; boxing; sequel
- Franchise connections
- Rocky
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its action sequences and music, but criticism for its screenplay. Retrospective reviews have been more positive and the movie gained a strong cult following.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 66% · scale: percentage · review count: 44; Metacritic · score: 57 · scale: 100 · review count: 10
- Awards and nominations
- Best Original Song · Academy Awards · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was the first in the franchise not solely distributed by United Artists.; The theme song 'Eye of the Tiger' became a hit single.; A bronze statue of Rocky was commissioned by Sylvester Stallone.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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