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At the time of its release, most critics and fans said Rocky V was terrible and shouldn't even be acknowledged as an entry into the franchise. It was one of those films that most people needed to watch to complete the Rocky  marathons on TV, but very few never bothered to watch it. Sylvester Stallone himself even went as far as saying he hated it. 

I never understood at the time why V received so much heavy criticism, considering how much I enjoyed the film at the first time of watching, though. Thinking that it might just have the naivety that came with my age, I decided recently that I would again watch the film that threatened to end the franchise on an apparently such a sour note, and attempt to decipher what actually was so bad about this fifth instalment that had people fuming.

Let's begin with the inconsistency of the Rocky timeline. This has been a topic of debate for many years between fans, and Stallone does himself no favours here, truth be told. Rocky Jnr. (this time played by Stallone's real-life son, Sage) ages dramatically from the end of the Balboa/Drago fight in IV to the press conference at the beginning of V. It's almost an insult for Sly to think that we wouldn't notice.

Next, it's perhaps important to note that in IV, Rocky had just defeated communism, but in V he barely has the money to scrape together some decent clothes (he resorts to wearing the same outfit as he did in the first Rocky). I can see why this could be interpreted as a depressive slump for such an influential character.

Now I know Rocky has brain damage, but does Sly really have to exploit it so much in his performance? As much as a fan I am of Stallone, I’ll have to admit that he’s guilty of overacting somewhat here. The ring promoter, George Washington-Duke (Richard Gant), is also a blatant parody of Don King, which is probably one of the reasons why people can't take the acting in the film seriously in the first place.

Other potential reasons why people might hate this movie include the side-story concerned with Rocky’s son being bullied at school is uninspiring -- especially considering its addled morals of fighting ("Go for it!"); that fact that Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) has a mullet -- did they not have stylists in the '90s?; and the soundtrack containing a lot of Hip-Hop -- which most people will no doubt find off-putting.

Still, with all the above points considered, I refuse to dismiss the quintessence of Rocky’s character, whose story has been inspirational to audiences ever since his first outing with Apollo Creed in 1976. By the time the credits rolled during my most recent viewing, I really felt that I had enjoyed watching Rocky V just as much as I did the first time around.

What I like about V is that it dares to be different. III and IV had an emphasis upon action, music and montage -- a fair reflection of their time in the '80s -- but 1990 was the beginning of a new era, and audiences weren’t quite so keen to accept the cartoon-esque match-up of the smaller man overhauling the bigger man in every outing. Things needed to be changed.

At the time of making, Sly's desire must've been to bring the character full circle, in hope of emulating the basic raw ingredients that made the first movie a success. Here, the character has been threatened with his biggest challenge yet: Overcoming bankruptcy; brain damage; and the betrayal of his protégé, Tommy Gunn.

Admittedly, the descent from champion to a broke/brain-damaged individual may ultimately be too much for some people to stomach at first, but one must remember that the Rocky series has always been about the underdog mentality. As a fighter, his will to carry on is constantly being tested -- this is one of the main reasons why I keep getting enjoyment out of the Rocky films -- and V is no exception in this department.

Aided by the original Rocky director John G. Avildsen, there is an eerie sense of recognition of the old Philadelphian landmarks, which pay homage to the long-standing fans for sticking with the franchise -- even in the character’s darkest hour. The grittiness of the urban setting re-establishes an edge to the character that hasn't been seen since Rocky II. III and IV fanboys may not realise that Rocky actually started out as a street fighter in his darker days, and it's good to see him return to his roots here (albeit via the consequences).

V is very much a character-driven drama. One of the most touching scenes in the entire franchise occurs in V, which is done in the form of a flashback at the old gym. Here, Rocky and Mickey (Burgess Meredith, who returned primarily for this scene) stand alone in the ring a few days before the rematch with Apollo Creed. Mick gives Rocky his Marciano cufflink and says:

"It's gotta be like a, like an angel on your shoulder, see? If you ever get hurt and you feel that you're goin' down, this little angel is gonna whisper in your ear. It's gonna say, 'Get up you son of a bitch, 'cause Mickey loves you'."

Mickey was always the one providing Rocky with the raw initiative to defeat his opponents in his early days as a fighter: He had him doing one-handed press-ups, with string tied around his ankles, as well as punching heavy bags and even chasing chickens. At times, Rocky felt humiliated and even discouraged by the confidence his trainer had in him; the flashback scene in V is very emotional to watch, though, as it shows the two characters at their gentlest. As a result, I found myself sympathising for Rocky more than ever after watching this particular moment; I really wanted him to do Mickey proud.

When Tommy Gunn enters the picture, it is then understandable why Rocky, now retired, desires to establish a teacher-trainer relationship like the one he had with Mick when he was alive. Rocky soon dedicates himself to tutoring Tommy (albeit leaving his son shunned) as he feels like he has a second shot in life.

But what Stallone valued most in this outing was family. V is concerned with pragmatism, which later emphasizes the sub-plot of a father-son relationship. When the inevitability of Gunn selling out and siding with George Washington-Duke happens further on in the film, Rocky realises how much he has neglected his son and aspires to heal the broken bond. As Adrian so eloquently puts it: “If you want to pass something on pass it on to your son. For God’s sake, you’re losing us! You’re losing your family!”

When the film approaches its final fight scene, there's a real sense of the anger within Rocky that has developed from the humiliation from Gunn and his media team, as well as the guilt that has arisen from almost sacrificing his own family to make Tommy a success. Tommy knocks Paulie down with a cheap shot, and Rocky has no other option but to resort to using his fists in a street fight. This fight solves nothing in terms of each character's fate -- Rocky still has no money and Tommy is still the heavyweight champ -- but there's the underlining issue of loyalty and respect.

In general, Stallone had a lot of ideas for Rocky V. Admittedly, the overall execution of some of these ambitions rank considerably lower than in the original Rocky, and it may be too depressing for some fans to see the movie end with no resolution of finances or health. On a personal level, though, I have a a fair amount of respect for this film and its attempt to recapture the essence of the first two films. It's not always successful in his efforts, admittedly, but it's still pretty enjoyable.

On a final note, I will say Rocky V definitely works better as a fifth instalment than as the finale to the series. Considering the recent success of Rocky Balboa, I've heard many fans since alter their opinion on V, which has contributed to the film's developing cult status. It has even helped it establish a designated TV slot next to the popular movies of the series -- an achievement, considering most Rocky marathons of the '90s ended with IV. Perhaps, then, some justice has been done.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2008.