“You’re gonna eat lightnin’ and you’re gonna crap thunder!” – Mickey
☆☆☆☆
How do you top a sequel to a film that won Best Picture? Do you amp up the stakes? Make it a personal character study? Do you make it straight up Oscar bait?
The answer is simple: just continue the story.
Rocky II takes place directly after the events of that fateful New Years Day in 1976, when Rocky Balboa went the distance in all 15 rounds against Apollo Creed. Rocky is living the high life. He impulse buys a Pontiac Firebird, a house, and expensive jewelry and furs for Adrian. He then marries Adrian, whom he only knew for a month. He’s living in the moment.
Meanwhile, Apollo Creed is getting hate mail accusing him of fixing the fight and his pride is wounded, despite getting the split decision victory. But Rocky’s high life comes crashing down after a botched endorsement deal because he couldn’t read; that forces him to work at the same meat packing plant he trained at that later fires him.
Stallone takes over directing duties for the next few films. This is his second film behind the camera, with the critically panned Paradise Alley serving as his directorial debut released the year before in 1978. With Rocky II, it shows that he was meant to direct this film series. Stallone understands this world, as he created this.
But what’s interesting about this is how much of the things we know for Rocky Balboa appear in this film. It’s this film where Rocky yells “YO ADRIAN!” Its this film where Mickey famously tells Rocky “You’re gonna eat lightnin’ and you’re gonna crap thunder!” The chicken chase is a part of this film as well. While Rocky was the starting point, Rocky II fleshed out the iconography and universe of Rocky Balboa.
The emotional core of this film is Rocky’s relationship with Adrian. They share some genuinely wonderful moments together, including his spur of the moment proposal at the zoo or reading a book while she is comatose. Oh, and the iconic line “YO ADRIAN!”
However my favorite character in this film is Mickey. Mickey has a very emotional arc here. He believes in Rocky enough that he could defeat Apollo Creed. Burgess Meredith absolutely deserved another Oscar nomination.
The boxing match of this film is even more intense. There is the title on the line. Each strike has an impact. For Rocky, this is all he knows and this is in my top 3 favorite Rocky fights. Dare I say it? I like this fight just a tad better than the first Rocky-Apollo match.
As for flaws, it’s very much a second verse, same as the first movie. You hit most of the beats you expect to hit. This has for me the cheesiest scene in all of the Rocky movies where the kids are all running with him. Theres also the notoriously shoehorned in TV reaction shots with Pauly and Adrian, as Talia Shire was filming another movie at the time. These shots got jarring for me.
Rocky II is a really good sequel. It follows up the story very well and has great performances across the board. Next week, I talk about my personal favorite sequel in the original Rocky canon.
Ding. Ding.
Ryan Watches 