Rocky II (1979)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Sylvester Stallone

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith

Time: 119 minutes

After bringing Heavyweight Champion Apollo Creed to the limit in their boxing match and losing by a split decision, Rocky Balboa retires to enjoy life alongside his wife Adrian, who does not want him to box anymore, because she is worried he will go blind from it. The problem is, the former boxer is not qualified for anything else and he has a hard time finding a new way to earn a living. When Creed comes knocking, looking for a rematch and a cleaner win for the sake of his pride, Rocky finds it hard to stay away, feeling like he has to do it to be a man.

For this first sequel, Stallone wrote the script, directed the film and played the lead role. And what a tour de force for him. Some would say Rocky II is even better than the first. I would not go that far, but it is close in my book. Stallone makes it so easy to root for the ultimate underdog, and the supporting cast also carry their weight.

Overall, this is an awesome sequel that is well worth watching.

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