Rocky V (1990) Review

 

Rocky V (1990)

Left with brain damaged after his fight with Drago, Rocky V follows Rocky Balboa who finds a new purpose in newcomer Tommy Gunn, training him to the top. A dirty promoter however threatens to tear everything down to pit Tommy against Rocky. 

Often regarded as the lowest film in the series, Rocky V enters familiar territory, bringing us and the Balboas back to Philadelphia and in tow, original director John G. Avildsen. It’s clear that Avildsen wanted Rocky to return to his roots in some ways, after the all-star success (at costly character shifts) of the previous movies, where do you go? Naturally, the way of most retired athletes: down. Financial issues not only leave them broke but back to square one, back on the mean streets of Philadelphia, in what is posed as a humbling learning experience for Rocky and his family, particularly his son. 

A subtle theme, the running thread of the fifth film is Mick, his legacy, and how Rocky will honor him, which is where Tommy Gunn comes along, a hard-nosed bruiser hailing from a broken Oklahoma background; a perfect target for an underdog like Rocky. He trains Tommy and takes him under his wing in a way that allows him to feel born again, an important theme that once stood for his real son, quite literally replacing him and the life he already has built. And while the meat of the relationship and what ensues is a mixed bag, the messages that arise from it and it’s conflict are incredibly important for someone who’s battles are no longer in the ring, but in the home as a family man. 

We get the biggest departures in cast for the series, starring Burgess Merideth, Burt Young, Talia Shire, Richard Gant, Sage Stallone, Tommy Morrison, and Sylvester Stallone. For once, Stallone feels stretched too thin, leaving him putting forth a great performance in a not so great film. Gant and Morrison also aren’t awful but they just don’t mix well among the cast, standing out way too much to feel natural. 

Rocky V, directed by John G. Avildsen, is obviously an attempted return to form (for the original finale) and while it provides some excellent lessons on fatherhood and life, it just feels too disconnected and corny for a proper send off for what is otherwise an amazing series. 

6.5/10