The Rocky series of films cover the legacy of Rocky Balboa, the Italian stallion. From humble beginnings all the way to his final boxing match, Rocky’s iconic story is spread throughout six movies.
If the first Rocky movie was a one-hit wonder, it would still be brought up time and time again as a solid movie from the 70s. It’s an all-time classic. The series has left a legacy, with all the movies in the franchise touching the hearts of many. Because there are six solid movies in the original series, one of the biggest discourses over the films is the act of ranking the movies from worst to best. As a huge Rocky fan, I want to throw my two cents into the ring.
Everyone has different reasons to pick one over the other, so my opinions might favor my generation. It’s no secret that these movies were made way before my time. My mother told me a story about her first Rocky movie being IV; she went to see the fourth movie’s premiere in theaters when she wasn’t even 10! Despite the first movie being made almost 50 years ago (1976), it’s impressive that it and the rest of the films still hold up to this day. While times have changed, there are still things in the Rocky series that my generation adores. With that being said, my ranking will be different, as I want to focus on why this franchise is so special to me.
Of course, there will be spoilers ahead.
6th – Rocky V
Coming in last place is Rocky V. I would say that this is the only movie on this list that does not earn the title of being “great.” It’s okay, but with flaws. The issue has to do with the execution of the core plot. The movie decides that a good overarching conflict would be Rocky neglecting his son, Robert Jr., to focus on training up-and-coming boxer, Tommy Gunn. This can be a good plotline that could get Rocky’s family involved in the story, but it can’t carry the whole narrative. It gets annoying seeing scene after scene with Rocky awkwardly trying to prioritize Gunn. After seeing how much Robert Jr. loves his dad in the fourth movie, this plotline gives you whiplash if you are binging every movie.
If there’s one thing I enjoy from the movie, it’s the climax returning to the streets. Gunn’s character arc wasn’t perfect, but it was satisfying to see Rocky best him on the streets. After every other climax involving huge crowds and noises, it’s great to see a return to where Rocky came from. Unfortunately, the sequel to Rocky V does a better job at this, and if I wanted to relive Rocky’s humble beginnings, I would watch the first film instead. While I would say Rocky V is an okay film, the other movies are so good they make this one feel awful.
5th – Rocky Balboa
Rocky Balboa is the name of the sixth installment and is the last one in the main line of Rocky movies. This movie is a good finale to end them all, with its many callbacks to the first film, along with some character arcs that conclude the story of Rocky.
The plot of this movie would not do well under other circumstances. At this point in the story, Rocky is 60, and the idea of him fighting the current heavyweight champion sounds ridiculous and unrealistic coming from a series of movies that was more grounded in its story. This isn’t unnoticed in the story, though, as Rocky’s companions call out his idea as being impossible. What his companions have forgotten is how they have seen how powerful Rocky’s heart is through it all, and after a whole lot of reflection in this final installment, it makes sense that Rocky would manage to stand proud one last time.
The movie is not as exciting as all the rest, but it has a bittersweet core that punches at your heartstrings one last time, making it a solid finale.
4th – Rocky IV
I regard the first four Rocky films as on the same level, with a few additions swaying my ranking. While it’s not the best Rocky movie, the fourth one is spectacular in its own way. At the very least, I can say I think about this one the most. It does so much and has a bizarre spectacle. There is this overarching impact the Cold War has left on this movie, with other strong 80s influences seeping through. There’s nothing more 80s than a conflict between America and Russia, alongside an emotional victory speech to wrap everything up. At times, it felt like they didn’t stop to think about where the series shouldn’t go, leading to a product of its time.
I have yet to talk about Rocky’s iconic rivals, and Ivan Drago is an interesting case. Drago barely has any lines in the movie, and is more symbolism for the optimization of technology, which combats Rocky’s natural roots. This creates one of the best training montages in the series, making this movie memorable. The next three movies, however, are memorable because they are just that good.
3rd – Rocky
There’s a reason this movie was given five sequels. It’s just that good. I adore movies like these that have humble beginnings. There’s something oddly charming about the way Rocky goes about his rough life. I really did enjoy watching Rocky live his life that may seem low with a strong heart. It really did feel like he was a person, just like us. Apollo Creed wanted to give someone down below a shot at making it big, choosing Rocky. Rocky took this chance, and through sheer effort, managed to last in the ring with the heavyweight champion. He endured and persevered, and for that, he won the hearts of everyone. One of my favorite parts of the movie is the fact that he didn’t even win the boxing match. Winning was not important to the people who knew Rocky. He was able to keep getting up, because of the ones he cherished. The people in Rocky’s life, including us, got to see everything he’s fighting for. For Rocky to show his worth because of a rare chance was beautiful to see, and his perseverance against insane odds is so satisfying. It’s all executed perfectly.
I can’t talk about Rocky without mentioning Creed, who is my favorite character in the series. He did give an underdog a chance, but it was only for greed. Seeing Creed’s hubris get him in a situation that puts his title at jeopardy makes Rocky’s determination to best him so cathartic. Creed has great chemistry with Rocky and will go down as my favorite character in Rocky. Creed’s pride is hurt at the end of the film, showing he still has more to learn. This sets up the next film perfectly.
2nd – Rocky II
Rocky II is a good example of what a sequel needs to cover. It builds off the original movie and expands the characters with a continuing story. The first Rocky movie was conclusive but left a lot for a sequel. Because of this, Rocky II starts directly where its predecessor ended. This flow lets us get right into the meat of the story, which is just as captivating as the first.
Once again, Creed is back but with a hurt ego, leading to a fiery rematch. I was already invested in Creed’s rivalry with Rocky, so the rematch was something I really wanted. The movie delivered, with a great training montage and final fight. But before that, the movie gave us more emotional moments between Rocky and the people he cares about. At the heart of the Rocky series is figuring out what is behind all that motivation and drive.
Rocky II shows us that push, with a well-earned victory for Rocky. What I didn’t expect was
for the sequel to build to something even grander.
1st – Rocky III
I honestly couldn’t decide between Rocky II and III being my favorite, but there are a few things that push the third installment to the top. First, it gave birth to the ever-iconic song “Eye of the Tiger.” I haven’t talked about the music in Rocky yet, but it is an important part of my enjoyment and my remembrance of the series. Second, I was a big fan of Mr. T in the movie as Clubber Lang. He steals the show with his delivery of the character and his fair motivations. Hulk Hogan also makes a cameo appearance, which is great to see. Lastly, I want to mention the character arc that Creed goes through in this movie. By the third movie, Creed has realized where he went wrong and decides to help Rocky redeem himself after Lang’s victory. Rocky and Creed share a deep bond through everything they went through as friend and foe, so getting to see them work together to take down Lang is exactly what I wanted to see.
Rocky III encapsulates everything I want in a Rocky film. It has beautiful emotional moments that matter, alongside gripping fights where you can feel every punch through the screen. While all these movies are fun to watch, at the end of the day, the third installment leaves me the most satisfied.
Every film in this series works together to build an amazing story with ups and downs throughout. With so many of the Rocky movies being great movies on their own, they will all hold a special place in my heart.
