Movies based on sports have continued to inspire people for generations. This genre has witnessed some of the most amazing movies being made which always seem to have struck a chord with the audience. For me the greatest sports movie will always be the Rocky series.
Starring Sylvester Stallone and the beautiful Talia Shire in the lead roles Rocky tells the story of an Italian-American small time boxer named Rocky Balboa who fights in clubs for small pay and works as a collector for a loan shark. The series takes us through Rocky’s journey as he consistently rises through the ranks of professional boxing after he is given a chance to prove his mettle by the world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed.
For me Rocky Balboa has all the qualities which can be found in any sportsperson. Like any sportsperson would be willing to, he is eager to prove that he is not worthless and is even eager to take on the best, in this case being the world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed.
Sportspersons tend to have a never-say-die attitude and this quality is at full display during the fight scenes in the Rocky movies. Rocky initially takes punishment at the hands of his opponents but never goes down. While these positive qualities have made Rocky very popular but at the same time Rocky is a slave to his materialistic desires. He tends to overspend money and gives no importance to saving money for the future. But here’s where his wife, the beautiful Adrian Balboa comes in and provides some balance to his life.
The Rocky boxing saga consists of six films each narrating a particular phase in Rocky Balboa’s life but to me it is the fourth movie in the franchise which is undoubtedly the best Rocky movie. The movie witnesses the death of Apollo Creed who by now is a dear friend of Rocky Balboa at the hands of Soviet national champion Ivan Drago during a boxing match between the two.
Rocky in a state of grief and depression takes the decision of going to Russia to challenge Drago much to his wife’s dissent at the decision. Rocky hears what his wife has to say one night about his decision terming the whole plan to be a ‘suicide’ but Rocky wanting to avenge his friend’s death decides to stick with his decision.What comes next is the best part of the movie. As they come to Russia Rocky and his crew get a taste of the extreme weather conditions there which Rocky’s new trainer Ever’s says are the right conditions to make him tough.
The following sequence shows Rocky training alone using old-school methods for hard core training while at the same time Drago is seen using training equipment designed with the best technology and is also using steroids for enhancement in physical performance. On the day of the fight Rocky is welcomed into the arena with incessant booing from a very hostile crowd while the same crowd cheers endlessly when their national champion Ivan Drago makes his way into the arena. The Russian towers above the American when the two stand toe to toe.
Rocky’s endless resolve and determination is at full display during the fight scene as he takes beatings throughout the fight but never goes down. I think this is what every sportsperson should be about. Every sportsperson should learn to face things as Rocky does and always fight his/her way through whatever obstacles life throws in their way. The series also teaches us that we should never stop listening to our heart just as Rocky never stops listening to his heart.
The character of Rocky is everything a sportsperson should be like. He should have the strength to overcome adversity with which he will achieve success at the highest level.