A wonderful and glorious low-budget film bursting with heart.  Remember the turtles named Cuff and Link.  Remember when Rocky doesn't break the thumb of the slow-paying gambler.  And remember the wonderful answer Adrian gives when Rocky confesses he can't beat Creed: "What're we going to do."  (Wonderful thing to say in a relationship.)  And for me the best part of the film isn't the fight- it's Rocky circling the ring the night before.  It's not a perfect film and it's age shows on occasion- but it's so full of heart and charm few film fans can resist it. . .

Great little film and a well told story.  I'm tempted to dock it a star for the sins of excess that followed, but that wouldn't be fair.

This will always be my favorite boxing movie and near the top of my favorite movies in general. I think every fighter that has ever dreamt of fighting in the big time can relate to this story. A small time club fighter, for all practical purpose, a tomato can, gets a shot at the title. Though he is not expected to win, and he has no illusions himself, he just wants to go the distance. He wants to prove to himself that he is, at his deepest core,  a worthy fighter, a man worthy of this opportunity that has been presented to him. During the fight with Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) he finds that there is more to him than he thought. Somewhere in the fight he begins to believe that he can win.

These days, so many people have a disdain for the sweet science. But why is it that many of the most acclaimed movies of all time are boxing-themed movies. Other than an occasional Chariots of Fire, of all genres of sports-related movies, only Boxing movies truly succeed as film classics (as Randyman's list here strongly supports). I have always contended that Rocky is not only the best boxing movie or sports movie, but maybe the best movie ever. The theme is so primally simple, yet powerful -- the downtrodden rises against all odds to seize glory. From Gladiator, all the way down to Kicking and Screaming, these movies always manage to tighten my chest a bit and even force me to flick a wipe across my moistened eye (God help if someone see me cry...They would think I turned GAY!!!). But no movie evoked this emotion more than Rocky. It also helped that it was literally filmed in my backyard and I am familiar with every Philadelphia neighborhood and locale in the movie. I also like the fact that Rocky and Stallone fortunes are forever intertwined. Stallone could have sold the film rights for a few grand, but held out and...well you know the rest.

The only movie in this series that's any good at all, this one is pretty solid.

A great underdog overcomes the odds Movie!

Rocky,which won the Oscar for best movie,is probably the movie that best portrays the longshot to make-it-good theme. Years before Seabiscuit,Stallone, a struggling actor,went to the Ali-Wepner fight and,as Rocky(Wepner),turned it into a masterpiece.