Rocky

I've always liked Rocky, and every time I see it again, I'm amazed. It will probably never cease to amaze me how natural the whole film feels, how it does without a single cliché and how likeable its main character is. And best of all, it owes it all to Sylvester Stallone, actor, writer and fight choreographer. I'm not usually interested in boxing unless there's an interesting story behind the violence. But Rocky (like Raging Bull or Somebody Up There Likes Me) has just such a story. (30/12/2015)

A film that bestowed immortality on its lead actor and etched itself into the eternal subconscious of a fanbase that other high-budget films can only dream of. Sylvester Stallone wrote the role to fit him to perfection, and it shows. Even his sappy moral lectures and life advice have something to them, and his relentless work and preparation for the final, emotion-packed fight is the most impressive thing Hollywood has ever offered in its sports section – until Warrior, that is. (07/06/2012)

This film about the American dream is all the more natural, convincing and powerful the less it tries to be spectacular and cater to the audience at all costs. It is the humble inception of a legend, not yet aware of its future historical importance. Rocky is the purest film definition of Sylvester Stallone, both as an actor and as a person. (18/11/2009)

I fell in love with this movie as a child, and it still is a powerful spectacle for me that affects me exactly as it should. Sylvester Stallone gives an incredibly genuine performance and is believable in his role like never before. Thanks to that, one can easily empathize with him and slowly climb to the top with him, which he eventually achieves, although it may have looked different originally. Nowadays, it's a bit worn-out, but that's because many films drew inspiration from its beautiful perseverance and effort to achieve the impossible. Sly wrote a great script that no one else could have played better. It's almost a shame that he turned the story into a series, but I still can't wait to watch the other films after the first one. (16/03/2014)

The years and Stallone’s reputation may have made Rocky a legend among sport dramas, but as someone who doesn’t like the genre, I have to say that it’s just a run-of-the-mill movie. It’s well made, yes, but also ordinary, and even uninteresting. I don’t feel at all like watching the entire saga. (27/05/2010)