Rocky II

"Was ya ever punched in the face 500 times a night? It stings after a while, ya know."

Rocky (1976) proved incredibly successful, winning Best Picture (among other Oscars) to boot. Sylvester Stallone stepped behind the camera for Rocky II (1979), tonally positioned between the down-to-earth original and absurd later sequels.
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) struggles to enjoy fame after fighting Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). He strikes out as a pitchman and can't hold down a job, a pressing concern when Adrian (Talia Shire) becomes pregnant. Apollo, burned by charges that the fight was fixed, baits Rocky into a rematch. Even when Rocky agrees, it's clear his heart isn't in it. Only when Mickey (Burgess Meredith) pushes him, and Adrian endorses the rematch, does Rocky take things seriously.
Initially, Rocky II tries recapturing the original's pathos. Rocky proposes to Adrian in a zoo, repeating his Tarzan yell from the original, and their romantic scenes play as sweet as before. His botched commercials are believably cringe-inducing Rocky, the inarticulate goon, doesn't wear celebrity well. Nor can he hold down a day job; he's unqualified for office work, having dropped out of school, even losing a menial job. He returns to fighting because there aren't any alternatives.
These scenes work, even more for their autobiographical parallels: Stallone followed Rocky with the poorly-received F.I.S.T. and Paradise Alley (both 1978), ambitious flops revealing their star's limitations. Unable to establish himself as Brando's heir, Stallone returned to his star-making role, a pattern repeated throughout the '80s. It would be poignant if Stallone weren't still trying to recapture his glory days, forty years later.
About halfway through, Rocky II devolves into narcissism. Here, Superhero Rocky is born, a lunk-headed ubermensch who takes dozens of rocket punches without flinching. The training montage becomes absurd: Rocky squat-presses logs and chases a chicken to improve his speed. Then Adrian awakens from a coma, encouraging Rocky to fight. This culminates in another run to the Museum of Art, this time with Rocky swarmed by an army of street urchins. Never let Stallone be accused of humility.
Stallone's direction is fine, if unflashy; he recaptures John G. Avildsen's gritty mise-en-scene with a few artsy flourishes thrown-in. We can forgive the clunky deep focus when Rocky reads to a comatose Adrian; less effective is the final bout, full of obnoxious director's touches. The boxing lacks the original's relative restraint, and the egregious slow motion doesn't help. It culminates in the worst cliché imaginable, with both fighters collapsing to the mat simultaneously. No points for guessing who stands tall.
Stallone's still committed to Rocky and conveys his befuddled frustration effectively. Talia Shire isn't so well-served; she frets about Rocky fighting again until conveniently changing her mind. Carl Weathers and Burgess Meredith fare well in expanded roles. Weathers plays a heel unnerved by the hit to his reputation; Meredith goes to town with Mickey's prickly, profane encouragement. Burt Young, Tony Burton and Joe Spinell also return in supporting roles.
Rocky II isn't bad by any stretch: the actors are game, the boxing exciting, the first hour dramatically solid. Even the weaker second half is watchable. Like most sequels, it's a definite downgrade on the original - but miles better than what's to come.