Blu-ray Movie Reviews

An unknown boxer (Sylvester Stallone) scores a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champion of the world (Carl Weathers) when the champ comes to Philadelphia and gives the chump an opportunity to be the champ.

So the story goes in Rocky, the 1976 Oscar winner for Best Picture that launched the career of Sylvester Stallone into the stratosphere. Not only was he the star, he also wrote the fan favorite that spawned a total of five sequels over the next 30 years. Our hero has his ups and downs over the years—and movies—and all but Rocky V are good films. Surprisingly, the last one in the series, Rocky Balboa, has the heart of the original when the over-the-hill ex-champion makes a surprising return to the ring.

The video quality in the six films is all over the map, with Rocky looking very rough around the edges due to a low production budget and a deteriorated print. Each film looks slightly better than its predecessor, with Rocky Balboa looking nearly perfect with amazing detail and dimensionality. Close-ups and long shots are crystal clear with well-resolved shadows and inky blacks. The other films have their moments, particularly in Rocky III when the camera zooms in on the sweaty face of Clubber Lang (Mr. T), but there are some instances of noise reduction and some minor ringing.

As expected, the audio tracks are just as inconsistent as the video. Each movie sports a DTS-MA HD 5.1 soundtrack that improves with each subsequent film—Rocky sounds the worst of the bunch with its front-loaded, one-dimensional track that's consistent with its mono roots. The next two films improve things a bit given their higher budgets, and Rocky IV and V have a much better surround presence versus the previous three films. The sound design in Rocky Balboa is pedestrian in the first two acts, but the conclusion opens things up with a very active soundstage during the final fight, with ample crowd noise from the rear speakers and impressive bass whenever a punch connects.

Rocky Balboa ports over the features from the previously released Blu-ray, with a seventh disc dedicated to some new supplements. These include a "Feeling Strong Now!" trivia game, an interview with trainer Lou Duva, a video essay from Bert Sugar, and a featurette on Rocky's opponents in the films that includes interviews with Carl Weathers, Dolph Lundgren, and Tommy Morrison, although Mr. T is mysteriously absent. Additional bonus features include behind-the-scenes featurettes, a couple of tributes to cast and crew, an entertaining interview with Sylvester Stallone, another interview with the star appearing on the '70s talk show Dinah!, SD trailers for Rocky, HD trailers for the subsequent films, and some TV spots. (Unless otherwise noted, all featurettes are SD)

Rocky Balboa is one of Hollywood's most iconic figures, and fans will appreciate these films in high-definition, although the first three films could use some restoration. Highly recommended for fans.

Release Date: November 3, 2009
Studio: Fox

Rocky Movie: 10/10
Picture: 6/10
Sound: 6/10

Rocky II Movie: 9/10
Picture: 7/10
Sound: 7/10

Rocky III Movie: 8/10
Picture: 7/10
Sound: 7/10

Rocky IV Movie: 7/10
Picture: 8/10
Sound: 8/10

Rocky V Movie: 5/10
Picture: 8/10
Sound: 8/10

Rocky Balboa Movie: 9/10
Picture: 9/10
Sound: 9/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics