Rocky: The Undisputed Collection Blu-ray
Rocky fans will be sure to love this collection of all six Rocky films from the start of the Rocky saga to the final retirement with some great bonus features.
Film making 20/25
Video 20/25
Audio 20/25
Bonus Features 20/25
Total 80/100
Rocky fans unite the Undisputed Collection is here with all six Rocky films; Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V and Rocky Balboa starring Sylvester Stallone. The Undisputed Collection is a Blu-ray high definition collection of the films along with a good collection of bonus content not only on the Rocky Balboa film disc but an extra Blu-ray disc.
Rocky is the film saga of a boxer who overcomes the emotional and physical obstacles to achieve an almost mythical status. Rocky from the first film to the last has about the same theme told in such compelling and vivid detail that each film is well worth watching over and over again.
It has been some time since watching several of these films but recently when the last one, Rocky Balboa, was released I also watched the first Rocky film. I enjoyed the last film as much as I did when I first saw Rocky back in the theatres when I was a kid.
The four films in the middle from Rocky II to Rocky V I really did not remember all that well other than Rocky wins at the end but the films are not really about winning, or boxing for that matter. It’s about the heart and spirit that people can find to pull themselves out from whatever deep despair or other self inspired low they have found themselves in.
All six films vary in quality from the best with Rocky Balboa to the worst of the films being one of the middle ones but I really cannot decide which. Audio and video quality also differs about the same but story and production does not differ as much with the first and last film being the best of all six.
Rocky was the first and was a classic story of the man who had a dream and who had the heart to follow it, a small time boxer who finds himself in the middle of a publicity stunt. Rocky Balboa was a small time boxer who gets a shot at the title and actually does much better than anyone anticipated, especially the heavy weight champion.
Rocky II sees a return of the title fight because the first fight was a draw with the ruling in the favor to Apollo Creed, played by Carl Weathers. When Apollo finds himself in the ring once again with the Italian Stallion Rocky does a better job this time around and wins at the very last second.
Rocky III pits Rocky Balboa against Clubber Lang played by Mr. T with help from a great boxing versus professional wrestling scene. Rocky IV has Rocky going toe to toe with a Russian and all the Cold War hysteria that you would expect but Rocky does a great job of training old world style in a small desolate village in Russia.
Rocky V returns to the classic form of down and out fighter who has to return to the ring due to losing all his money after Paulie, Rockies brother-in-law, gives power of attorney to a crook of an attorney. In Rocky Balboa we see 16 years have gone by and Rocky is now a small restaurant owner and a small time hero to some who remember the good old days.
Rocky once again returns to the ring 30 years after the first film and is in the shape of a boxer from that time as well to again win the title fight. That was one thing that was impressive is seeing a man work that hard for a film and really take punches and get knocked out for a movie.
Rocky Balboa was probably the best film but Rocky was also a great movie and well worth revisiting again after all these years. The other films are also great to watch and a marathon Rocky film festival is a fun way to spend a cold weekend snuggled up with the family watching some classic cinema.
The Blu-ray editions are not full reworked versions but simple transfers to high definition video without much work to clean them up. The last film of course was shot in better, more modern film with the intention of moving it right to Blu-ray so it looks the best but the first film is quite dated and looks it with bland colors.
Overall I really will not rate each film in quality as it just does not seem fair for a series of films shot over 30 years of time. Suffice it to say that these films will not be winning awards for quality Blu-ray transfers but they are enjoyable and well worth owning.
Bonus content is on the Rocky Balboa disc and an extra disc with over three hours of bonus material on the bonus disc that is well worth watching. There are the usual commentary tracks, deleted and extended scenes, some bloopers and a lot of making of features.
The content on the Rocky Balboa film is all about that movie while the bonus disc is about all the films with a few particular features highlighting the first movie. As you can imagine after all these years the films as well as how they are filmed and many other aspects have changed so there is a lot to talk about and find in the bonus content.
The bonus content ranges from old interviews and older features to things shot specifically during the final movie for the release of the set that was sure to come. Some of the bonus content is worth watching only once but a few of them are worth a second viewing to catch all the fun of the film and what people have to share about them.
Rocky is a cultural and American Icon and many in Philadelphia actually treated Sylvester Stallone as the character Rocky when he returned for the final film. Rocky may be over as far as filming but the movies in this collection will surely be a treat to anyone who loves emotional and triumphant returns.
Rocky: The Undisputed Collection is a must have for any home cinema and well worth the cost for all six films in high definition.