Rocky: The Undisputed Collection Review

Rocky: The Undisputed Collection is the best complete set of Rocky movies available. It contains all of the movies on Blu-ray as well as an additional 7th disk of special features.

If you’re a sucker for the sporting underdog movies, rejoicing in the come from behind victory no matter how unlikely or cheesy, then chances are you cut your teeth on the Rocky movies. So far Rocky: The Undisputed Collection is the best complete set of Rocky movies available. It contains all of the movies on Blu-ray as well as an additional 7th disk of special features.

Rocky, in 1976, certainly set the template for sports movies. Take one unlikely champion with less athletic skills than his opponents but a fierce determination, a heart of gold and most of all: high personal odds. The grimmer the backdrop for the underdog, the better. The grey working class of Philadelphia worked well in Rocky, although over the years the urban working class environment has been surpassed by race or class battles as the movie backdrop of choice for exquisitely cheesy sports movies.

While many clearly and unashamedly revel in the cheesiness of the Rocky films, not all of them should be pigeon holed that way. After all, in 1976, the first Rocky film won three Oscars, including Best Picture. That first movie, and the last in the series, Rocky Balboa (2004) are dramatic, heart-tugging stories of the human spirit that happen to be told in the world of boxing. Unapologetically casting aside Rocky V, the other three movies in the Rocky series are certainly formulaic sports movies, indicative of many genre films of the 1980’s. However, they are still there to be enjoyed for what they are.

Rocky: The Undisputed Collection Blu-ray Set

The best Rocky collection currently available

Over the years there have been a number of Rocky sets released. However, this is the first time all six movies have been released together on Blu-ray with any special features of note. Admittedly, the special features mainly apply to the most recent film, Rocky Balboa. Fortunately, at least this means much of the special features apply to the whole story arch of Rocky. However, don’t expect many making of featurettes of the earlier Rocky films or much attention in general played to the middle Rocky films. MGM have been notoriously miserly with their Rocky material over the years. Rocky fans have been hanging out for a more generous mastering of the very early films, which are visibly dated, but MGM have thus far ignored this craving. For this reason it is likely Rocky: The Undisputed Collection will be the best set available for quite some time.

The whole Rocky: The Undisputed Collection set has a running time of 634 minutes. It has seven disks in total, 3.5 hours of special features and an exclusive interactive game.

Rocky: The Undisputed Collection (Rocky / Rocky II / Rocky III / Ro...

MGM (Video & DVD)

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Rocky: The Undisputed Collection (Rocky / Rocky II / Rocky III / Rocky IV / Rocky V / Rocky Balbo...

Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Mr. T, Dolph Lundgren. All six Rocky films in state-of-the-art blu-ray and a bonus disc loaded with...

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About the Rocky Movies - Contains Spoilers

Rocky Balboa is a fictional American boxer who made his screen debut in 1976's Rocky. The movie was written by then unknown Sylvester Stallone who also played the title role. Rocky was once a promising boxer but never got his shot. Now he is a part time loan shark although he still trains in Mickey's gym. The heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed, played by Carl Weathers, needs to find a matchup for a bicentennial fight. Out of obscurity they pick the Italian Stallion and Rocky finally gets his chance. Talia Shire also stars as the incredibly shy Adrian, Rocky's love interest. Paulie Pennino, played by Burt Young, is Adrian's brother and Rocky's best friend. Rocky's long time trainer, Mickey Goldmill, is played by Burgess Meredith.

In the final fight Rocky defies all expectations and gives Apollo Creed the fight of his life. Although Creed wins the points decision, in the sequel, Rocky 2, he receives a lot of criticism from fans and journalists about the fight. He eventually taunts Rocky into a rematch. Rocky accepts after he struggles to find work in the real world. However, Adrian cannot bring herself to support his efforts as she is too scared of him getting hurt. She eventually comes around and with her support Rocky becomes the champion of the world.

In the third Rocky movie, 1982's Rocky 3, Rocky Balboa is an established heavy weight champion. When a young tyro emerges on the boxing scene accusing Rocky of being too scared to fight him, Rocky realizes Mickey has been cherry picking his fights. Clubber Lang, unforgettably played by Mr T, finally gets to fight Rocky and destroys him in the ring. The stress gives Mickey a heart attack, killing him. Rocky once again finds his hunger and beats the young fighter in a rematch.

In Rocky 4 a super human Russian boxer, Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren, kills Apollo Creed in an exhibition match. Rocky seeks his revenge and fights Drago in front of a hostile crowd in Russia. He takes a beating but eventually gets the better of his bigger opponent, knocking him out.

The injuries from his career, particularly those of the Drago fight force Rocky to retire. Unfortunately a crooked accountant has stolen his fortune and Rocky has to move back to Philadelphia. Working in Mickey's old gym, a young boxer named Tommy Gunn convinces Rocky to train him. However, Gunn soon becomes jealous of Rocky and the pair have a brutal street fight that Rocky wins.

In the final Rocky movie, Rocky Balboa (2005), Rocky has lost his wife Adrian to cancer and he owns and runs a restaurant in her name. He is convinced to come out of retirement to fight an exhibition match with the heavy weight champ Mason Dixon. Fortunately for the much older fighter, Dixon suffers a hand injury, which hampers him for the fight. Rocky gets the opportunity to exorcise some of his inner demons and Dixon gets to prove himself to all of his critics. While Dixon wins with a points decision, they both get to leave the ring with their heads held high.