“Samaritan” on Prime Video: Top 5 of the “Rocky” saga about the new Sylvester Stallone movie

Five films that over 14 years marked millions of viewers around the planet. “Rocky”, the saga about boxer Rocky Balboa, captivated not only because of its realism, but fundamentally because – as its creator and protagonist has described, Sylvester Stallone— grouped “action movies with heart”.

Regarding the upcoming premiere on Amazon Prime Video of “Samaritan” (“Nemesis”), the new film by the famous American actor, we made a top 5, in which we list from the worst to the best film in the saga. We have not included Rocky Balboa or “Creed” and its respective sequel from 2018 here, considering them far from the essential universe of “Rocky”.

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After defeating Iván Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in Russia as a visitor, Rocky Balboa returns to his country with the feeling of having avenged the death of his great friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). But just off the plane is unfriendly sports promoter George Washington Duke (Richard Gant), who offers him a fight with the reigning world champion, a lanky lad with no spirit named Union Cane (Michael Williams III).

Although the money would come in quite handy (the insufferable Paulie/Burt Young shattered his bare-knuckle millions), there is one thing that prevents him from getting in the ring: after countless fights, Rocky suffers from brain damage. So, resigned to not putting on the gloves again, he will find in Tommy Gun (Tommy Morrison), his first boxing pupil, a way to stay connected to the sport he loves so much. Until Duke and money get in the way.

Although the trident Rocky, Adrian (Talia Shire) and Paulie maintains its level with respect to the four previous tapes of the saga, the vast majority of secondary characters do not measure up. From Duke, a kind of buffoonish caricature of boxing promoters, to Tommy Gun himself, who lacks everything he has in muscles in charisma and artistic ability. Not to mention Union Cane (dissolves from the first sentence). The story could have been lifted by the bond between Rocky and his son Robert (Sage Stallone), but ends up being relegated to seeing Gun knock out countless rivals.

After what many considered a victory against Apollo Creed, Rocky must recover from the multiple blows received in the ring. His opportunity to show himself to the world came, but the bruises confine him to a hospital for a long time. Leaving him, fame follows him as he tries to solidify his relationship with Adrian. In the middle of a zoo invaded by snow, both get engaged without imagining everything that fate has ahead of them.

Annoyed that the press calls him a “loser”, it is Apollo Creed who forces a rematch. On his behalf, he decides to irritate Rocky to the maximum, who reluctantly and hand in hand with beloved Mickey (Burgess Meredith) accepts a new fight.

Was a new fight between the two necessary? Perhaps captivated by the success of the first installment, “Rocky 2″ does not stand out for the strength of its argument (Rocky being belittled by a commercial director is meaningless), although it does allow us to see how, by achieving the stability of his home, the protagonist of this saga is capable of almost anything (seeing him wrap pieces of cattle is perhaps the closest example of this). In the end, the result is predictable.

The victory against the fearsome James “Clubber” Lang (Mr. T) reconciled Rocky with his love for boxing. When he decides to dedicate himself to his family, a ‘monster’ of Russian origin, Iván Drago, travels thousands of kilometers to challenge him (hand in hand with a translator) to an exhibition fight. It is not the protagonist of the saga who accepts, but a habitually ‘loose mouth’ Apollo Creed.

In what should be his grand return to the ring, Creed ends up not only defeated, but bare-knuckled by the Russian hulk. In the corner of such a massacre is Rocky witnessing everything in the foreground. The shocking of the scene remains impregnated in the memory of the character created by Sylvester Stallone. For Drago and Rocky to face off, however, some time will have to pass.

Seeing Balboa’s family having a good time can be pleasant for a few minutes, but when it comes to seeing how Paulie gets along with a robot that brings him beer, the film turns into a bad sitcom. Perhaps the best thing here is the bond that champion and former champion (Rocky and Apollo) build by watching Ivan’s fights on television. Although never loud enough for the African-American to open his ears and listen to his friend’s warning: don’t fight the Russian.

From here the controversy is open: Is “Rocky” the best film in the saga? Because of its importance, many say yes. The film not only presents in general terms the universe of what will be the four future films (a talented but introverted boxer, capable of falling in love with a noble woman who in moments of weakness draws strength from deep within to lift her spirits, a drunken, long-tongued brother-in-law, a trainer on the verge of deafness, but capable of bringing out the best in you), but also an environment between gyms, sweat and many punching bags.

The captivating effect of the film released in 1976 led to multiple nominations, Awards, but above all the recognition of millions of viewers who most likely saw themselves reflected in this iron-fisted boxer who never used his strength for evil. As we said at the beginning and quoting Sylvester Stallone himself, we are undeniably facing “an action movie with a heart”.

What can lead a champion to sink into the depths of the void? “Rocky 3″ is the best movie in the saga because it reflects the resurgence of Rocky when he didn’t even believe in himself. Upon discovering that Mickey ‘chose’ his rivals and, furthermore, hid from him the power of an amateur rival (who would later grow by leaps and bounds) like Clubber Lange, the protagonist of the saga furiously accepts the challenge that the latter throws at him and –confident- he puts on his gloves. Minutes before the duel, in a brawl behind the scenes, the character played by Mr. T pushes Mickey, who spends his last minutes of life being sheltered by Adrian.

With his prodigious physique in the ring, but with his mind in the dressing rooms where Mickey is dying, Rocky ends up being defeated and loses the title to a presumptuous rival who, surprisingly, will later give him a rematch in an accessible way. The tape in question allows us to remember the bond between trainer and apprentice. Although truths are valid, since he found out that he would be a rival of the then unobjectionable champion Apollo Creed, Rocky saw Mickey as the father he always lacked.

Unable to get the loss of Mickey out of his mind, Rocky embarks on a rematch that doesn’t have all his senses alert. Thus, his friend Apollo Creed takes on the challenge of training him, but above all of motivating him for a match like no other. “Rocky 3″ is right because when Creed throws in the towel and decides to abandon his facet, it is Adrian who – once again – makes her husband react and with a speech worthy of a champion (“Start your fear! Because when the smoke clears dissipate and everyone forgets your name we will remain. You can’t live like this! We can’t live like this! Fear will be there for the rest of your life and look what it’s doing to you now”), brings him back to life.

Piques on the beach, motivational music and a guaranteed victory to relive the passion of boxing.

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