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

Five films that over 14 years marked millions of viewers around the planet. “Rocky”, the saga about the 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 premiere on Amazon Prime Video of “Samaritan” (“Nemesis”), the new film by the famous American actor, we have prepared 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, as we consider them far from the essential universe of “Rocky”.

After defeating Iván Drago (Dolph Lundgren) as a visitor in Russia, Rocky Balboa returns to his country with the feeling of having avenged the death of his great friend Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). But just getting off the plane is unsympathetic sports promoter George Washington Duke (Richard Gant), who offers him a fight with the reigning world champion, a skinny, spiritless boy named Union Cane (Michael Williams III).

Although the money would come in handy (the insufferable Paulie/Burt Young wiped out his bare-knuckle millions), there is one detail that prevents him from getting into the ring: after countless fights, Rocky suffers brain damage. So, resigned to not putting on his 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 compared to the previous four films in 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, whatever he has in muscles, lacks in charisma and artistic ability. Not to mention Union Cane (dissolves from the first sentence). The story was able to lift because of the link between Rocky and his son Robert (Sage Stallone), but it ends up being relegated for seeing Gun knock out countless rivals.

After what many considered a victory against Apollo Creed, Rocky must recover from multiple blows received in the ring. His opportunity to show himself to the world has arrived, but the bruises keep him confined for a long time in a hospital. Coming out of it, fame haunts him as he tries to cement his relationship with Adrian. In the middle of a zoo invaded by snow, both get engaged without imagining all that fate has in store for them.

Annoyed that the press calls him a “loser”, it is Apollo Creed who forces a rematch. For him, he decides to irritate Rocky as much as possible, who reluctantly and with the help of 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 stability in his home, the protagonist of this saga is capable of almost anything (seeing him wrap pieces of cattle is perhaps the closest example to 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 great return to the ring, Creed ends up not only defeated, but murdered with a bare fist by the Russian mole. In the corner of such a massacre is Rocky witnessing everything in the foreground. The shock 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 need 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 movie 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 so loud that the African-American opens his ears and listens to his friend’s warning: don’t fight the Russian.

From here the controversy is open: Is “Rocky” the best film in the saga? Due to its importance, many say yes. The film not only presents in general lines 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 the depths to lift his spirits, a drunk and long-tongued brother-in-law, a coach on the verge of deafness, but capable of getting the best of 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 steel-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 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 Rocky’s revival when he didn’t even believe in himself. Discovering that Mickey ‘picked’ his rivals and, furthermore, hid 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- puts on the gloves. Minutes before the duel, in a brawl behind the scenes, the character played by Mr. T pushes Mickey, who spends the last minutes of his life being sheltered by Adrian.

With his prodigious physique in the ring, but with his mind on the backstage where Mickey is dying, Rocky ends up being defeated and loses the title to a conceited rival who, surprisingly, later gives him an accessible rematch. The tape in question allows us to remember the link between trainer and apprentice. Although they are worth truths, since he found out that he would be a rival of the then unquestionable 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 on alert. Thus, his friend Apollo Creed takes on the challenge of training him, but above all of motivating him for unparalleled combat. “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 (“Fear away! 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.

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