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Rocky is a prime example of a movie that has a formula. For the sake of this paper I will call this formula the formula of the underdog movie. In its most basic form the formula goes something like this: first we would get to see the daily life of the main character and get a sense of who he/she is. In most cases this person would be disadvantaged in some way. Then the character would be put in a situation where they have the opportunity to accomplish something and transcend their disadvantaged situation.

Rocky follows this formula in the following ways. At the beginning of the film we get to see Rocky as an everyday man, and follow him through his daily activities and interactions within his social circle. Rocky is void of any extra spoils of modern life. He is the epitome of blue collar, if not a social class below. He is portrayed as an honest hard working man who although may be employed on the wrong side of the law is respected within his community and regarded as a hard worker. His life is less than ordinary, and while that is o.k. with Rocky the outlook is somewhat bleak. Then a stroke of luck. He is handpicked by the world champion himself to fight for the title. Queue montage: Rocky in true blue collar fashion begins rigorous training with primitive tools. Good old fashioned on e armed pushups and running the streets of Philadelphia. This is the part of the story that conveys that while luck has played a part in Rocky getting the opportunity to fight for the title it is his hard work and determination that will give him a fighting chance.

Although Rocky does not ultimately win the fight, he has shown that he was not a push over, and that his heart and determination was enough to score a moral victory, and win the respect of those who doubted him. In subsequent films rocky does in fact win the championship, and he does so with the same work ethic and attitude that have defined him in the first film.

The formula of the movie is still applicable in today’s movies. This is well represented in the entire Rocky series of films that have spanned thirty plus years. Time and time again Rocky has showed us to never underestimate the underdog, and that through hard work and character one can achieve greatness. This formula is played out in in numerable films, books, television show and other mediums and no matter the details of the story at hand the message is easily identifiable and at the same time relatable to the viewers own experience and beliefs. That is why it works; because it is accessible to the viewer and not foreign.

If I were the director or writer of this film, the only thing I would change is the portrayal of Rocky a sort of unintelligent character. I am not saying that he should be a scholar necessarily, but I don’t believe that the dumbing down of his character adds anything to the story, to me it seems arbitrary. Other than that the film stands the test of time and conveys a message that we can all grasp. It is an inspirational film that I can watch over and over again. The only other thing is that the actual fight scenes that take place in the ring are absolutely un realistic. There is way too much action for it to be believable and if actual boxing matches were as fast paced as those portrayed in the film the fighter would not be able to continue past the second round because of exhaustion. It is good for the movie and fun to watch, but is simply unrealistic.