Rocky V 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Rocky V 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Go for it! Or don't.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III July 21, 2024

Now available as part of the new and improved seven-film Ultimate Knockout Collection boxed set or as this stand-alone Steelbook edition, John G. Avildsen's Rocky V has finally debuted alongside the rest of the series. This two-disc set also includes a recycled Blu-ray copy of the film, which the boxed set omits. After its turbulent legacy during the last 30+ years, is it finally time to bite the bullet and give Rocky V its due? Almost, but not quite.

The undisputed black sheep of the franchise, Rocky V is typically ranked dead last by die-hard fans and remains the lowest-grossing film in the series. Picking up immediately after the events of Rocky IV, a battered and bruised Rocky returns to America for some much-needed rest and recovery but he's blindsided by a domineering Don King stand-in named George Washington Duke (Richard Gant). Duke immediately wants Rocky to face off against his current champ Union Cane (Michael Williams), but unexpected medical issues -- not to mention unexpected bankruptcy issues -- send Rocky on the opposite path Will Smith took in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Now back in his old hood with Adrian (Talia Shire), Paulie (Burt Young), and Rocky Jr. (Sage Stallone), Rocky decides to train up-and-coming brawler Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison, who would later beat George Foreman in 1993 before retiring three years later after testing positive for HIV) in Mickey's old gym. Unfortunately, Gunn is soon drawn into Duke's lavish lifestyle and he abandons Rocky on his road to the title, but not before creating a rift that would resonate between father and son.

Sure, this fifth and once-final chapter in the franchise had many unforgivable speed bumps: Tommy Gunn ends up being kind of a doofus, it has a much more of-the-moment soundtrack that hasn't aged especially well, there's more family drama than actual fighting, and the climactic street brawl (which was partially choreographed by pro wrestling icon Terry Funk) leaves a pretty bitter aftertaste. But the story itself has a lot of heart and it's great to finally see Rocky return to his roots, even if he does so unwillingly at first. Like Rocky IV, it also has a villainous threat that's partially "ripped from the headlines"... but instead of rampant xenophobia, it instead takes aim at Don King and that's never a bad thing. In hindsight, you can also see a few seeds for Rocky Balboa (the next and final chapter in the franchise, not counting the Creed saga) planted here, even if that later film only exists because Sylvester Stallone absolutely hated how Rocky V turned out. And it's not a great film by any means... but in all honesty, Rocky III and IV both have their own share of weak points, and I don't think this film fares any worse overall than either of them.

Had the characters been retooled or Rocky V's core story not been built as part of the franchise, would it have been better received? Maybe not... but if you ask me, this is the one film in the series that should've gotten a new version. Although director John G. Avildsen kinda already did that long before his death in 2017, a recut was once rumored to be part of this new 4K release but sadly never materialized. As-is, it's only good if expectations are set low.

Rocky V 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are sourced from MGM's older Blu-ray edition, included with this Steelbook release.

Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, this new 2160p/HDR10 presentation of Rocky V is an absolute stunner and easily among the best of the franchise's recent 4K UHD restorations. More than anything else it looks extremely faithful to its source, with subtle but tasteful uses of HDR enhancement that bolster its era-specific color palette and bring out plenty of mid-range details lost on the much older Blu-ray master. Speaking of which, I popped in the included Blu-ray for comparison and it's not even close: specific scenes like low-lit exterior shots and Rocky's talk with Adrian in their attic are are night-and-day with much better fine detail and stability now, while the regular appearance of natural film grain is present from start to finish. Only the climactic street fight occasionally wavers in quality with heightened and varying levels of noise... but the Blu-ray never looked great in that respect either, so any problems might be baked into the source material at this point. The bit rate is also sky-high, regularly staying in the 90-100Mbps range and rarely if ever showing any trace signs of macro blocking or other such compression issues. Simply put, it's a top-tier effort that might actually increase your enjoyment of the film and I wish all the Rocky films looked this good.

Rocky V 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The default option here is a DTS-HD 5.1 Mater Audio track, which more or less matches what we got on Blu-ray. It plays pretty much as expected, offering crisp dialogue and well-mixed background effects as well as plenty of support for Bill Conti's original score. Things obviously come into tighter focus more during Rocky V's sporadic fight sequences, which obviously enjoy a bit more elbow room as well as dedicated discrete effects to support the action and crowd response. Bottom line: there's really nothing to complain about here, and for a remix it's tastefully done.

The real draw for some will be the 4K disc's optional DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix, which finally replicates Rocky V's original stereo presentation as heard in theaters; it's worth noting that this doesn't appear to be any sort of surround mix-down... and with so many audio errors present on last year's infamous Knockout Collection, you can bet the studio was actually on the ball this time. Some may find it hard to "go backwards" in the presence of a well-done surround remix, but purists will certainly appreciate this track's comparative simplicity and front-forward approach.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are included during the main feature.

Rocky V 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Much like the recent wide-release Rocky Balboa 4K Steelbook as well as the earlier four Steelbooks (which were all exclusive to Best Buy and thus hard to find now), this two-disc set ships in matte-finish packaging and features similar design elements that tie in perfectly with the rest of the collection. Front and center is another striking in-ring pose for our protagonist, this time in a more relaxed pose in street clothes, with yet another largely black-and-white palette that features red highlights and even a bit of gold. The back cover once again strips away all color and shows Rocky giving advice to protégé Tommy Gunn between rounds, while the interior spread features a still of the pair in training mode with overlapping disc hubs on the right. This is yet another solid design that looks great in-hand.

Sadly, no bonus features of any kind are present on either the 4K disc or recycled Blu-ray. Given Sylvester Stallone's general ambivalence towards the film since its release, this is disappointing but hardly a surprise.

Rocky V 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Rocky V may have its apologists, but this 1990 film is usually ranked dead last on lists. Simply put, its story shows promise but the message gets lost by the end, even if Sylvester Stallone's performance -- as well as the presence of Talia Shire and Burt Young -- at least contributes to a sense of franchise familiarity. As such, few people will be drawn to this Steelbook on its own: even die-hard collectors will likely balk at its price point and get cold feet, as the absence of a rumored alternate cut (or extras, for that matter) doesn't give buyers much bang for their buck. It makes a lot more sense to get this as part of the Ultimate Knockout Collection or wait for a possible non-Steelbook version.