Very few of the Rocky sequels receive much critical credit.

Yes – they are studio money spinners and yes, they got sillier with each instalment, but the passion that Sly Stallone has for his creation, the Italian Stallion, somehow brings Rock back from the brink of stupidity time and time again.

Ordinarily, any film that dedicates 20-plus minutes of screen time to a meaningless charity wrestling match with Hulk Hogan simply doesn’t deserve a cinematic release.

Sly, like his creation, had hit a dead end. Rocky was the ultimate underdog but now, as a world champion, his charm was used up and Sly needed somewhere to take him.

Enter Mr T aka Clubber Lang, the street fighter who, in the words of Mickey, is capable of "killing Rocky to death inside three rounds!"

Added to that, Mickey's admission that Rocky's 10 title defences were against average, hand picked fighters riles the arrogant Stallion.

Ill-prepared for the big fight and with Mickey coming down with a case of the dying-mentor (see Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings, The Lion King et al), Rocky loses his world champion status when he's knocked out with ease by the beastly Lang.

And that is how Stallone saved Rocky. Back as the underdog and with his former adversary Apollo Creed taking control of his training montages (homoeroticism has never been as clearly defined as when Rocky and Apollo donned those shorts and hugged on the beach), the final third of this instalment is cracking entertainment.

Mr T's performance may not have taken much effort on his part, snarling like a dog and delivering wonderful lines about Rocky’s failure to sexually satisfy his wife, but he's no Apollo Creed. In fact, he's far scarier than that.

Burt Young and Talia Shire meanwhile find themselves with little else to do but take part in the now-obligatory argument scenes but it's Rocky's story and even though it's the same as all the others, Sly makes him so likeable that it doesn’t seem to matter.

The finale, however, is easily the most entertaining of the lot. Quite incredible when you consider it's also the most predictable.

Rocky III treads no new ground, but ask any Rocky aficionados for their favourite instalment, and chances are Rocky III will spring to mind. There aren't many other movies where you get to hear Mr T explain his feelings so succinctly...

"I don't hate Balboa... I pity the fool."

Rich Phippen