Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, once fierce rivals in their quest for box-office supremacy, can now look back and share a laugh or two. While Arnold has taken the lead with his well-received three-part Netflix documentary memoir, “Sly” offers a Stallone-centric reflection on his remarkable ascent with the “Rocky” franchise.
In essence, “Sly” places significant emphasis on Stallone’s personal reflections regarding his life and career. While the documentary does offer some noteworthy revelations, such as the fortuitous casting decisions that shaped “Rocky” and the incident where Dolph Lundgren put him in the hospital during the making of “Rocky IV,” it also features a substantial amount of self-serving and somewhat repetitive insights.
Throughout the documentary, Stallone candidly discusses his challenging upbringing with an abusive father. He delves into how he turned to writing out of frustration, seeking an alternative to the thuggish roles he was frequently offered. Stallone also shares an anecdote about turning down a substantial offer for “Rocky” because, despite the studio’s approval of the script, they vehemently opposed him playing the lead role.
As the documentary expertly blends old clips with current interviews, it serves as a reminder that “Rocky” brought about an overnight transformation in Stallone’s life, simultaneously relegating his brother, Frank, to the role of “Rocky’s brother.” However, it’s easy to forget that Stallone’s post-“Rocky” efforts included setbacks like “F.I.S.T.” and “Paradise Alley” before discovering his niche in the franchise business. The alternating “Rocky” and “Rambo” movies, with their accumulating sequels and profits, solidified his place in Hollywood.