ROCKY Reviews- Page 5

[hockeynut2]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 2:30am

I liked it too. Here's my review on DCMTA.
http://www.dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2014/03/14/rocky-at-the-winter-garden-theatre/
Rocky review on DCMTA

[Up In One]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 2:43am

Kinky Boots didn't get raves last year, the Times was tepid towards it, so who knows. Every critic went out of their way to explain the Golden Circle set up and pretty much all of them raved about the last 20 minutes. Andy Karl didn't do too badly either. I dunno this show may have legs if they have the budget to market it right. Audiences are going nutz at The Winter Garden as opposed to the crickets you heard at Big Fish, there is an audience for this show, they just have to figure out how to keep them coming. I picked out some quotes from the reviews that supports a theme they could create some excitement around

Unlike anything you've seen in the theater. Game-changing. Jaw-dropping. Astounding. NBC

Rocky delivers edge-of-your-seat thrills, a technical knockout! Entertainment Weekly

A brutally balletic coup de théâtre the climatic boxing match becomes as much of a crowd rouser as it was in the 1976 film. New York Times

“Rocky” is big-hearted, quick-fisted, its last 15 minutes pack the punch of a heavyweight champ. NY Daily News

Something electric happens at the end of “Rocky” we leave on a Himalayan high. NY Post

The final fight, a spectacular piece of theater, is so lifelike that it becomes surreal. Associated Press

You go away from Rocky hugely entertained, with a song in your soul and hope in your heart. Rocky is smash hit! Rex Reed/AOL/Huffington Post

The finale fight is so visceral and exhilarating that it sends the audience out on a high. Hollywood Reporter

The stage version of Rocky is very nearly as good as the film, a knockdown hit! Wall Street Journal

The final fight is a brilliant piece of staging that clocks in at about 20 minutes, but by that time, everyone in the house is so caught up in the spectacle that nobody’s counting. Variety

An electrifying climax. Being in the Winter Garden Theatre is the only way to appreciate completely its athletic panache and technical artistry. Washington Post

Updated On: 3/14/14 at 02:43 AM

[nsguy45]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 2:53am

Rex Reed gave it an unqualified rave on the Huffington Post.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 2:54am

^ kinky boots also had a WAY higher weekly gross preopening than Rocky is having.

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 3:08am

Where's AndrewAndrew? I always think their reviews are hilarious.

[Up In One]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 3:31am

Dunno Play It, check it out the grosses weren't that much higher, maybe $10k a performance on average and attendance wasn't that far off either. Considering Boots previewed through a decent March in terms of weather and Rocky suffered through a miserable February preview period. Boots took off after opening so lets see where Rocky goes. All the other shows opening aren't getting good buzz either so its anyone's ballgame to break out and break away this spring.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 8:53am

"If Brantley had raved about it, he would have been redeemed as a genius by now."

Brantley raved and gushed about "Matilda" and people here trashed him - lol.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 9:03am

Brantley only gets crapped on on these boards when his opinion differs from the majority's.

And KINKY BOOTS got a much stronger NY Times review than ROCKY did. Brantley may not have raved about it, but he certainly liked it enough to make it a "critic's pick."

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 9:09am

Enjoyed Rocky more than Matilda

[Kad]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 9:28am

I don't know- my view of Brantley has been souring in general the last few years. Even when he's praising something I like, I find him irksome and not at all enlightening.

I found his reviews last season, in particular, pretty tone deaf.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 9:38am

"And KINKY BOOTS got a much stronger NY Times review than ROCKY did. Brantley may not have raved about it, but he certainly liked it enough to make it a "critic's pick."

Your right, just went back and read his review of "Kinky Boots" and it was mostly positive in comparison to "Rocky" where he seem to only like the final 10 minutes.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 9:43am

"Where's AndrewAndrew? I always think their reviews are hilarious."

I don't.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:02am

The KINKY BOOTS Critic's Pick thing surprised me... the review didn't read to me like it was written by the same person who choose to designate it a Critic's Pick. That felt oddly political, especially in the wake of the figurative orgasm Brantley had over MATILDA.

I think ROCKY got precisely the reviews I was expecting, although I would have seen it be forgiven more for the spectacle. Say what you will about the material, but the production of said material gives you your money's worth.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:07am

http://www.vulture.com/2014/03/theater-review-rocky.html
NY Mag is negative.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:31am

The KINKY BOOTS Critic's Pick thing surprised me... the review didn't read to me like it was written by the same person who choose to designate it a Critic's Pick. That felt oddly political, especially in the wake of the figurative orgasm Brantley had over MATILDA.

I wonder if Brantley and Isherwood actually make the “Critic’s Pick” decisions or if it’s other NYTimes workers who kind of try to decide which shows will go on the list off of the Brantley/Isherwood reviews. I only say this because I recently found out that for the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, the reviewers are not who decide on how many stars they give a production, but, rather, that job is given to editors who are judging off of the review that has been written. Ergo, there have been many times where I thought a star rating didn’t exactly correlate with what the reviewer actually said.

[mikem]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:48am

On the local news here in Philadelphia, they had a segment on the opening of Rocky. I can't remember them ever doing that before. So maybe they'll sell some tickets down here.

I thought it was hilarious, though, that the two celebrities on opening night they chose to interview were Orfeh and Montego Glover. I'm sure that 99.99% of the Philadelphia viewing audience were thinking, "Who in the world are they?"

[ZiggyCringe]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:54am

Is Rex Reed on drugs?

This is an actual quote from his review:

"All choreographed in slow motion while being simultaneously."

Honestly, that's a full sentence from his review.

[rlb237]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:55am

Alright, so what about seating from those who have seen it? Better to be in the crowd who gets moved to the stage to watch the finale, or stay in the rows just outside that area?

I am not sure if I want to see this, but I guess I would if I could get a decent price on tickets, just to check out that finale I've heard about.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:58am

Sat in orchestra M 107/108.Dead center and can almost touch the ring.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:07am

WickedRocks please don't speak for everyone, good or bad reviews I know many on here just don't like Brantley, including myself, I've said it for years as have many others.

Rocky has not opened to blanket pans, in fact it's had quite a few good reviews and some tepid reviews, let's not get melodramatic just yet ('the reviews have just sunk the show')

[hockeynut2]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:09am

Running a theater/arts website isn't easy because there are reviews that hit my desk where I totally disagree with the reviewer, but I always respect their opinions as long as they back it up. Ben Brantley is a fantastic writer/critic and although I respectfully disagree with several of his points in his Rocky review - I respect his opinion. Respect is the key word here. I still think the show will do well and I wish them well.
Rocky review on DCMetroTheaterArts

[JohnnyOTrib]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:13am

GilmoreGirlO2, I'm posting this reply to your point about star ratings on behalf of my Tribune theater colleague, Chris Jones.

"Not true at all. At the Tribune, the critic decides."
--Chris Jones

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:18am

No idea what this means but Rocky has totally disappeared from TDF website.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:21am

JohnnyOTrib, thanks for the response! I had just been told the opposite (and am glad to see that what I was told is untrue).

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:23am

Imagine the fun Brantley will have with Aladdin. Rocky was the appetizer. Aladdin will be the main course and he will use his steak knife liberally.