Sylvester Stallone reminisces about his ‘Rocky’ rise in the nostalgic ‘Sly’Sylvester Stallone reminisces about his ‘Rocky’ rise in the nostalgic ‘Sly’

Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger can now share a laugh over their intense rivalry during their quest to outdo each other at the box office. However, when it comes to Netflix documentary memoirs, Arnold clearly takes the lead with his three-part series, “Arnold,” easily surpassing “Sly,” which is somewhat overly focused on Stallone’s reflections on his “Rocky” journey.

In essence, a significant portion of the documentary revolves around Stallone discussing his life and career, offering a few notable revelations—such as serendipitous casting choices in “Rocky” and Dolph Lundgren sending him to the hospital during the making of “Rocky IV.” However, it also includes a fair share of self-serving and somewhat tired insights.

Stallone shares personal experiences, such as growing up with his abusive father, how he turned to writing out of frustration with the limited roles he was being offered, and how he initially rejected a lucrative offer for “Rocky” because the studio liked the script but vehemently opposed him starring in it.

As old footage and recent interviews remind us, “Rocky” transformed Stallone’s life overnight, albeit overshadowing his brother Frank, who became known primarily as “Rocky’s brother.”

What’s often forgotten, though, is that after his initial success, Stallone faced setbacks with films like “F.I.S.T.” and “Paradise Alley” before eventually establishing himself in the franchise business with the ongoing “Rocky” and “Rambo” series, which generated sequels and substantial profits.

Although the film includes interviews with Henry Winkler (who starred with Stallone in “The Lords of Flatbush”), Quentin Tarantino, Henry Shire, and Schwarzenegger, director Thomas Zimny (“Springsteen on Broadway”) seems content to let this essentially be “The World According to Sly.”

The primary objective of the documentary is evidently to humanize Sylvester Stallone, portraying a more mature and reflective version of him who has gained valuable insights into his pursuit of success in the entertainment industry. This includes his realization later in life about the significance of family (briefly touching on the tragic loss of his son, Sage, in 2012) and the unresolved personal issues, particularly those related to his father, that seeped into his work. The documentary also briefly touches on his ventures into lighter, less successful films, such as “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot,” with Arnold Schwarzenegger claiming to have played a part in persuading him to take on the project.

However, “Sly” primarily relies on Stallone’s perspective, which limits its ability to provide a comprehensive contextualization of how his filmography fit into the cultural landscape of the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s. It especially misses an opportunity to delve into how characters like Rambo and Rocky became symbolic figures in the context of the Cold War era. Ultimately, it feels somewhat like a sanctioned and controlled narrative.

Similar to other nostalgic documentaries like “Arnold,” “Val,” “STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” and many others released in recent years, “Sly” serves as a valuable record of pop culture, allowing an influential figure to share their story with those who grew up consuming their work. However, in comparison to the best documentaries in this genre, it leans more towards being a lightweight offering rather than a standout contender.

“Sly” is set to premiere on Netflix on November 3.