Continuing my plan to watch every Sly Stallone movie in order, I come to Saturday Night Fever.

Plot In A Paragraph: In this sequel to Saturday Night Fever, former disco king Tony Manero (John Travolta) has left Brooklyn and lives in Manhattan. He stays in a cheap hotel and works as a dance instructor by day and as a waiter at a dance club on a night, trying to succeed as a professional dancer on Broadway. The breakaway from his Brooklyn life, family and friends seems to have matured Tony and refined his personality, represented by his diminished accent and his avoidance of alcohol and swear words. However, certain things have not changed, as with his most recent girlfriend, who's a dancer and also the singer of a band. He feels free to pursue other women, but gets very jealous if someone looks at her too long.

Stallone has Travolta looking the heat he ever looked, the movie movies at a good pace and is entertaining enough, while not getting close to the first movie. Despite a critical mauling, this was one of the 1983 top ten most successful films at the box-office.

To date this is the only movie Sly has directed, that he didn't star in. Which I think is a shame, as he is a talented director.

After the success of „Rocky 3" and „Rambo : First blood " Stallone decided to do something new – direct a music movie . It wouldn't be a directorial debut for Stallone – he has directed "Paradise alley" and "Rocky 2" before . I guess he had some kind of vision , because in the 80's movies like "Flashdance" (1983) , "Footloose" (1984) and "Dirty dancing" (1987) were very popular and blockbuster hits. "Staying alive " – Stallone's sequel to " Saturday night fever" – is unlike the movies I've mentioned before forgotten today and for a good reason. "Staying alive" is a bad movie that doesn't have any of the elements that a good music movie should have.

The hero . "Flashdance" had sweet Jennifer Beals , "Footloose" had charismatic Kevin Bacon, "Dirty dancing" had sympathetic Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Travolta in "SNF" was kinda likable . Here , he's an asshole only interesting in his career and who seems to toy with women.

The music . Irene Cara "What a feeling (Flashdance)" , Michel Sembello "Maniac" , Kenny Loggins "Footloose" , Deniece Williams "Let's hear it for the boy" , Bill Medley and Jennifer xxx "Time of my life" , Patrick Swayze "She's like the wind" , Eric Carmen "Hungry eyes"… Those are only few great pop songs that you can find in "Flashdance" , "Footloose" and "Dirty dancing". Music is the heart of music movie . If you don't have good music , you have nothing . In "SNF" we had wonderful Bee Gees songs . "Staying alive " brings us new Bee Gees songs plus a couple of songs of Frank Stallone (Sylvester's brother) and few songs of other artists . And you know what ? The music is completely forgettable . After one song ends you will completely forget about it the moment the other will start . There are no hits on this soundtrack . The Bee Gees this time instead of making catchy disco songs prepared cheesy ballads that are hard to swallow . It's surprising , but actually Frank Stallone's songs like "Far from over " and "Waking up" are the best songs on the album . Still , they really aren't anything special.

The dance sequences . Dance in club with water and in the ballet class – "Flashdance" . Dancing in an empty fabric – "Footloose" . Dancing really hard dance with raising your partner above your head – "Dirty dancing". All those dances are impressive and really memorable . Here ? The training dance between Travolta and Cynthia Rhodes is one of the cheesiest and unintentionally laughable things I've seen. Even worse is the final Broadway show that looks like a cheap porno show in a brothel.

The story . Well , actually the story is never a strong part of music movie. Still , the movies I've mentioned had well made love stories and every character knew what he wanted . In "Staying alive " the love triangle is unbelievable . I don't know if in the end Travolta really wanted to achieve success and what made him change his mind. His relationships in the movie are barely understandable.

The only good scene in the movie is the one when Sylvester appears . The movie also has typical Stallone's silly and dialogue that is enjoyable. With no music , story , dance sequences and heroes audience could care for , "Staying alive" doesn't have really anything to offer and is a complete failure . I give it 1/10. Watch out for Kurtwood Smith ("Robocop") in small role of dance trainer.

This tepid resurrection of the Tony Manero character from 1977's discotheque drama "Saturday Night Fever" precipitated John Travolta's career slump in the 1980s; actually, aside from Travolta's return as Manero, there's very little connection between the two films--they seem like completely separate entities. Here, director Sylvester Stallone (!) turns the scenario into another variation on his "Rocky" theme (underdog-makes-good). Tony is now a struggling hoofer on the Great White Way, hoping to make his mark on the professional stage while juggling his attentions and affections between two different ladies. It's a parched, beleaguered picture relying on nostalgic good will to carry it through. The sojourn back to Tony's old neighborhood is surprisingly evocative--the only really solid part of the movie--but little else rings true. Travolta's dancing is encumbered by lousy choreography, and the finale is blazing cheese. * from ****