Rocky Balboa

If you are a film buff you know for example that Bogey did a number of films especially late in his career which, while not exactly Maltese Falcon, were nonetheless solid and entertaining.

So that is the key to this film. Understand that Stallone, who I think will be idolized by viewers of the future, does not know the meaning of the word quit. The oddsmakers said Rocky would stop at the second. When the 4th came out and was rock-solid (!) Hollywood was stunned.

Rocky 5 was a bit of a lemon but again Stallone never quits.

If you have seen all the Rocky films and they are still fresh in your mind, then his film will be a treat.

If you on the other hand are not a fan, or just arrived from another planet, then what you have is a well-told and well-acted drama that builds into a pretty good boxing film.

Either way you win.

((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

In Philadelphia, the retired former champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) misses his beloved deceased wife Adrian; tries to get closer to his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia) and has a routine life helping people, running his restaurant telling his past glories to clients and taking pictures with his fans. When the television shows a virtual fight between Rocky and the unappreciated undefeated heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) wined by Rocky, he feels the need to return to the ring to practice boxing in little fights as a sport. However, Mason's managers see the chance to promote their non-charismatic champion in a fight in Las Vagas in a charity event and invite Rocky for "the fight of the century". And fighters fight…

I was reluctant to see "Rocky Balboa", but fortunately the high IMDb Rating convinced me to see this great movie, if not the best of the "Rocky" franchise. The plot is very well constructed, but the most important are the messages in the lines of the simple Rocky. His speech to his son is amazing and his attitudes are great examples to be followed. I have recently seen the last "Rambo" and together with "Rocky Balboa" I dare to write that Sylvester Stallone proves that "the last thing to age in some body is their heart". Congratulations to him! My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Rocky Balboa"

It all started way back in 1976 when Sylvester Stallone - who wrote the script and took the leading role - created the character of the Philadelphia low-grade boxer who managed, against all the odds, to go the distance with world heavyweight champion Aollo Creed and give the world a new kind of underdog to support. In "Rocky II" (1979), after 15 brutal rounds, he defeats Creed and takes the title. In 1982, "Rocky III" sees our hero lose to Mt T before Apollo helps him bounce back. By the time of "Rocky IV" (1985), the franchise had acquired an international dimension as the Cold War is acted out in the ring with Rocky squaring up to the Russian Ivan Drago. Another five years passed before Stallone felt that he had to return to the iconic role - in "Rocky V", he adopts a young fighter who turns on him.

That really should have been it - but, as the tagline for "Rocky Balboa" puts it, "It ain't over till it's over" so, 16 year after the last film and an amazing 30 years after the original movie, he's back. It seems that Rock is so missing his wife Adrian that, in spite of running a successful restaurant named after her, he finds that he has something "luking in the basement". On this sixth outing, the narrative arc is just the same as first time round - again a complete no-chancer facing a world champion after a gruelling training routine involving the same frozen meat, the same one-armed press-ups, and of course the same race up the Museum of Art steps - and the same music.

What's different is the advanced years of Rocky and of course Stallone himself - but he looks good, the film looks good, and you'll feel good at the final bell. As the man says: "It ain't about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

Sylvester Stallone completes his Rocky Epic with a stirring conclusion. I saw a special sneak preview in Detroit at a Kronk Boxing Gym benefit. Although the first 45 minutes kind of dragged, and at times the dialog made me cringe, its at least as worthy of Rocky II or the original Rocky. A lot of flashbacks, but it definitely wraps up the series a lot better than Rocky V did. It won't win best picture, or any great acting awards, but the cinematography was better than I've seen in a lot of the previous 5. As far as the big question in the blogs, does Rocky die in this one, you'll have to wait till Christmas and see for yourself. The music was great, the final scenes were great, and Paulie was great! It was also interesting to reintroduce the characters of Little Marie and Spider Rico from the first movie.

I had the opportunity to see a screening of this movie. Having been thoroughly disappointed with Rocky five, I didn't have high hopes for this movie. I am very happy to say this movie brings the Rocky series to the rightful close that the fifth left so empty. This movie isn't so much about the boxing itself, but getting back to the roots of the Rocky story...that determination and courage with the love and help of others makes Rocky a winner no matter what.

This movie is rated PG, and parents will be happy to see that the graphic nature of boxing has been toned down quite a bit in this movie compared to others in the series. If you're looking for a touching family movie with a powerful message, Rocky Balboa is definitely a movie to see. I think adults and children over the age of 10 will throughly enjoy this movie.