“Rocky Balboa” (MGM)
The Final Chapter
Sylvester Stallone’s most famous role is as the boxer Rocky Balboa. His triumphs and defeats have been chronicled in a series of movies since 1981. The original “Rocky” was a smash hit but the quality of the movies seemed to diminish as the years progressed and new additions appeared. Now Stallone gives Rocky one more shot to redeem his image in the film “Rocky Balboa,” which he wrote, directed and stars in as the embattled boxer. And this time the magic of the original returns.
When we catch up with Rocky he is operating a restaurant and still hanging out with Paulie (Burt Young), his beloved Adrian’s brother. Adrian is dead and their son Rocky, Jr.(Milo Vintimiglia) is trying to make it in the business world. Father and son are not close and Rocky Sr. can’t understand why.
One day ESPN holds a computerized contest between the current heavyweight champion Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) and Rocky. To everyone’s surprise Rocky is declared the winner. This gets everyone thinking and a demo bout between the two fighters is arranged.
Seeing Rocky getting back into shape to the strains of the Rocky theme by Bill Conti is soul-stirring. And seeing the man climb back into the ring at sixty years old is inspiring. Rocky may be getting older but he still isn’t ready to be counted out.
This new movie pays homage to the older ones with flashbacks to Adrian (Talia Shire) and Mickey (Burgess Meredith). It also brings in new characters such as Marie (Geraldine Hughes), a friend of Rocky’s who might be a love interest in the future but not now.
Stallone is at his best as Rocky. It is a role he knows by heart and he plays it with his heart on his sleeve. He is totally vulnerable and emotional, and the audience is on his side from beginning to end.
Vintimiglia looks as if he c0uold be the son of Rocky and Adrian, and he makes the reconciliation between the son and the father a believable progression. Tarver is a formidable opponent for Rocky, without being a villain.
The movie is rated PG for boxing violence.
The things that impress about this film are the humanity of Rocky, the humbleness of Rocky, and the dignity of Rocky. Taken together they make this a movie that lingers in the audience’s memory and leaves a warm and fuzzy feeling about the whole “Rocky experience.
I scored “Rocky Balboa” a final 7 out of 10.
