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After a series of cinematic disasters, like The Specialist, Over the Top, Demolition Man, Judge Dred, Spy Kids 3-D, Driven, and Stop or My Mom Will Shoot, it might be hard to take Sylvester Stallone seriously as an actor, and certainly as anything more than that. Stallone has made some decent movies, like Cliffhanger and Cop Land, and Assassins was not all that terrible, but typically, one tends to remember Stallone as a highly paid action star, perhaps a grossly overpaid one at that. But, Stallone is a capable director and screenwriter, as his 1976 Oscar winner Rocky proved (he wrote the script, while John G Avildsen directed). It is one of the greatest boxing movies ever made, and introduced us to one of American film's most memorable characters, the underdog Rocky Balboa, who trains for a show match with Apollo Creed, and ends up winning, and getting Adrianna, the love of his life. Its four sequels, known perhaps by their cartoonish antagonists (particularly Mr. T and Dolph Lundgren) were completely disposable, and quite tiresome, though each was successful in its own right. Rocky Balboa is the best movie in the series since the original, but that may not be giving it much credit, since its competition for that distinction is admittedly thin. It is a work of passion and heart, and Stallone is charismatic enough to carry it, and he still fills the shoes of this iconic character, despite the fact that he is 60 years old and is really supposed to exhibit a type of youthful determination, even in the face of impossible odds. But, I just cannot imagine in this role, and I would feel the same about Indiana Jones; I would want Harrison Ford even if he were 80. This could be Stallone's swan song, but I suppose he still plans to work, but this could mark the end of this franchise, but at least it goes out with a respectable bang. The Rocky Balboa we meet in this movie is a fading celebrity, still popular, but depressed and washed-up. Adrian is dead, and his son (Ventimiglia), is an up-and-coming yuppie too busy for his dad, and somewhat embarrassed by him. Rocky runs a restaurant, and revisits fond memories with his old pal Paulie (Young). Eventually, the aging Italian Stallion gets a chance to prove himself against the heavyweight champ Mason Dixon in a match he is not really supposed to win. Yeah, it is formulaic, and perhaps a little sappy, but it features some nice pugilistic action (though not very bloody considering the rating), though this comes at the end, during the fateful match. The romance, as it were, between Rocky and a bartender named Marie (Hughes) is not overly compelling, but it does have its moments, though there is no replacement in Rocky's mind or ours for Adrian. It is a noble effort on the part of Stallone, familiar yet satisfying. Don't expect Raging Bull and you won't be disappointed. email this review to a friend
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