Be honest. Your first reaction to the news that Sylvester Stallone was releasing yet another installment of his Rocky series was one of disbelief. You wondered how this was going to work at all. “Isn’t Stallone, like, sixty now?” you asked a friend. And the next question to come was, why? Do we need another Rocky film? Wasn’t the last one bad enough? Now, these questions and more came to my mind too as this news was reported but, as a die-hard Rocky fan, I felt that I owed Mr. Stallone a chance to redeem himself.
I’m glad I did. While Rocky V was a disgrace, even by Stallone’s admission, Rocky Balboa brings the series to a close with a wholesome dose of dignity. The formula hasn’t changed much. Rocky is still the underdog, this time as the proprietor of a restaurant that allows him the opportunity to keep his head above water and recall some of his boxing exploits for the delight of his customers. His son, convincingly played by Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia, has grown into an intelligent young man who finds it difficult living in the Philadelphia shadow of his famous father.
Rocky’s brother-in-law Paulie (Burt Young) is also back in the mix but all are grieving the loss of Rocky’s wife, Adrian, none harder than Rocko himself. This provides the emotional crux of the film as Stallone shows his hero learning to deal with the loss, utilizing some touching scenes as well as utilizing some tasteful flashbacks. This also finds itself playing out in Rocky’s struggles with getting older and leads us to where the boxing once again comes into play. Stallone also adds in a relationship between Rocky and Marie, which comes across as rather fatherly and chaste. The interplay between the two is okay but at times seems forced and unnecessary.
This second storyline picks up with current heavyweight champ Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) being laughed at as a champion due to the public’s suspicion that he only a champ on paper. Dixon holds an undefeated record and the general populace is fed up with his choice of less-than-able competition. Enter an ESPN computer generated fight that finds none other than Rocky Balboa pitted against Dixon, with Balboa winning. Dixon’s agents seize upon this as an opportunity to reclaim public approval and, after some negotiating with Rocky himself, the date is set.
At this point, you know the formula. We’re going to sit through a training montage, have a little bit of extra drama, and then comes the big fight. Truthfully the training montage is the most painful scene of all. A pep talk by Rocky’s manager, Duke (Tony Burton) is more comical than inspiring and the footage of an aging Rocky working out is grueling to watch. Yet, as with all montages, the music must end and we are led to the much-awaited fight. We won’t spoil the ending but will remind readers that this is a Rocky film that we’re discussing. Suffice it to say, Stallone has filmed a fitting end to the saga.
Purveyors of the DVD will find some standard extras to enhance their need for more Balboa. Special features include a rather uninteresting set of “Boxing Bloopers” as well as a quick look the making of the computer-generated bout. More interesting are the features dedicated to the simple making of the film as well as to the filming of the final fight. And, perhaps most intriguing are the deleted scenes and an alternate ending which, at least in this reviewer’s opinion, Stallone was better off opting against. Either way, it’s nice to see the process and concepts considered. People who will attempt to critique this film on the grounds that it offers nothing new don’t understand the real mystique of the Rocky franchise. The enduring characters that Stallone penned over thirty years ago still ring true with audiences today. We can all identify with the struggles of Rocky’s everyman and feel the pain of the blows, both physical and emotional, while rejoicing with the wins and relief of just finishing. Rocky Balboa is a great movie, if not a great film, and provides something of interest for all.
