Rocky Balboa

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia, Tony Burton, James Francis Kelly III

Directed by: Sylvester Stallone

RS: 2.5of 4 Stars Average User Rating: 3.5of 4 Stars

2006 MGM Action

I expected to go all Scrooge on Sylvester Stallone's sixth round as Rocky Balboa, the Italian Stallion from Philly who boxed his way into popular and Oscar glory with the first and best Rocky in 1976. And make no mistake, there is much here to cringe at. Thirty years later, the sixty-year-old Stallone, as writer, director and star, has put himself back in the ring with a champ -- this time he's played by light-heavyweight Antonio Tarver. It's an exhibition match in Vegas, for charity, and Stallone looks damn fit for a geezer. It's his screenplay that needs major toning. No sappy clichŽ goes untapped as Rocky runs a restaurant named after his dead wife, Adrian, whose grave he visits daily. He takes guff from pal Paulie (Burt Young) and worries about his son, Robert (Milo Ventimiglia), who helps him prep for the big fight. It's a brutal regimen. But Rocky has "a beast inside him." Just when you're ready to puke, the old Bill Conti theme ("Gonna Fly Now") kicks in -- are you feeling it? -- Stallone steps in the ring and every day is Christmas. All together now: Rock-ee! Rock-ee!

PETER TRAVERS

(Posted: Dec 12, 2006)

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Rocky Balboa

Review 1 of 14

4of 4 Stars

I can say that the movie message really makes it's mark. The message of true love for a person just explodes in this film with all the ups and downs of life that he has been dealt with in the rocky series. The relationship with his wife is something that does'nt exist much in the fast pace that we all live in. It shows that family is the heart of victory. I can tell you the visits at the grave and the relationship with his son were touching. In the end of all the rocky movies his hand was raised in victory but his heart always wrapped the prize adrianne. ( thanks for the chance to end this classic in the proper way.)lg77

May 16, 2008 16:48:10

Review 2 of 14

Not Rated

It's just good to see the guy, and it's good to revisit the character. And that's everything good to be said for the experience.

May 3, 2007 06:42:58

Review 3 of 14

4of 4 Stars

Rocky Balboa is a great film. It is probably the best Rocky yet as it looks more into the persanality of a man who just really loved and still loves his dead wife. It really touches a nerve and places a lump in your throat! A s for the fighting seens... he certainly hasn't lost it! The range of actors in this film have been chosen very wisely. Milo Ventimiglia (Rocky. Junior) is realstic and really good at what he does. The end fighting scene, when Rocky waves to the crowd made me think that this was the best Rocky film of them all.

Mar 3, 2007 07:41:02

Review 4 of 14

1of 4 Stars

Why, oh why, spoil it. The Rocky movies will never be gelled in with best, but what they did deliver, from 1-5, were a good build up and a 'lump in your throat' finale. This final installment has an 'ok' build up and a finale that matches the excitement of a Party Politcal Broadcast. What happened? The film just doesnt share the magic of the other Rocky movies, even Rocky 5 heavily outclasses this trash attempt. Lets hope Rambo 4 learns from this, but it probably wont.

Feb 21, 2007 17:54:44

Review 5 of 14

4of 4 Stars

Yeah I have come to the conclusion to just ignore everything Peter Travers says. For he does not see it in the average Joe's eyes. This film was a splendid finale to the Rocky franchise, you have Rocky reflecting back on his memories, like every elderly person does. He lost his wife to cancer,and is facing a youth. Like always Mr.Balboa is against all odds. Eventhough the training montage was not up to par with the film intensity. Which the training montages are the meat and potatoes of the Rocky Franchise. In the end we take a walk down memory lane, as Rocky releases his innerdemons thourgh a series of flashback sequences. Back Rocky will go down as the greatest underdog champion on film.

Jan 9, 2007 09:17:13

Review 6 of 14

4of 4 Stars

I think Peter Travers might be a little too jaded for his own good. This movie was made carefully, and lovingly. It doesn't hurry. It doesn't gloat. We get to see Rocky as somewhat of a broken man who is sad about the loss of his wife. The performances are all wonderful, as is the script. This movie is all about having self respect, and leaving nothing behind to regret. The fight at the end is great, and is well worth the hour and a half it took to get there. I thought this was a graceful and respectful way to retire one of the great movie characters of the last 30 years. Stallone should be proud. He has achieved the near impossible with this movie. He has made a movie that is almost as good as the first Rocky.

Love,
Jables

Jan 3, 2007 07:47:13

Review 7 of 14

4of 4 Stars

I remember when the 1st Rocky movie came out. I was only about 8 years old. This movie is a trip down memory lane. Poor and unwanted, losing his wife to cancer, and nothing more to shoot for in life, Stallone makes probably the best performance of his career. The movie is slower than usual and is very depressing from his characters stand point. We learn about his daily life outside the ring for the 1st half of the movie, visiting his wifes grave and old places they spent together as a happy couple. Rocky is very depressed by his wifes loss and you become too. His depth as an actor goes much deeper in this movie, and you learn that Stallone is a much better actor than he has been in the past. His new rival, "Mason the line Dixon," is far less intimidating than any of his former challengers. Your not scared by this guy at all. Also, the training sequence only lasts about 1 minute out of the entire movie. So you won't be pumped up very much. But after getting all depressed for Rock"O," as Paulie calls him, you feel like an average poor person in todays society struggling to get by with life, while looking to make a comeback. The ending might surprise you, but Stallones performance is so good, that it overshadows the lack of music and training for the fight. If you're looking for a pump em up, eye of the tiger fight to the finish, then this isn't for you. If you're interested in becoming Rocky's friend till the end and hoping he can find a smile on his face one more time, then this is for you. The orginal Rocky is still #1 and Rocky 4 is a close 2nd. But this would be 3rd on my list. This is very well written by Stallone and extremely well acted. A must see.

Dec 28, 2006 19:23:26

Review 8 of 14

4of 4 Stars

In this, the final installment, for the Rocky franchise, we find Sly making excellent use of technology and popular culture to frame the story. And Sly uses the story to bring closure to us, the audience.
Mr. Travers finds the entire excersize trite. I disagree. We are afforded an opportunity to peak in on Rocky's life today. As in any life, there are reminders from days gone bye in the form of old loves and old demons.
Without giving away any of the story, we find reminders of Rocky's past in this movie. Wouldn't we expect it? And while those reminders may seem hookie to some,they are true to this big-hearted, underdog character. Sly ties up the loose ends of Rocky's life very nicely and==I might add== in a very touching way.
This movie was well done. Go see it.

Dec 28, 2006 16:03:06

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