On DVD.
Rocky Balboa is the sixth film in the Rocky franchise and the best since the first. Sylvester Stallone, who won a screenplay Oscar for the original, is back as writer, director, and star. Rocky Balboa's wife, Adrian, has passed away, and his son Robert Jr. (a solid Milo Ventimiglia, Peter Patrelli of TV show Heroes) has grown distant as he tries to move outside his father's shadow. Rocky's money man lost/stole all his money (apparently in Rocky V), and Rocky now runs a restaurant named for his ex-wife, where he poses for pictures and tells old stories. This part is reminiscent of Jack La Motta in Raging Bull, but without the tragedy. Still, there's a fire in Rocky's furnace, and he decides he'd like to fight again. The plan is for small fights, just to see if he's still got it. Meanwhile, the new heavy-weight champ (comically named Mason "The Line" Dixon) hears he wants to fight again and challenges him to an exhibition.
Although I was a quasi-fan of the first four Rocky's, number five was so poorly received (I admit, I didn't watch it), I initially was saddened to hear that Stallone was bringing the franchise back. I'm glad he did. The writing is Hemingway-sparse, and the acting is the same. But there's humanity in this story, partially because it's as much about Stallone saying "I've still got some fire in my belly, too, and i'll risk making a fool of myself because I still think I've got things to say," as it is about Rocky saying the same. And that resonates. It's not a great movie, but it tackles the big issues of love, loss, and courage and offers some decent answers. I didn't think Stallone still had it in him. B.
Although I was a quasi-fan of the first four Rocky's, number five was so poorly received (I admit, I didn't watch it), I initially was saddened to hear that Stallone was bringing the franchise back. I'm glad he did. The writing is Hemingway-sparse, and the acting is the same. But there's humanity in this story, partially because it's as much about Stallone saying "I've still got some fire in my belly, too, and i'll risk making a fool of myself because I still think I've got things to say," as it is about Rocky saying the same. And that resonates. It's not a great movie, but it tackles the big issues of love, loss, and courage and offers some decent answers. I didn't think Stallone still had it in him. B.
1 comment:
A very good script, two monologues stood out for me. The one with Rocky to his son outside the restaurant and the one from Duke (Tony Burton) to Rocky at the beginning of the obligatory training montage. The black and white stuff didn't work for me and there were perhaps too many trips to Adrian's grave, but overall B, as well. John Rambo would be lucky to have a swan song this good.
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