By Gary Herman
Sure, it's 30 years after the beginning, and yes, most of the original cast is gone, but Rocky Balboa does the very best it can to capture the feel of the original classic.
Rocky Balboa is a movie filmed more like Rocky than any of its successors. The movie is centered in downtown Philadelphia, and Rocky (Sylvester Stallone), retired for more than two decades, now owns an Italian restaurant. He seems content to strictly tell stories about his past accolades. However, when ESPN shows a computerized simulation between Rocky and current heavyweight champion Mason "The Line" Dixon (Antonio Tarver), Dixon's management decides that the time has come for the two to really meet in the ring.
At 60, Stallone does an admirable job getting into shape for the movie. Playing a boxer currently in his 50s, he certainly does not look like the Rocky Balboa of the other movies, but he is no James Toney either. Fortunately, Balboa does not try to play the most technically sound fighter. The old adage in boxing is that the last thing to go for a fighter is his power, and what Balboa does do is claim to be a heavyweight who still possesses a punch.
Interestingly enough, the movie is filmed with the boxing fan in mind. The action is much more realistic than is normally expected in Hollywood boxing movies. The fight is also shown very much like the typical HBO PPV. Doing commentary for the fight are Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, and Max Kellerman. The referee for the fight is Joe Cortez, and the ring announcer is Michael Buffer. The first round of the fight is filmed without any Hollywood editing -- to really give the bout the feel of a typical HBO PPV. There are quite a few boxing cameos throughout the movie as well, and the movie does not forget the earlier Rockys.
Where does the movie rank? Well, the best scale to use is the other Rocky movies. Rocky Balboa is certainly much better than Rocky V but not necessarily as good as I through IV. The film does fall a little short on the action side, but the plot is developed well enough to keep the viewer interested. The movie should (and probably will) be seen all fans of boxing and the original Rocky series. For the larger audience, the movie will play out well as a good holiday-type movie. The film will not go down as an instant classic, but Rocky Balboa is well worth viewing.
Rocky may be older, but he has one good fight left in him.
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