Knocked Out!

ROCKY BALBOA

The Rocky franchise became a joke in the early 90's. Rocky V: Go For It is on my top 10 worst movie list of all time. When I was reading my bible (Entertainment Weekly) earlier this year I was surprised to find that Sylvester Stallone was filming the 6th and final round of the Rocky franchise. Why would he do such a thing? Besides having lots of time on his hands (when was the last time Sly was in a movie?) I can only come up with a line from the movie itself..."I still got some stuff in the basement".

ROCKY BALBOA (RB) is a really good movie. Actually, I can't think of another film that has surprised me so much. RB opens with Rocky visiting his late wife's grave. Three times during the film I had a tear in my eye...this was the first. We learn Rocky has opened a small eatery called Adrian's. Although he seems content running the restaurant and telling old boxing stories to his clientele the look on his punished face says everything..."this isn't what I want to do". Age has told him that boxing is in his past. His gut is telling him differently. An exhibition fight is arranged with Rocky and the current champ Mason "The Line" Dixon. I liked that the screenplay didn't portray Dixon as a villain. He's portrayed as a great fighter who is so good that when he fights the bouts last only a round or two. Big deal right? In the early 90's I paid for every "pay per view" there was. Nothing was more frustrating when the fight only lasted one round or when one of the boxers tried to bite his opponents ear off. The boxing fans in Rocky are frustrated. They want to see great competition...will Rocky deliver?

I will refrain from spoiling the ending. All I can say is at this point ROCKY BALBOA is currently the most memorable film of 2006. I give it an "8".

Top 5 Sylvester Stallone films.
1. Rocky
2. First Blood
3. Cliffhanger
4. Rocky Balboa
5. Demolition Man