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Movie Review by:
Jim "Good Old JR" Rutkowski
Directed & Written by: Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia
Running time: 102 minutes,
Released: 12/20/06.
Rated PG for for boxing violence and
some language. |
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TBS or TNT offers a Rocky marathon practically once a month,
it's hard to believe that it has been a full thirty years
since the Oscar winning original, and 16 years since the
embarrassment that was Rocky V. But Stallone, like his
character, still has "stuff in the basement" and his
unfinished business comes alive on screen with this season's
underdog Rocky Balboa. I was expecting a Snakes on a Plane
level of unintentional comedy, so you can imagine my
disappointment when I only laughed with the characters which
incidentally, was the only disappointing thing about the
film. This holiday, Rocky Balboa may not be a box office
knock out, but it certainly will last a few rounds.
The film brings us back to Rock's gritty hometown of South
Philadelphia and dwells on the changes that have struck the
title character and the city he loves since the saga began.
The people are angrier, the old pet shop has closed down,
the ice rink is now a parking lot, and most of all, the love
of Rocky's life Adrian has died of cancer. Boxing too has
changed from the "if he dies, he dies" days of Ivan Drago,
to complete mediocrity and the current champion Mason "The
Line" Dixon (Antonio Tarver) finds himself booed after his
thirtieth uninspired knock-out.
Meanwhile, Rocky dwells in the past like a deranged stalker,
filling his restaurant Adrian's with countless pictures of
his wife, and taking walks by their favorite haunts. One
such trip down memory lane brings him to a local pub where
he meets the good natured Marie (Geraldine Hughes), who said
"screw you creepo" to Rocky in the first film, but might
consider it literally after they reconnect. As Rocky grows
closer to Marie and her African-American son Steps (James
Francis Kelly III), he struggles to maintain a relationship
with his own son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia), who has grown
bitter at his father.
The film's nostalgic pace finally picks up when ESPN airs a
computerized fight showing The Italian Stallion in his prime
knocking out Mason Dixon. This piques Rock's curiosity, and
he decides to apply for his fighter's license (Stallone
conveniently pretends that the brain damage of Rocky V never
happened.) Rocky considers some local competitions, but when
Dixon's managers suggest a Pay-Per-View exhibition fight
against the champ, Rocky takes to the steps of the
Philidelphia Musuem of Art once more.
Rocky Balboa is all about the throwback; from the music, to
the raw meat training sequence, to actual flashbacks from
the other films, Stallone doesn't want you to forget what
made the franchise a success in the first place. He manages
to recreate the course realistic vibe of Rocky I, and brings
back an emotional roundness to the character that certainly
was missing in the later films. Here Rocky isn't a glorified
legend, but a beat up old man who still shuffles when he
walks and still address everyone with "Yo." He lives in a
modest two story home, his friends are plain looking with
thick Philly accents, and his son wants nothing to do with
him. Rocky is the loveable underdog that moviegoers
certainly will be able to get behind once more. While at
times Sly looks like half his face melted off and his
shoulder has some freaky vein action going on, you have to
admire the man for looking credible at sixty. The film may
have its share of cheesy moments, but by the time the
trumpets of "Gonna Fly Now" blare, you can't help but
silently chant "Rocky, Rocky!"
Stallone proves he can still write and act the part, and his
work behind the camera is competent as well. During the
climactic match he packs every film technique possible into
a five minute fight sequence. One moment everything fades to
black and white except the blood from the fighter's lips.
Then Stallone shifts to slo-mo, using dialogue and quick
screen flashes to establish Rocky's inner monologue.
Stallone presents the entire fight as if you are really
watching pay-per-view, which works relatively well but the
more glitzy techniques never distract from the meat of the
scene.
Ultimately, Rocky Balboa is so wonderfully self-aware that
you can't help but respect Stallone for putting it out
there. Just as the film's hero was considered a joke for
wanting to compete, Stallone was considered foolish for
trying to resurrect a dead franchise and lines like "It
don't matter how this looks to other people -- all that
matters is how it looks to you" are obviously meant to
address that. If nothing else, Stallone proves the film's
motto; "the last thing to age on somebody is their heart,"
and Sly puts his heart into this project, droopy face and
all.
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ROCKY
BALBOA ©
2006 MGM Distribution Company.
All Rights Reserved
Review © 2006 Alternate Reality, Inc. |
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