After ending things on a bad note with Rocky V, Sylvester Stallone let his pugilist franchise lie dormant for a decade and a half. The announcement of a brand new, final installment caught many by surprise. How could Stallone, flirting with 60 at the time, possibly think another Rocky film was a good idea? How could any film involving a post-middle aged boxer work on any level? Expectations were low, so is it any wonder that Rocky Balboa surpasses them?Almost two decades into retirement, Rocky’s life is only a few steps up from where he left off in Rocky V. He owns a restaurant in Philadelphia, where he tells patrons about his glory days as a boxer. His beloved wife, Adrian, passed away a few years ago and his son Robert is trying to make it on his own in the corporate world without any help from his dad. This leaves Balboa alone in his small home in the city. His constant reminiscing is finally growing to bother his brother-in-law, Paulie, but living in the past has become a staple of the former champion’s day-to-day existence.
When ESPN runs a virtual boxing simulation of current and past champions, Rocky Balboa (in his prime) tops the current champion, Mason “The Line” Dixon (Antonio Tarver). Inspired by this fresh taste of glory, Balboa applies for a new boxing license just to see if he still has anything in the tank. Everyone thinks he’s crazy but Dixon’s manager proposes an exhibition match between the two. Rocky calls together the old gang to help get his body into fighting shape.
Is the premise completely ridiculous? Of course it is. What current boxing champion would have the gall to challenge a near retirement-age man to even an exhibition match? Win and you’re scum for beating an old man. Lose and you’re a phony who got beat by an old man. This would never happen in real life, but it’s Rocky we’re talking about here, so nothing is impossible!
As unlikely as this film may be, this is the conclusion Rocky fans had hoped for all along. Rocky Balboa hearkens back to the original in many ways: Rocky is given a chance to prove himself against a current champion in an exhibition match; he goes through all the old-school training exercises to get ready for the fight; he battles feelings of loneliness and uncertainty leading up to the fight; and he leaves it all in the ring. It’s not a carbon copy of the original (that would have been met with derision), but the similarities are many.
I don’t think Stallone was looking to replicate the magic of the original but it is clear that he is nostalgic for it. I think Rocky Balboa was made partly under the assumption that moviegoers and fans of the series would be nostalgic for most of the Rocky saga as well. Stallone capitalizes on this by dishing out dozens of references to the character’s journey and legacy. Sometimes characters reminisce about moments from past films. Other times new things are happening in familiar locations. And then there are the subtle things- stances, framing and a number of non-verbal elements that remind you of how much you enjoyed the early movies.
The script has its shaky parts and the film moves at a sluggish pace until Rocky sees the virtual fight on TV but once we get to the crux of the matter, it’s full steam ahead. The boxing scenes have always been done well throughout the series and Rocky Balboa is no exception. I’m sure it took some careful choreography and editing to make it seem like Rocky is truly able to keep pace with his younger opponent. Yes, Stallone bulked up for the role but you have to wonder how hard film was on his aging body. The illusion is grand though, making Rocky a believable hero once more.
The absence of Adrian doesn’t hurt the film quite like you would expect. Mrs. Balboa was always Rocky’s moral center and the source of his inspiration. Rocky is in a bit of a lurch, especially with his son trying to avoid association with him but he finds inspiration from an unlikely source- a neighborhood woman who was just a trouble-making kid when Rocky first rose to prominence. Their friendship builds awkwardly, but it helps keep the formula fresh. Rocky has an outlet for his frustration and innermost thoughts and a personal side project all in one. It’s not a romantic relationship like the one he had with Adrian but it’s all he needs to keep his mind in the fight.
It doesn’t soar to the heights of the original but Rocky Balboa more than makes up for Rocky V’s laughable almost-ending to the series. The formerly larger-than-life megaplex hero is brought back to size but still gives him the chance to puff his chest with pride. I don’t know if Rocky Balboa ends the series just right but it does end it well. It’s a familiar ending that drapes our beloved boxer with the kind of dignity that has been lacking from the franchise since Rocky II. That alone makes the film worth it.
RATING: 3.25 out of 5
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