Rocky Balboa
Rocky Balboa was okay, and that was good enough to feel like a comeback. It’s a much more reasonable place to pick up Rocky than the well-meaning but extreme caricature of Rocky V. I like the idea of Rocky still being a neighborhood hero, telling his old boxing stories to fans at his restaurant, Adrian’s. Sadly, Adrian has passed away of cancer and Rocky and Paulie visit her grave.
I’m actually impressed Stallone was able to hold the Balboa marriage together for so long. Many lesser series broke up the romances in the first sequel because they didn’t know what else to do. Adrian remained the heart of Rocky and they had a good, supportive marriage. Until she became the third casualty of the Rocky series. Really half of these movies are motivated by the death of a supporting character.
A computer generated simulation between Rocky and current champ Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) generates enough speculation that Rocky agrees to an exhibition with the champ. Stallone, always ahead of the curve, called this long before “geezer cinema” was a thing, although frankly he created the genre himself with The Expendables. Then he remade it again in Grudge Match.
Some say it’s convenient that Rocky’s injury from Rocky V is ignored, perhaps intentionally forgotten. I don’t think it’s that far fetched that his head healed a little in 16 years, or that medicine has improved and the first doctors weren’t right. Still, Rocky’s speech to the boxing commission is pretty amazing. If that was scripted, I’d like to see a transcript. I guess I could just turn on the subtitles but maybe it’s better not to know and just hear the passion of Rocky making them let him do what he gotta do. That’s actually been a theme of all the Rocky movies. He’s always gotta do what he gotta do. Stallone’s ability to write an entire script in metaphors and inspirational ultimatums is unparalleled.
I think Stallone was going for the vibe of the original Rocky again, and he gets closer than he did on Rocky V but the drama is a bit of a slog for the first hour. It’s nice to see the street corner girl all grown up (Geradline Hughes) and his son Robert Jr. (Milo Ventimiglia) try to balance his social life with his reluctant love for dad, and for Paulie to finally realize what a dick he always was to Adrian. It just doesn’t pick up until the fight is signed and Rocky starts training. Training in which Duke (Tony Burton of the Apollo years) says Rocky’s joints can’t handle running anymore, and the next shot is Rocky running.
I think it’s a shame that the bout is shot like modern day Pay Per View. In a way it works because it’s the way modern boxing is shot, but you get to see Stallone in the fight. Ultimately though it just looks cheap and distant, especially when you watch them all in a row and you remember how powerful the fights in the first four were. Stallone does his best to add artistic flourish with post effects but it still looks like cheap TV coverage.
Bonus features on Rocky Balboa are the same as on the original Sony Blu-ray release, including a fun deleted scene where Rocky can’t keep the raw eggs down anymore, and an alternate ending. The Blu-ray looks good because it was a Sony release at the dawn of the format so they were showing off.
In a way the Rocky series ends by lowering enthusiasm enough so you’re not so sad to see it go, but not so low that it feels like a travesty. Crap, I just realized that I would rate Grudge Match higher than three of the legit Rocky movies, but lower than Raging Bull so there’s that. Anyway, Creed is going to be awesome. That is how you continue a franchise. Rocky is still the inspiration, but we delve into the Creed family. If you’re listening, Ryan Coogler, I propose a storyline where it turns out Apollo faked his death to get back at Rocky for not supporting his fight with Drago, and only now reveals himself when his grandson is about to enter the sport. Carl Weathers is awaiting your call.
