Directed By: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia, Geraldine Hughes, James Francis Kelly III, Tony Burton, A. J. Benza, Antonio Tarver, Pedro Lovell,
Released: 19/01/2007
Most of my adolescence was spent watching Rocky films, first on television, the video and finally DVD. My nostalgia, however, has not clouded my view of the films qualities. The original is a classic and arguably the greatest sports film ever made. However following that the quality as gradually descended along with Stallone’s career until finally in 1990 the franchise hit rock bottom. So when I heard that Sylvester Stallone was putting the gloves back on for one more round I was filled with a mixture of fear and potential excitement. Could a wash-up actor whose recent entries into film have been the awful D-Tox and the straight to video remake Get Carter pull himself up from the gutter for one last shot at the big time. Surprisingly yes, and with some. Rocky Balboa is the finest instalment in this franchise since the 1976 original. 30 years later and Stallone can still swing a punch of emotional wallop reprising his most famous role.
In order to assess the quality of this picture we must look back to the original and through a series of clever flashbacks and voiceover Stallone does too. He claimed that it was his dissatisfaction with the fifth instalment which left him wanting to return to the franchise in order to redeem it. This is clearly visible in Rocky Balboa and Stallone has once again shown us how much this character means to him. In Rocky, written by Stallone, who in struggling to break into the industry decided to write and star in his own film showcasing his talents. He had wanted to direct but at the time he had no track record for directing, acting or writing so he had to concede. The story Stallone wrote was one about a vulnerable, not to smart heavy who was also a washed up boxer. After receiving his one in a million chance, a title shot against the heavyweight champion of the world Rocky turns his life around and straightens himself up, with some help from Adrian.
Over the course of the franchise Stallone clearly lost sight of what made Rocky such an endurable and lovable character, but maintained in keeping the heart of Rocky and what mattered to him; Adrian.
Six films later and Rocky has gone back to that original template to create a bookend to the original. Suffering from the lose of his wife, and running an Italian restaurant Rocky has lost contact with his son, who is suffering from living in his father’s shadow. Setting up the city which has become such a part of the franchise, we see Rocky is still a fan favourite amongst the Philadelphian’s but he himself is missing something. Reduced to host in his restaurant and recounting tales of his famous fights Rocky is a character clinging to a past which is slipping away. It’s been years since Adrian died but Rocky still holds a candle for her. Lost, and facing the prospect of a lonely old age, he attached himself to Marie and her son. Meanwhile we see his damaged relationship with his son and some of the best parenting advice you can imagine.
In the other corner is real life heavyweight boxer Antonio Tarver playing Mason “The Line” Dixon, the undisputed, undefeated and unpopular heavyweight champ. After a simulation of a sports show announces that Rocky would beat Dixon, the stage is set for a showdown between the two. Rocky, longing for the happiness and self satisfaction he received from Boxing and Adrian, decides he’d like to get back in the ring.
Rocky’s final instalment is a film not about overcoming the odds, or pulling yourself up from the gutter but about fulfilling your own personal dreams and silencing your demons. Sylvester Stallone commands the screen in his most comfortable character and has written a script which has real heart and more importantly is autobiographical enough to feel personal. So much of the story reflects the career and life of the writer and director that you see why there’s so much poignancy, and yet there is not a shred of bitterness. As Rocky is haunted by the past, the people in it who have long since gone but whose words and memories live on. Sylvester Stallone has the same, the successes and the mistakes all linger in the memory and I can imagine that when you reach the age he has they pop up more often than you might like. For Rocky, this fight is not to be champ, it’s not even to prove how strong he is. Rocky fights because he has to get it out of his system. And Stallone needed to right the wrongs of Rocky V and exorcise the mistakes he has made in the 20 years since. It’s this parallel to his life which enhances your appreciation of the film. Stallone is making this film with Rocky punching above his weight. There are no over the top finale’s or last minute twists where Rocky pulls it out of the bag. Like Stallone, Rocky is aware of his position in society and is merely fighting for a chance to relive a glorious past, to have one final round in the big time.
If Sylvester Stallone can find the finance he could have an extremely successful twilight to his career, as a writer, director and actor. By far the most talented of his action man generation, neither Seagal, van Damme or Lundgren have the acting chops to match him, and although Schwarzenegger has had a much longer lifespan at the top, you doubt his could play such poignant vulnerable characters as adeptly as Stallone.
The final bell as been rung and the towel has now officially been thrown in for Rocky, but for Sylvester Stallone this marks the beginning of what will potentially be a renaissance. Let’s just hope it doesn’t all blow up in his face with Rambo IV.
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia, Geraldine Hughes, James Francis Kelly III, Tony Burton, A. J. Benza, Antonio Tarver, Pedro Lovell,
Released: 19/01/2007
Most of my adolescence was spent watching Rocky films, first on television, the video and finally DVD. My nostalgia, however, has not clouded my view of the films qualities. The original is a classic and arguably the greatest sports film ever made. However following that the quality as gradually descended along with Stallone’s career until finally in 1990 the franchise hit rock bottom. So when I heard that Sylvester Stallone was putting the gloves back on for one more round I was filled with a mixture of fear and potential excitement. Could a wash-up actor whose recent entries into film have been the awful D-Tox and the straight to video remake Get Carter pull himself up from the gutter for one last shot at the big time. Surprisingly yes, and with some. Rocky Balboa is the finest instalment in this franchise since the 1976 original. 30 years later and Stallone can still swing a punch of emotional wallop reprising his most famous role.
In order to assess the quality of this picture we must look back to the original and through a series of clever flashbacks and voiceover Stallone does too. He claimed that it was his dissatisfaction with the fifth instalment which left him wanting to return to the franchise in order to redeem it. This is clearly visible in Rocky Balboa and Stallone has once again shown us how much this character means to him. In Rocky, written by Stallone, who in struggling to break into the industry decided to write and star in his own film showcasing his talents. He had wanted to direct but at the time he had no track record for directing, acting or writing so he had to concede. The story Stallone wrote was one about a vulnerable, not to smart heavy who was also a washed up boxer. After receiving his one in a million chance, a title shot against the heavyweight champion of the world Rocky turns his life around and straightens himself up, with some help from Adrian.
Over the course of the franchise Stallone clearly lost sight of what made Rocky such an endurable and lovable character, but maintained in keeping the heart of Rocky and what mattered to him; Adrian.
Six films later and Rocky has gone back to that original template to create a bookend to the original. Suffering from the lose of his wife, and running an Italian restaurant Rocky has lost contact with his son, who is suffering from living in his father’s shadow. Setting up the city which has become such a part of the franchise, we see Rocky is still a fan favourite amongst the Philadelphian’s but he himself is missing something. Reduced to host in his restaurant and recounting tales of his famous fights Rocky is a character clinging to a past which is slipping away. It’s been years since Adrian died but Rocky still holds a candle for her. Lost, and facing the prospect of a lonely old age, he attached himself to Marie and her son. Meanwhile we see his damaged relationship with his son and some of the best parenting advice you can imagine.
In the other corner is real life heavyweight boxer Antonio Tarver playing Mason “The Line” Dixon, the undisputed, undefeated and unpopular heavyweight champ. After a simulation of a sports show announces that Rocky would beat Dixon, the stage is set for a showdown between the two. Rocky, longing for the happiness and self satisfaction he received from Boxing and Adrian, decides he’d like to get back in the ring.
Rocky’s final instalment is a film not about overcoming the odds, or pulling yourself up from the gutter but about fulfilling your own personal dreams and silencing your demons. Sylvester Stallone commands the screen in his most comfortable character and has written a script which has real heart and more importantly is autobiographical enough to feel personal. So much of the story reflects the career and life of the writer and director that you see why there’s so much poignancy, and yet there is not a shred of bitterness. As Rocky is haunted by the past, the people in it who have long since gone but whose words and memories live on. Sylvester Stallone has the same, the successes and the mistakes all linger in the memory and I can imagine that when you reach the age he has they pop up more often than you might like. For Rocky, this fight is not to be champ, it’s not even to prove how strong he is. Rocky fights because he has to get it out of his system. And Stallone needed to right the wrongs of Rocky V and exorcise the mistakes he has made in the 20 years since. It’s this parallel to his life which enhances your appreciation of the film. Stallone is making this film with Rocky punching above his weight. There are no over the top finale’s or last minute twists where Rocky pulls it out of the bag. Like Stallone, Rocky is aware of his position in society and is merely fighting for a chance to relive a glorious past, to have one final round in the big time.
If Sylvester Stallone can find the finance he could have an extremely successful twilight to his career, as a writer, director and actor. By far the most talented of his action man generation, neither Seagal, van Damme or Lundgren have the acting chops to match him, and although Schwarzenegger has had a much longer lifespan at the top, you doubt his could play such poignant vulnerable characters as adeptly as Stallone.
The final bell as been rung and the towel has now officially been thrown in for Rocky, but for Sylvester Stallone this marks the beginning of what will potentially be a renaissance. Let’s just hope it doesn’t all blow up in his face with Rambo IV.
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