Dominatio Per Malum

Rocky Balboa (2006) 8/10

The very idea of Stallone, at age 60 reprising his the role of Rocky is laughable. The last Rocky film was 1990’s Rocky V, which was a terrible film that decisively sunk the franchise. Even in 1990, Rocky’s character was over the hill, so when Sylvester Stallone announced his newest project, Rocky Balboa (Rocky 6, for those keeping count), it looked liked a has-been actor flogging a long dead franchise. Doing triple duty, Stallone is director, scriptwriter and male lead for the film which on paper should have been a pathetic attempt to resurrect a dead character. Stallone himself, mirroring his character Rocky, is also more or less a has-been actor who hasn’t made a decent film in years. Stallone may have been a star in the 70s and 80s, but his recent film outputs have been bombs and he is no longer an A-lister.

But let’s not forget that the original Rocky (1976) did win the Best Picture Oscar, and remains one of the best ‘support the underdog’ flick. And Rocky Balboa goes back to basics, favoring a homage to the original which makes the film the best Stallone film in years. Like the 1976 original, Balboa focuses more on character than boxing, and those looking for a boxing-centric film will be disappointed because there isn’t much boxing onscreen.

Stallone actually acts well, for the first time in many years. This is easily one of his best dramatic roles, and he does very well. Possibly because at 60 Stallone really is Rocky Balboa, having played this character for so long. His mannerisms and even that grizzled face is perfect for Balboa.

Naturally, the film suffers from a derivative plot and predictability, since alot of it hinges on nostalgia. As director, Stallone is also guilty of pushing too much sentimentality, and of marginalizing the supporting characters. The supporting cast is decent but unremarkable, and the supposed subplots between Rocky and Marie as well as Rocky and his son are poorly developed. The entire plot itself stretches believability, but surprising by the end, it works.

Still, once the strains of ‘Gonna Fly’ plays and the training montage begin, there is no way you won’t cheer for Rocky the perennial underdog. The final climatic battle still has that kind of raw energy that thrills and I’ve gotta say that even at 60, Stallone still has the physique that impresses. You can almost believe that Rocky can pound the hell outta you.

At the end of the day, nostalgia is Rocky Balboa’s strongest selling point, and even though Stallone piles on the sentimentality a tad too thick, Rocky Balboa is one of the best Stallone film in year. The fact that Rocky Balboa doesn’t suck is already a minor miracle; that it is actually good makes it a modern underdog tale where the film, like its title character, shows that it is still good for one final hurrah. As a fitting swansong to the Rocky franchise, Rocky Balboa is the best Rocky film since the 1976 Best Picture Winner.

“He’s gone beyond the call though by capturing more than just the underdog feeling of his rah-rah anthem. By reminding us of how we fell in love with the character in the first place, Stallone has made the best film in the series since the original.”- efilmcritic

“It contains some of the best acting Stallone has ever done.”- Berardinelli