Rocky Balboa recap (SPOILERS) (1 Viewer)

[NolanJ]

I live in Tampa and had the opportunity to see the new Rocky Balboa movie last night. Below is a quick recap of events that took place during the movie. I've left out details about conversations and such.

I think this movie will win some awards, for either supporting actor/actress or possibly even best picture.

It's really in spirit of the first two installments of the Rocky franchise.
















Quick Recap: Rocky's wife Adrian died of cancer three years prior to the setting of the movie, and the pain is still obvous on Rocky's face.

Rocky appears to live in a very rundown little house similar to what he had in the first movie. However, Rocky owns his own restaurant and is very hands on, entertaining patrons with stories of his boxing days. Name of the restaurant? I'm sure I don't need to tell you that...

Rocky befriends a young girl who viewers might remember from Rocky I. The girl Rocky walked home and told to get her stuff together? She's back. Her husband has walked out on her and her kid, and Rocky becomes a friend to them both.

A computer simulated fight on ESPN pitted Stallion against the current heavyweight champion (played by real life boxer Antonio Tarver) Mason Dixon, and the results of the matchup showed Rocky winning.

Balboa is presented with the prospect of fighting Mason by his entourage and the fight is setup.

All the talk is about how Stallion is washed up and will get pounded, and of course that is what Stallone thrives on.

Very heartfelt, warm, touching scenes in this movie.

I give it 5 gloves out of 5

(Admin note - spoiler text added because that's just a little too much given away, even with the "spoiler" in the thread title for a film that was over a week before wide release.)

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Take you back dodoododoo, take you back. Sorry couldnt resist.

 

[DavidPla]

Saw it Monday night. Great movie! Makes me want to watch the other ones in the series again! If I had to compare it to any of the other films in the series, it is definitely most like the first film. And no, it doesn't COMPLETELY ignore Rocky V. For one, Rocky is still broke. And two, he actually says "home team" to his son. Made me smile.

 

[NolanJ]

Well, the fact that he was cleared to box (medically) practically ignores what was mentioned in the 5th movie.

 

[DavidPla]

Well, it's sorta walked around as they explain that with their tests that there's been many advancements in the years so I assumed by that that he got a bad opinion from the doctor in the fifth film.

 

[Doug Miller]

Just saw it myself. It was OK, about what I expected. I felt like V could still fit in, if you wanted it to.

I was disappointed in the fight -- Tarver just looks so unimposing. He was flabby, and he's so thin (I know, contradiction), that he just didn't look right.

The "Get up" moment gave me chills though.

Worth the matinee, I'm glad I saw it, but will probably not see it again. Unlike I, II, III, and IV, there's not enough stuff to make me want to watch it over and over again.

Oh, and forgot to mention. I think the Man/Woman ratio was about the lowest in any movie I've ever been to -- I think I'd see more women in a porno theater. It made me laugh.

Doug

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Just came from the movie and I loved every single solitary frame of it!

On more than one occasion during the film I got a small tear of nostalgia that welled up in my eyes, both because I was so proud of Rocky but also, and more amazingly, proud of Sly himself who came in with a sucker punch out of nowhere when everyone counted him out!

The parallels between him and his much loved character are obvious in that regard I think.

With Rocky Balboa Sly laughs in the face of all those who mocked, laughed and taunted him when he announced that this movie would be made, and I proudly announce that he laughed at me as well because I was one of the naysayers...he shut me up hard! I'm telling you, if you think that this is just another lame sequel with nothing to offer your sorely mistaken, this film returns the series to where it belongs and finishes it off with large amounts of emotion, heart and crowd-pleasing jabs, it's really quite a remarkable experience and you'll feel things you haven't felt in years during a Rocky film, I know I did.

Just a great movie that I will be seeing again in the very near furture, it's the best film i've personally seen at the theater all year.

5 :star:'s out of 5 :star:'s for Rocky Balboa.

 

[MattFini]

^ Well said John. I agree with you 100%.

I saw it last night and loved watching it. I'll be heading back tomorrow night with my girlfriend to see it again.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I really almost lost it when he said "The beast is gone now." It really did feel like he got this last one out of him and is ready to face the future without having to fight.

I also felt the loss of Adrian, too :frowning:, when he was going back to all the old places that meant something to them I was walking down memory lane right along with him.

BTW, was that the same actress who played Marie in the first film? If so that's awesome that they got her back.

EDIT: Nevermind, I saw on IMDB that it isn't the same actress.

 

[DavidPla]

Interestingly enough, there was a deleted scene from "Rocky V" where Marie made an appearance with the actual Marie from the first film cast. Luckily they cut it as they wouldn't have been able to go down the path that they did with Marie in this film.

Here's the scene

 

[Gabriel>P]

Damn that film took it out of me. The speech to his son, was amazing. The fight was a bit of a let down, but none of that mattered in the end. Beautiful, and what I felt was the first real Rocky film since the second.

 

[JonZ]

Mannnnnnnn, I may have to go see this.

"I was disappointed in the fight -- Tarver just looks so unimposing. He was flabby, and he's so thin (I know, contradiction), that he just didn't look right."


Tarver isnt imposing looking - but he retired Roy Jones

 

[Brett_M]

I saw it yesterday and wept like a little girl through most of it. There was some nostalgia but really it boiled down to two things for me: A fine script and Stallone's performance -- one of the best of his career, in my opinion. Burt Young was fantastic, as well. I really enjoyed the training montage and the fight looked like a PPV special -- very cool.

So many memories, so many great scenes. It's not a perfect film but it hit all the right notes for me and I loved it.

Bring on Rambo IV.

 

[TravisR]

I just got back and I gotta say that I'm very impressed. I figured that Stallone 'had something to say' or he wouldn't have gone back to the well again and I'm happy to say that I was right.

I think of myself as a fairly unbiased viewer too. I enjoyed the Rocky movies when I was young but I haven't seen the original since the DVD was re-released in 2001 and I haven't seen the sequels in probably 10 or 15 years and I really thought this movie was good.

Just a heads up, On Demand has the first five movies in high definition until January 31. I'll probably be checking them all out again.

 

[JonZ]

Im glad I went. A very fitting ending to the character.
The last scene of Rocky in the auditorium, with the camera at his back(Rocky on his robe) and he raises his fist to the crowd got a nice round of applause from the crowd I saw it with.

First Clerks 2 and now this. Both suprisingly full of heart.

Well worth a trip to see it on the big screen.

 

[Michael Elliott]

My father and I watched this today and we both loved it. Here are some thoughts I'll be posting in another thread:

:star::star::star::star: (out of four)

After the dreadful Rocky 5 and a sixteen year break in the action, I had to laugh when I heard Stallone was pulling this character back out. I really had no interest in seeing this film outside a minor sadistic view of wanting to see how badly Stallone would screw it up. That being said, my father and I always have a double feature around Christmas and his most favorite character was back in theaters so I entered theater not expecting much but as it turned out, Stallone must be like the character he's playing. Everyone writes him off as a has been but he fights back with a stellar performance, screenplay and his best directing job. I might even go out on a limb and say this better than the original film and it's hands down better than any of the sequels. The film, must like the first one and unlike the other sequels, isn't a mindless boxing film but a film full of inspiration, hope and thoughts of dreams and regret. The drama of this film is remarkably captured in Stallone's screenplay, which seems from the heart and there are several moments that make you want to stand up and cheer. This is without a question one of the most inspiration films I've seen in quite some time and I think I know how people felt about the original film when it was released. The supporting cast of players, many who were just walk ons in the original film, are all great and Stallone delivers one of his best performances. Everyone kept asking if we really needed another Rocky film and the answer is yes. Hopefully the negativity of the sequels won't keep people away from seeing this gem.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Interestingly enough, I could have used another 10-15 minutes of the interpersonal stuff because it felt a little rushed as we get to the 3rd act. Rocky Balboa leaves quite an impression, from the first Rocky film to the final installment, he never stops punching, never stops advancing, in spite of adversity through life and inside the ring.

If you grew up loving the early Rocky films (mainly I and II), "Rocky Balboa" returns us to Rocky's roots, and brings home a fitting end to one of cinema's rootable title characters, and doesn't squander any rounds in its running time.

I sort of think there were quite a few more plotlines that could have been mined, but I think Sly held back and maintained the focus on Rocky, and that was the right thing to do, but it did get me thinking:

I was wondering if Steps was going to be groomed as an up-n-coming boxer, and whether Robert was going to become the trainer/manager/promoter for Steps, with Rocky providing some guidance. But this plotline would have undercut Rocky's final character arc, so I think it was prudent to leave it alone.


All in all, fans of the Rocky franchise will enjoy the last chapter.

I give it 3.5 stars, or a grade of B+.

 

[JonZ]

Did anyone remember Spider was the guy shown sparring with Rocky in the first film?

Nice touch and what we'd expect from Balboa - always making sure he has a meal,etc. The more I thought about this movie tonight the more I like it.

"this film returns the series to where it belongs and finishes it off with large amounts of emotion, heart and crowd-pleasing jabs, it's really quite a remarkable experience and you'll feel things you haven't felt in years during a Rocky film, I know I did."

 

[Jon Mahoney]

I agree with everything said here so far. What a great surprise, a great ending to Rocky. Him yelling at the kid when he came to the restaurant to yell at him was great.

I'm hoping there's about a 2 1/2 hour cut of this movie. The story line with her son was completely dropped after they got the dog, then he was in the background in a couple shots. I wish there was a bit more to the training sequence and a bit more pre-fight and fight scenes. The whole 2nd half just seemed very rushed.

Sly arms are like tree trunks. I also loved Tarver's line of "he's got bricks in his gloves"

 

[Bryan Ri]

Saw this film last night, walked in thinking I would see a bad movie with some fun spots along the way. I've never been more wrong in my life.

Rocky Balboa was one of the more satisfying movies for me this year, and that's saying an awful lot. There were some great scenes, and some truly wonderful dialogue pieces all throughout the film. I hope this gets at least a few nominations, as it's certainly earned them.