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:
Spoiler:
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.)
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.
Well, the fact that he was cleared to box (medically) practically ignores what was mentioned in the 5th movie.
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.
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.
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Local Date: 11-18-2008
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Re: Rocky Balboa recap (SPOILERS)
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's out of 5's for Rocky Balboa.
"There was that time I wanted to be an astronaut.
I wanted to be the first one to kill somebody on the moon."
Location: On duty and takin' out the fullscreen trash.
Join Date: Mar 1999
Local Time: 04:28 PM
Local Date: 11-18-2008
Posts: 10,739
Re: Rocky Balboa recap (SPOILERS)
I really almost lost it when he said
Spoiler:
"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 , 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.
"There was that time I wanted to be an astronaut.
I wanted to be the first one to kill somebody on the moon."
Last edited by Inspector Hammer! : 12-21-2006 at 10:34 PM.
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.
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.
's out of 5 
, 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.