Blu-ray Review HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: ROCKY BALBOA - HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION! (1 Viewer)

[CRyan]

Ok. Cool. Thank you for the explanation. With it only really occuring in dark scenes, it felt like compression artifacts.

 

[Larry Sutliff]

This was the first Rocky film that I missed seeing at the theater. I was looking forward to the BD, and both the film and disc exceeded my expectations. ROCKY BALBOA is without a doubt the very best film in the series next to the original, and a great send for an iconic character. It also has some of the best shots of Philly I've ever seen in any film. It was so cool to see Walnut Street and the Irish Pub so prominently featured in the film, and Adrian's restaurant is actually the Victor Cafe, a wonderful Italian restaurant with a staff of trained opera singers.

Anyhow, the BD looks and sounds gorgeous. I felt like I was watching a digital theater presentation in my home. I'm glad I purchased this one, I'll be watching it often.

 

[Dave H]

I watched "Balboa" tonight and agree it was the best film in the series next to the original. In addition, the picture quality was outstanding in every way --- very filmlike and extremely detailed. I rented this through Netflix, but will probably buy it one day.

 

[BrettGallman]

I ordered this as a blind buy the other day, along with Rocky V (the only film in the series I haven't seen except for "Balboa"). I was going to rent it first, but I figured I'd just go ahead and get it on BD now. I'm really looking forward to seeing this one.

 

[Grant H]

Wow. This film has received high praise from everyone but the critics I think. I've heard so many good things from the "real people."

When the preview ran at my local cinema, it was a bit of a joke and I admit even my friends and I started making fun of it without any intent to see it.

But when I get my BD system put together (hopefully this week, if I'm really lucky tonight) and sign onto Netflix again, I'll definitely give it a rent. Since the original's out on BD too I'll rent that with it. I wouldn't mind watching all of them again, except maybe V. Brain damage--lost his money. I think I remember all that's important.

 

[Ben_Williams]

Actually, you should probably try to forget as much as possible about Rocky V. This movie proceeds as though that movie never happened - - sort of a do-over, if you will...

 

[Tom M]

Rocky V is NOT ignored in RB. If it were, Rocky would still be rich. RB also makes a vague reference to the street fight at the end of V. Listen carefully to the story Rocky is telling those diners at the beginning of the film. There are a couple of other references throughout the film.

 

[Ben_Williams]

Hmmm... I didn't catch the reference to the street fight. I base my "Forget about Rocky V" statement solely on the fact that Sly himself suggested the same thing in several interviews.

 

[Dave Mack]

Nice review Ben!
Interestingly, watch the deleted scenes (and bloopers) and you'll see that the very high contrasty photgraphy was tweaked and processed in post. The raw, unprocessed film footage is not high contrast at all. The extended scene where Rock and Paulie talk in the alley is a good example. They actually overlit everything and almost blew it out so they could digitally achieve that look. Very interesting.

And great film.

 

[Jim_K]

Finally got this in the mail today, can't wait to watch it. I'll probably save it for our weekly Friday night HT night.

 

[BrandonJF]

I'm not sure where the idea that this film was critically panned is coming from. It seems like everyone is confusing the critical reception with Rocky V....

Rocky Balboa got Stallone probably the best reviews of his career since the first Rocky. I remember being thrilled for Stallone when the reviews came in since that adds some degree of vindication to the initial perception that this new Rocky would be a joke.

If you check out Rotten Tomatoes, they've got 159 reviews compiled. 121 of them are positive.

 

[TonyD]

your right brandon.

i was wondering the same thing.
the only person i heard say didnt like it was howard stern

 

[MarekM]

anybody had a chace to check if this region A release is playable in regionB player ? there is always chance for answare YES

I can't wait that long for european release hmm

Marek

 

[TonyD]

reg a, reg b ??

 

[Dave Mack]

Rocky Balboa got I think a 78% on RottenTomatoes.com. NOt bad considering that almost everybody laughed when they heard it announced and thought it would be a complete trainwreck.

I loved it.

I think this film and the original work very well because the parallels to Stallone are there.
In 1976, Stallone was indeed an underdog, broke, virtually unknown (except for The Lords OF Flatbush) had a big dream and was looking for the opportunity to give his "best shot". It worked beautifully.
In this film Stallone and Rocky are both considered "older", past their "prime", in fear of being forgotten and wondering what they will be remembered for and what they still have left "in the basment" that's worth bringing out. It works beautifully.
During the Rocky III, Rocky IV time period, he was at the top of the world box office and celebrity wise and therefore those films are more like MTV music videos, Fun, sure, but not alot of substance (IV is just ridiculous to me...) With V he was back on the right track but just missed, (I still think V is better than people say it is though)
but here? He nailed it. Rocky is back. The Rocky character that was a hero to me as a kid, (and to many others, though they might not admit it)
As a man who is hitting the big 40 next year with my first kid on the way, (due in seven weeks...) and busting my ass to get my CD finished and released, this film is very moving to me.

 

[MarekM]

you know that there are three regions in Blu-ray world

A- usa and japan
B- europe,..
C- I think russia and rest of the world..

Marek

 

[Grant H]

Every review I read was negative, except on the Net in places like The Bits and this forum. So, no, I wasn't confusing it with Rocky V. And usually those reviews acknowledged the existing backlash against the film. The critics had a very cynical attitude toward this film, and I believe if they reviewed the original with the same approach it too would receive a negative rewiew.

That said, I saw the BD (after watching ALL the other films) and enjoyed it. I even watched all the extras (in glorious HD). I usually don't bother, but these were nice just-the-right-length docs. Overall, this is an excellent BD package.

I kind of missed the "shotgun blast" punches though, knowing they wanted it to be realistic this time round. But it kind of makes it less a Rocky film. With him training to punch harder than ever, it was a bit of a let-down to not have those 80s sound effects. So that made the fight a just a bit anticlimactic for me.

I knew this would basically be a mirror of the original film (or a bookend as the filmmakers say), so it was no surprise to end the way it did. I still wanted him to knock the other guy out though.

It's definitely the best overall film since the original. Though for pure entertainment and the best training montage ever (though it is awesome when he runs in the snow and up that mountain in IV), Rocky III is where it's at. I mostly like that one because he was finally trained to really be a good fighter (by Apollo no less) and looked rather unbeatable in the ring with the blinding speed and good footwork he finally had.

So, it ended up working out well that old Rocky (bye, bye speed) ended up fighting a lot more like in the beginning of the story when he really wasn't that great a fighter, but had muscle and heart. I guess more muscle and heart than ever.

 

[TonyD]

76% at rotten tomatoe.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rocky_balboa/