Review of Rocky Balboa (2006) by Jeffy — 04 Jan 2007

After much anticipation, the wait is finally over. Despite heavy scrutiny from everyone around me including most of my friends and my coworkers who deemed my excited behavior childish, I went to watch Rocky Balboa on opening night with the only two people who were excited as I was - my brother and one of my coworkers.

Before I get deeper into my reactions of Sly's latest installation into the beloved Rocky series, let it be known that whatever I am about to write, I do not intend it as a review as I believe the Rocky series have gone beyond that which needs a movie "review".

To me, and hopefully many others as well, Rocky has reached an echelon in it's own class. There are sequels, and there are trilogy's, but the Rocky series has impounded and unsurmountable amount of impact and influence into the lives of those who've kept faith in a character whom I feel is the truest hero that represents the meaning of courage, love and moral values.

How many Hollywood heroes can you say that about? The Rocky series, at its core, is not about beating up bad guys, swash buckling adventure, or saving the world. It's a story about Rocky Balboa, a man with a big heart who goes through the ups and down of life in its most extreme.

Boxing was always just a tool to illustrate the trials of life that he goes through. All throughout the series, Rocky never fights anyone in particular. In actuality, every one of his fights were internal.

In the first Rocky, he "goes the distance" with Apollo Creed, but it was never about winning the fight. He was given an opportunity and the fight was about how far he could take himself. In essence, he was fighting himself.

This underlying motif manifests itself best in the first Rocky and the latest, "Rocky Balboa". It does seem to get less apparent as the movies evolves from an Oscar winning drama into quintessential hollywood flicks, but it never really disappears.

Some may criticize the series as getting lost from its original meaning, detracting to senseless action and formulaic plots. I would agree to a point, but I am not complaining at all! In fact, I applaud it for what it has become.

As extensions of the original, the series has brought us the most memorable moments in film history. Who could forget the fight with Mr. T ("dead meat") in Rocky III or the big Russian dude, Drago ("I will break you") in Rocky IV.

Nonetheless, beyond the adrenaline filled fight scenes and cool one-liners, these sequels still contained the core value that brought alive the character Rocky and the unforgiving world that is created.

Time and time, Rocky is tested and the result is that he has to fight, but it was never ever for himself in the selfish sense. After going the distance, he fights for Adrian in the second (giving her a better life), and then he fights for Micky (but not for vengeance), and in the fourth he fights for Apollo who stood for America (again not for vengeance).

Actually, my man Bill Simmons believes Rocky single handedly ended the Cold War! Like Bill Simmons, I don't know how many times I've watched Rocky. You can not deny the characters' influence over our lucky generation.

Rocky Balboa is by far a much better role model than the so-called heroes on film these days. [***SPOILER***] It just brings you to tears to see Rocky after all these years and long after Adrian's death, spending time in front of her grave and revisiting places they've been together.

That is true love - undying love. "Adrian is dead, but she never is in here". This concept of love, I believe, is dead in the new generation brought up by MTV. Rocky stands for those heroes, famous athletes, or celebrities who are as nice in person as he is in the media (if there are any).

A prime example of this kind of moral value that is lacking in not only movie heroes, but professional athletes and celebrities alike, is a scene in Rocky Balboa where Rocky goes and just casually changes the light bulb for a friend he just met.

This kind of gesture is subtle but it is nonetheless powerful and reminds us that nice guys do exist. We are living in a generation of people who are more realists than idealists who accept "darker" versions of classic heroes like Batman and James Bond because to them it seems more "believable".

It is nice to be reminded that throughout all these years and even though times have changed, Rocky still retains his high moral esteem. Rocky is still Rocky. The strength of his character has been tested, having been pinned against multiple opponents and the quality of his character comes in full breadth in "Rocky Balboa" and for one last time, it reminds us of an old belief that has been long lost.

Thank you Mr. Stallone. You have truly created an unforgettable character and an epic story that should be retold with every generation so that his values can be passed throughout time. Just don't be like George Lucas and re-release the series with inserted scenes and computer graphics.