Rocky Balboa - 2006

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Columbia Pictures, Revolution Studios

Written and Directed by Sylvester Stallone

Cast:

• Rocky Balboa – Sylvester Stallone
• Paulie – Burt Young
• Mason “The Line” Dixon – Antonio Tarver
• Marie – Geraldine Hughes
• Robert Balboa Jr. - Milo Ventimiglia
• Duke – Tony Burton
• Steps – James Francis Kelly III

Story: The aging prizefighter has come full circle. Adrian has passed away, he lives in his old neighborhood, he visits his wife's grave every morning and places flowers on the headstone, and he owns a nice little Italian restaurant. He's still the champ, and people come to his restaurant where his memorabilia is displayed to sit, have a nice meal, and get up close and personal with the former heavyweight champion of the world. His life is routine, but a computer generated fight between him and the current champion, an unpopular fighter named Mason “The Line” Dixon, stirs something within him, and he applies for a boxing license. He runs into Marie, the little girl in the first film who yelled “Up yours, Creepo!” at him for walking her home away from her friends. They become friends, and Rocky befriends her son, Steps. Rocky's son is all grown up, but unhappy. Paulie is still around, but unhappy. Meanwhile, Dixon's managers have heard about Rocky getting his boxing license back and see an exhibition fight as a way of turning around their fighter's career. When Rocky and Dixon meet, Dixon learns the meaning of heart!

Review: The first time I saw the original Rocky, I was at a drive in theater outside of Bremerton, Washington. It was cold, it rained half the time, and you had to idle the car now and then to keep the windows from fogging. But one thing amazed me: during the fight scenes between Rocky and Apollo Creed, you could see the cars shaking. I mean, literally shaking, as if the wind were blowing at high speed. This is the kind of excitement the Rocky series has inspired since 1973, and this final film is no exception. This is the film that reveals the persistent message of every film in the series in detail. “It's not how hard you get hit, it's how many times you can get up and keep going!” Rocky is a singularity in a world of chaos. He is devoted to Adrian, even though she has passed away. He still befriends his brother-in-law, Paulie, even though Paulie has never truly grown up. He is a testament to the persistence of the human spirit, always trying to see the good. The cast, new and old, is perfect in this summation of the series, and Stallone's signature in this film is evident from beginning to end. A must see movie for the family, and an absolute must have for the Rocky collector, or anyone who needs to be reminded we can all be champions if we try.