Movie Review :Rocky Balboa VI

I am one of those people who counted down the days to Christmas, because it was the day the new Rocky movie arrived in theaters. I am a huge Rocky fan and own the collection of all five movies. I entered the theater very excited, and left satisfied. If the movie were a research paper I feel Stallone would have received a grade of 85%. Other critics seem to agree, Yahoo.com published 15 reviews by professional critics from all over the United States and the result was two A´s, 11 B´s, and two C´s. The average Yahoo user however scored the movie slightly better. Last weekend the Rocky Balboa did almost 27,000,000 million at the box office, so although not perfect, Sly obviously did something right.

First of all please remember that this is Rocky 6, and its important to be very familiar with the previous five movies to undertand the plot. And when I say very familiar I mean if you don´t remember little Marie or Spider Rico, you need to watch the first five movies again. The movie is based more on the real everyday life of ex Champ Rocky Balboa as opposed to the entire movie leading up to a bloody war in the ring. Rocky has lost his wife Adrian to cancer. He now owns an Italian restaurant in his old neighborhood. His son is grown and working in downtown Philadelphia in a typical corporate American job. Burt Young plays Paulie to perfectly. Everything is going relatively smooth and Rocky is living a normal life, until he sees ESPN one night. A new computer program simulates a fight between former fighters and current fighters. Rocky is matched up with the current Heavyweight Champion Mason "The Line" Dixon. And the computer says Rocky would be victorious. Dixon has knocked out all of his opponents, however he is under serious criticism and his ratings are down because the Heavyweight division is watered down. Dixon's trainer even told him that he is yet to prove himself as a real champion because he has never been challenged in the ring. He has never been in the corner taking shots. And he has never been knocked down and had to get back up even when he was hurt. And when Dixon's promoters imagine the number of pay per view sales they would generate in an exhibition bout between Dixon and former champ and fan favorite Rocky Balboa the comeback begins. Rocky is doing good with his restaurant but he like all boxers he could use the multi million dollar payday. Rocky starts to train and as always he shows up in shape. When people tell Rocky he has no chance he tells them a puncher always has a chance. Before the fight an out of shape Mason Dixon tells Balboa that he will carry him to put on a show for the fans. He tells Rocky there is no use in either of them getting hurt. He also tells Rocky that the first time Rocky head butts him, hits him low or hurts him, that he will knock his head off. Rocky tells the champ that although most people come to Vegas to lose that he didn't. And the war in the rings begins.

It doesn't matter if you like the Rocky series or not. Movie fans must still tip their hats to Sly, who at 59 years old put his body in incredible shape to make this movie. The first Rocky came out in 1976 and I can't name one actor who has ever starred in series of movies that lasted a span of 30 years. I heard Sly is working on Rambo 4, and with all of the money Rocky 6 is generating, Rambo 4 is a sure fire bet to come out next. Former Heavyweight Mike Tyson plays in the movie. And Mason "The Line" Dixon is played by current boxer Antonio Tarver. Larry Merchant also plays into movie as well as a few other surprise characters.