Rocky Balboa

Underdog champion Rocky Balboa is back to take his place in the ring for one final fight at the tender age of 60.

After the phenomenal success of the previous Rocky films which inspired millions across the world with it's hard soundtrack and encouraging fight scenes, film director and actor Slyvester Stallone had to live up to the reputation built in his previous films. But has Rocky Balboa proved to be a knockout punch or has been knocked out in the final round?

The film skips a couple of years, Rocky now has a running restaurant, his son is now a business man and his life as a former boxer is pleasant. However regardless of this, Rocky remains depressed from the death of his wife Adrian and is finding it hard to move on in life. That is until speculation arises of Rocky having a return fight with the current champion Mason Dixon who proposes the fight after viewing a digitally animated fight with Rocky.

Ready to turn most of his life around for better, Rocky accepts the challenge and is ready to fight. You may ask why Slyvester Stallone considered making this film at such an old age. Quite frankly in my opinion there was no point in making this film. In summary it really is 'warmer' than the previous Rocky films. If your wondering whether this is a better film that it's predecessors, the answer is simply no.

But like a lot of films you may always ask questions as to why they are made. I wouldnt completely rule this film out as a failure or completely bad - it just isnt really necessary to the whole film series. The acting is decent - not brilliant nor absurd.

Yet this is a Slyvester Stallone film, you wont expect clear speech like Hugh Grant.

One of the best parts of the film of course are the training scene and the final fight between Balboa and Dixon. Apart from that the rest is just hauling up the eventual fight.

Rocky Balboa in one word is tiring and at times very boring. It doesnt pack a punch and is very much pointless.

Rocky Balboa is entertaining, but for all the wrong reasons. There is just no escaping the fact that Rocky is really really really old, and yet he is in the ring with the reigning world champion and hasn't died just training for the fight, let alone actually taking on the champ.

It's not so awful that I couldn't watch it, but I think it was more out of a desire to see just how ridiculous the film was prepared to be.

The sentimental parts of the film just show that it really is trying to take itself seriously, which is a disaster as the whole thing is laughable.

If you enjoyed all of the Rockies this was a must-see film. Maybe a little unrealistic to do with his age, but consits of all the Rocky moments you enjoyed in the other films like him running up the steps as well as new ideas into the film. The film itself was enjoyable to watch and held the suspense like all other Rocky films. I sat down expecting this film to be the same level of disaster as Rocky V or Rambo 3 but I was overjoyed with the film. Stallone has done the near-impossible -- he took a long time dead character, that no one cared about and brought it back to life.

The jerk at the BBC who gave Rocky Balboa a four out of ten needs his P45. This is a brilliant film and the perfect ending to a story that has spanned some 30 years.

Let me start by clarifying that although I've seen and enjoyed some of the previous Rocky films I am by no means 'a mark' or super-fan. I took this film on face value after being hooked in by the trailer that I first saw a few months ago. I was then even more galvanised to go and see it by the sheer mass of positive reviews I've read online (except the BBC punk). Thank God I did because for entertainment, enjoyment and emotion this film will not be beaten.

I won't spoil the film for people by going into acute detail but I will say the film is funny (for the right reasons), has a great soundtrack and script, well executed fight scenes and a brilliant ending which will have you feeling like your one of the crowd at the big fight itself.

The story picks up with Rocky just getting by, keeping his head down and running his restaurant 'Adrians', keeping the customers happy by regaling stories of past battles and posing for photographs with the clientel. Rock is a hurt man though, still pining for Adrian (who died of cancer) and trying to improve the difficult relationship he has with his son. The former champ also strikes up a bond with Little Marie which hints at future romance however he makes it clear that he isn't ready.

In the boxing world, the heavyweight division is in tatters, with Mason 'The Line' Dixon an unpopular champ who sweeps past all comers who are in fact all bums. The crowds have turned on him and his career is about to hit standstill. This all changes when a computerised fight catches the publics' imagination. The computer generated bout pitches The Line against The Italian Stallion and much to Dixon's chagrin, according to the computer, Balboa comes out on top.

Seeing this give Rocky the impetus to consider a return to the squared circle and take part in a few small time local fights for old times sake. When Balboa is controversially granted a boxing license the moneymen see the opportunity to cash-in and take advantage of the publicity generated by the computer fight and pit Rocky against The Line in an exhibition match.

This all plays out brilliantly on screen and is a well balanced film. The actual boxing aspect of the story only comes into play in the second half with the first half of the film giving newcomers the chance to meet the characters and giving old fans the chance to catch-up with the life of Balboa.

All in all a fine effort from all involved and you have gotta give it up to Stallone for not only starring in this, but also writing and directing proceedings. The pay-off is there for all to see and this film will rightly be a commercial and artistic success.

Having watched all the old Rocky films, I just had to watch this last one. There seemed to be mixed thoughts about the credibility of a 60-year-old former champion going into the ring one last time, but you have to see the film. Sly Stallone pulls this one off brilliantly. The old guy still has something left, 'down in the basement'!

I will not go into great lengths over this film and spoil the story for you, but it really has a great feel-good factor about it, as well as getting your heart racing sat on the edge of your seat.

The script is very well written. One line especially springs to mind:

'It isn't about the hits you give, but the hits you take and keep moving forward.'

Isn't that just so true in life?