Rocky-last :)

Rocky Balboa

Direction: Sly Stallone

Cast: Sly Stallone (J rest are not relevant)

Plot: Rocky Balboa is at a crossroads in life. He has lost his wife, his son does not want to adopt his life while looking to get away from the shadow of his life, and Rocky is left to entertaining his guests with stories of his exploits in the ring. He feels an emptiness, the feeling to accomplish something again. So against the advice of all he knows, he applies for a boxing license.

The first half of the movie is actually a small glimpse into the lives of people who have been there and done that. They realize that their chance in life has come and gone, and now its only their choice whether to take another shot or not. Rocky wants to be a part of his son’s life, make the world a better place ( this is done brilliantly through his ‘relationship’ with little marie-who thinks herself to be nobody and her son, tagged by the brilliant one liner approximately “you never forget bad insults”).

The present day boxing champ is going through a crisis of his own, he is undefeated and cannot find anyone to fight against-someone who can stretch him and create a legacy for him. To add insult computer simulations show him being defeated by Rocky. So, when his promoters hear that Rocky has managed to get a license (by a rant to the panel –a literal gobbly dock), they set up a fight err a sparring match. Rocky responds as only he can, the amazingly cool 60 yr old does weights and trains his battle hardened body some more. ( I loved that part-he actually trains, and the famous library is shown… Rocky the Philadelphia slugger is back :D) After taunts et all ( this part of the movie is badly done), Rocky fights he defending champ. That is best part of the movie. The champ injures his hand and this makes a fight even for some time and they trade punch after punch (even though this could have been real time instead of slow motion).

The true cinematic moment comes when rocky is down on one knee and the whole audience is cheering him to get up (this is the theatre audience is downtown Mumbai J, including yours truly) and he down to a deafening roar. In the end he loses the match 2-1 after full 10 rounds but the point has been made, the people’s champion still has the spirit and goes down blazing.

Stallone has done a very good job of directing the movie. The pace picks up during the fight sequence (after some boring 15 min in between) and scenes from the previous series are brilliantly injected. There is continuity in characters, language and tone of the movie ( I have seen 3 of them) and the characteristic rocky theme song just gives you goose bumps.

I grew up with Stallone’s action movies and he does not let me down (even with a non working lower lip-seizure apparently) in what is probably his last act. Thank god Pradosh asked me for the movie.

You got to have pride and do what you have to do.

Rating: 7/10