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Directed by: Sylvester Stallone Starring: Sylvestor Stallone Finally, we have the conclusion of the Rocky series. After Rocky V had left such a terribly sour taste in our mouths, I had thought we'd heard the last of our hero, but to my surprise I later saw the preview trailer to Rocky Balboa. The premise? A 60 year old Stallone playing an equally old Rocky, going back into the boxing ring. I laughed to myself just about it as much as the next person. In the age of remakes - this did not seem like a breath of fresh air. But, I didn't have much else to do on this Wednesday night so I said, "What the hell?" and bought myself a ticket. A brief summary: Rocky, long retired from boxing, now owns a restaurant where he serves Italian food and tells boxing tales to his customers. He is now a widower, has few friends (except for Paulie, of course), and his son seems to have very little respect for him. Rocky is deemed a has-been and his legacy is even called "overrated" by sports critics. Rocky then, with an impulse to prove himself, applies for a boxing license. Around the same time, the current heavy weight champion, Mason "The Line" Dixon, is not going through the best of times either. Dixon is apparently such a talented boxer he has yet to actually have any long, drawn out fights, leaving his fans few and far between. Dixon's managers, with the intention of making quite a bit of money, decide to plan an exhibition match between Rocky and Dixon. While Dixon, and the majority of people decide to treat the whole event as a joke, Rocky sees this as his final opportunity to show the world what he's really made of. My review: I have to say that I was very impressed by this movie. I initially came into the theatre not expecting very much. As I stated, in our current age of remakes and rehashes from various directors, I felt the idea of a fresh, new Rocky movie was one of many impossible feats. Thankfully I was wrong. The chemistry between all the characters, especially Stallone and Burt Young, has never been more true. The movie ran closely parallel to the first Rocky, making several memorable references to it and echoing an effective (and not over-done) air of nostalgia. While it may have taken awhile for the movie to really capture me, by the time it did I was cheering for Rocky to kick some rear end, and not just in the ring. And dspite how ridiculous the story may sound, I found myself grinning all the way to the end. Stallone has shown us that the aging of the character is actually something very effective. This Rocky, despite being so much older, draws us in deeper than ever before. He is, in a sense, a very new character to us. I give it a 4.5/5. I think I might go see it again. RATING: 4.5 PROS: An appropriate wrap up to a lengthy movie series. CONS: The story is fairly ridiculous/unrealistic. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0479143/
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Dec 21, 2006 11:11
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I thought this movie was very, very good - I, probably like most people, went in thinking it'll be a decent Rocky movie, with some good fights and montages, and I'd leave decently satisfied, but I got far more. This movie is actually very touching - Rocky visits almost every single memorable place from Rocky I, not simply for the sake of "hey, Rocky I reference!" but rather because he is remembering his first date with Adrian, and I felt it worked very, very well. Stallone really nailed an aging Rocky struggling with his has-been nature, and the sadness of having lost the love of his life, and is slowly losing his son's love, as well as his formerly adoring fans. I think my favorite "little" thing of the movie (almost insignificant spoiler, doesn't reveal plot at all, but I'll spoiler it anyway) is the fact that for a majority of the final battle, it is set up to look like you're watching an actual boxing match - real ads plastered everywhere, announcers and on-screen statistics, HBO's logo, and even a round-countdown in the bottom right corner - it was a neat little touch. One complaint is that when the boxing match simulator first goes, everyone says "You know what, I LOVE Rocky! He could take down Dixon in a SECOND!" and then five minutes later, everyone thinks Rocky sucks. Overall, I would say a 5/5. Go ahead and see it; it's fun 
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Dec 21, 2006 18:32
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The best (and most character driven) of the series since the original, and the perfect way to send the series off in my opinion. While I highly enjoyed the fight, I actually enjoyed the buildup in this one even a little more. Rocky's come full circle, and he's no longer living in a mansion, driving sports cars, and talking with a robot butler. He lives in a modest house back in south Philly, and has a meager little twilight life. He tries so hard to get involved with people, to give them a leg up, to find some meaning to his life besides living in the past, that your heart really leaps out for the guy. The whole speech to his son Life will beat you down harder than any man. It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit, and still move forward. was incredibly moving. It really sums up Rocky's entire pugnacious existence, and ain't exactly bad for general all purpose inspiration, either. Yeah, it's a Rocky movie, and it's got cheese. The guy can be a sap at times, and lets be honest about the boxing. Pro wrestling is more real than Rocky boxing. But dammit, I've never been interested in a real boxing match in my life, and I love this poo poo, okay! 4.5/5, what a treat for the holidays. I highly recommend this one.
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Dec 22, 2006 02:54
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I loved this movie, it gave me a warm feeling inside, and I found myself rooting for Rocky the whole way. And how about his trainer Good old fashioned blunt force trauma--Let's start buildin' some hurtin' bombs.I'd a much more motivated person if that guy could hit me with that speech every morning! 5/5
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Dec 22, 2006 07:40
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Wow. Talk about the underdog of the year. Who wasn't expecting this movie to be just as cash cow? Thank God, Stallone handled this sixth and final installment like he should have. He made it a necessary continuation of the story, to wrap up the series after the crap that was V. Since the synopsis and main points have already been covered (and I agree with all of them), I will just say that it was hard for me to hold back tears at some parts in Rocky Balboa. I guess since I've seen the movies so many times over the years I just wanted some good ole rear end wooping and less hurt. I liked the fact that there was an emotional U-turn about 60% of the way through, and things got down to business when the fanfare blared out. People were standing up and cheering--I poo poo you not. Also, I heard beforehand that Rocky was going to die in the fight And I'm glad that didn't happen. I liked how it ended on a good note. It gave closure. The only thing I partially complain about is the way the fight was shot. I did like that it started out like an actual PPV showing and then progressed into the ring as if one were actualy there, but I didn't like the flashing/bluriness. I did like the cuts to b&w, although, it happened almost too much. I guess I would have rather had the shots like the older movies, at least when it progressed to actually being in the ring and not the PPV cam. Also, I can't really remember: were the sound effects really overdone like the older movies? Such as when one fighter hit another it made a huge boom. I really dug that, and I can't remember if they used it much here--I think they did toward the end. These complaints were extremely minor and do not take away from the experience at all. Rating: KO'ed/5
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Dec 22, 2006 09:06
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With Rocky being my favorite movie of all time, I had looked forward to this movie for a while. I finally got the chance to catch it tonight, alone thankfully, and I was more than pleased. It felt like real closure and a real final installment to the great franchise, and I walked out with that dryness in your throat you get when feeling a little emotional. Some of my favorite parts included the speech to his son after he agrees to the fight. This franchise is full of cheesy pep talks and this was one of the best.. I also liked the part during the fight when it was the final round and he was down on one knee telling himself to get up and the music was great and I was all hell yeah.. Probably what I liked the best were all of the little throwbacks and memories from the older movies. As an avid fan of the whole franchise, these made me warm inside, like when he revisited the first date, and when they would show the little flashbacks and such. Plus the whole Marie bit, though a bit cheesey, I found very cool because I didn't know about it at all. I rank it 2nd behind the first movie in my personal list. 5 Oh I forgot, "No little Marie, it's not alright!" You're the man, Rocko. Edit: Oh poo poo how could I forget Spider loving Rico. Haha best throwback cameo ever. tuckfard fucked around with this message at 01:57 on Dec 23, 2006 |
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Dec 23, 2006 01:46
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I love Rocky movies. I don't know why...but I consider them all equally enjoyable. Rocky I and II are truly solid films with a story and with depth, and Rocky III and IV are mostly cheeseball films with the same ideas, but I just love them. Rock is the kind of character that makes us really identify with so much about himself, and the stuff we don't idenify with, we still get. Rocky has been crafted and honed into one of the most lovable, human, and relatable characters ever, and this movie makes a fine closing for ol' Rocko. The story might be a bit more silly and less believable, but its still very enjoyable, as is everything leading up to the inevitable fight. If you love the Rocky movies, this is a great addition. If you don't, you might not get or like it, but that is probably your fault and not poor Rocky's. 4.5/5
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Dec 23, 2006 09:07
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I just got back from the showing. I watched Rocky 3 and 4 the last couple nights to get pumped up. What a piece of poo poo this was. I know I'm in the minority here, but there were so many problems with this movie that I don't even know where to begin. My biggest gripe was how overly dramatic it was, and how it repeatedly plays the nostalgia card. The writing was poo poo, the pacing was poo poo, and the premise was poo poo. Even the boxing was poo poo. At least where the last Rockys failed in plot, they made up for it in action. The action in this was even terrible. Stallone should have hung up the series after number four. I could have trimmed this film down to about 20 minutes, and it would have been as cohesive. Easily one of the worst films I've seen in the last couple of years. .5/5 il serpente cosmico fucked around with this message at 10:11 on Dec 23, 2006 |
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Dec 23, 2006 10:09
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What a terrible, terrible movie. It was about 5 minutes of training, 10 minutes of fighting, and about 90 minutes of boring, rehashed nostalgia and overweening, cliched life messages. At least the first Rocky films had some compelling fight sequences to make it worth your time. If you saw the first films and you thought they were average, then please do NOT see this film. There's nothing new whatsoever. 1/5
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Dec 23, 2006 10:24
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I have to say, I liked this Rocky movie a lot. I do agree that the first 2/3 of the movie seems to drag on a bit, but the fight scene at the end was fantastic. The way they made it seem like a real PPV fight, to me, made it even cooler. It really does rely on the first 4 movies to make you fully appreciate this movie. My only real gripes about the movie is how everyone is so easily swayed into taking Rocky's side. For instance: How his son just completely does a 180 on his life after Rocky's "speech". Or how his love interest (for lack of a better term) tells him she doesn't need his charity but then all of a sudden decides to work at his restaurant. The biggest problem is how the state athletic commission just rolls over and gives him a license.. Overall though, I really enjoyed it. That being said, I still think III and IV were better movies. 4/5
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Dec 23, 2006 19:16
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This was, by far, the slowest movie I have ever seen in my entire life - and I'm a fan of slow-paced Japanese cinema. I've seen all the Rocky movies. I like a few of them. Rocky Balboa just doesn't have anything of substance in the entire flick. The acting and dialog are painful, it takes forever to get to the match and by that time I really just wanted to get the hell out of the theater. I understand it's about nostalgia and happy memories and all that, but really, showing old locations and clips from the five previous movies with a sad piano version of the theme for hours gets boring real, real fast. The message may be to never give up, but I've never wanted to give up on a movie more. 0.5/5
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Dec 24, 2006 17:21
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This is my favorite Rocky movie besides II, for all the reasons already stated above. The buildup to the fight was phenomenal, and the training montage still gets me pumped up. My sister, who wanted to watch the Pursuit of Happyness, enjoyed this movie as well. 4.5/5
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Dec 25, 2006 01:08
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This movie kinda confused me. The whole buildup was horribly cliche and over-dramatic, with the scene in the bar being painful to watch. Stalone was the only actor I really thought was great, and everytime he talked it felt like a Rocky flic again. Otherwise, the whole cast which included such cliches as angry weeded up kid who learns better in the end, angry black youth who learns to work hard in the end, son who puts work ahead of family, girl who has lost hope by finds it in the end, friend who loses hope and finds it in the end was not that interesting. The fight scene was great though. It seemed to rush towards it, which was fine by me. The way they handled that fight made the movie worthwhile, but I'm not sure that earns it a 4+ 3/5
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Dec 25, 2006 20:45
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Good film. I wasn't expecting much, honestly, as I've always felt the series was a little too drawn out. But I got my monies worth, I suppose. The story was strong, and every characters all had a point to them being there (Except Steps, and Rocky's old "fighting buddy", Spider, I suppose). The fight was a fast, and very predictable. You don't even have to sit halfway through the first one to know that at some point Sylvester's gonna go "Awite... I can do dis!" and either tie, or win. The fact that he lost was pretty surprising, to me, actually. I thought they would have tied. All in all, it was a good movie. A little slow, but everything had a point. Over all, I'd give it a 4.5/5 stars.
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Dec 25, 2006 21:44
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In an age where Hollywood can seemingly do nothing but remake the remakes, Rocky Balboa is actually an interesting breath of fresh air, with a familiar little scent to it. The movie itself plays on the theme of nostalgia, and that's what this is. I've always been the kind of person that can fall in love with a franchise and ask myself the "Where are they now, what are they doing" questions about the characters. This was a great way to end the series. It's a throwback to fans, old and new alike. If you don't cry a manly tear watching this you're some kind of elitist fag or something. It's a great flick for a lot of older guys like myself who think 'maybe we got one last fight in us.' Rocky definitely thinks we do. I'm not gonna say this is Rocky good, but it's definitely Rocky 2 good. 4.5 / 5
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Dec 27, 2006 05:14
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The horribly blatant product placement ruined this one for me. The fight was decent, but the fact that there were a billion GOLDENPALACE.COM ads all through it really ruined the whole thing for me. It leeches off the other Rocky movies, Stallone uses the flashback way too often and in all the wrong places, making the whole thing seem tacky. Marie isn't half the character Adrian is, and Stallone and the only one who puts in a decent performance onscreen. There shouldn't have been any Rocky movies after Rocky IV, and I hope this puts the nail in the coffin for good. 2/5
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Dec 27, 2006 18:57
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Konstantin posted:The horribly blatant product placement ruined this one for me. The fight was decent, but the fact that there were a billion GOLDENPALACE.COM ads all through it really ruined the whole thing for me. Not to start a discussion in TFD, but I think the movie was commenting on the massive retardation in real-life boxing in several ways, including that one. GOLDENPALACE.COM in real life shits all over everything they can like it did in the movie. Anyway, on to my review: this movie is a silly Rocky movie, sure. But it is way better than it has any right to be. It starts slowly, but takes a respectable stab at drama thanks to Stallone's - get this - acting. And the fight is good too. If I had to criticize the movie, it would be for having too many conversations that came off as inspirational speeches, too much flashback use, and kind of odd pacing...slow drama to start, rushed in the middle and then a just-right fight sequence at the end. But that makes it sound less fun than it actually was. 3.5/5. I expected it to be more like 1-2, but there you go. sean10mm fucked around with this message at 01:37 on Dec 28, 2006 |
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Dec 28, 2006 01:34
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I thought this was the second best Rocky movie. I thought it took what was good about the first movie and blended it into a modern story. At times it was a bit preachy and it didn't leave you with a feeling that this could actually happen like the first Rocky. However, suspending disbelief and accepting that there were sequels in which Rocky was the consumate underdog who won yet still wonevery fight and was one of the greatest fighters ever, it works. I found myself connecting with Rocky the most I have since the original. In a lot of ways this felt like the "Dark Knight Returns" of the Rocky series. 4/5
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Dec 28, 2006 09:48
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I thought this was a great movie. It especially like that Stallone didn't try anything over the top here. Instead of trying to give Rocky insurmountable challenges, Rocky Balboa actually knows its place and tones things down a bit, giving us a believable movie. This is a great end to the Rocky series. What I especially love is how the series parallels Stallone himself. The first movie was about a bum coming out of no where and gaining fame and popularity, which is exactly what it did for Stallone. Rocky Balboa is about an aging man making one last attempt to show the world what he's really made of. This movie was Stallone proving to the world that he can be more than the joke he has been for the last 10 years, And he did it by writing a modest character driven movie with a modest and believeable goal. 4.5/5
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Dec 31, 2006 03:20
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Although I can't say all of the Rocky movies were great it's sad to see it finally come to an end. You can't help but be a fan of the character. I really liked how the movie basically focused on his life and the fight and training didn't consume the whole movie. It's not about the fight. I thought the "reality" boxing was kinda cool at first but I actually think I would have preferred the older Rocky style of the matches. It's cool that they tried to make it more modern but I miss the classic style. One thing I didn't like, as previously stated, was the quick cuts, flashbacks, switching to black and white, and the spot coloring. I wouldn't have minded it if they hadn't used it so much. One flashback I really enjoyed was the one involving Mickey pushing him to not stop. Overall, I really enjoyed it. 4/5 EDIT: Did anyone else think Burt Young looked like he was going to keel over and die? Maybe it was the make-up but he looked really bad for being only 66. Corb3t fucked around with this message at 08:56 on Dec 31, 2006 |
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Dec 31, 2006 08:53
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I saw this flick over the weekend, and I was pretty impressed. Spoilering some plot points Going in, I knew Rocky wasn't going to be fighting like he did when he was going against Clubber Lang, or Ivan Drago, so I expected an exhibition of sorts. I had also heard he died, so I was glad that didn't happen either. I was dissapointed that his son chose not to pursue some kind of boxing career, and the final installment wasn't Rock showing his kid, and other kids the joys of boxing in Mickey's old Gym. I had always pictured Rocky becoming Mic, not running a restaurant. It was slow to develop, but I felt the nostalgia added to the overall feel good emotion the film was going for. 4.5
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Jan 2, 2007 19:43
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Rocky is back... i think he should have stayed hidden, old man go die ... 1/5
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Jan 14, 2007 21:40
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This movie has a lot of heart. Normally I dislike films that are a bit too cheesy or slightly lame but Rocky really succeeds at adding some soul and the ending is a huge inspiration to kids out there. Put into perspective with the older movies, this is the best way Rocky could've gone out---not dead, not dying, not old, but still standing, strong as ever. You could feel the energy come off of Stallone as just this enormous force, this looming warrior, just a really, really big guy with a big heart and a bigger will. You can see Rocky start to become less stoic and more human in his older age, you can see him stand in time while the world around him shifts. Stallones enthusiastic effort in this film make it a real must see for Rocky vets out there. As the character has grown older so has everyone who's seen the film---everyone can relate to Rocky. Put into perspective with todays films, Rocky still succeeds at a personal level, because Stallone is likable. His character is like a friendly, gregarious and full of wise, grizzled advice. Just like the Rocky's before this he has a shadow of perseverance covering his will and a resolve that no man can break. The movie alone is worth the final fight which pays off very well in the end and probably the best way Stallone could've ended the franchise. I'm not ashamed to say that I was very moved at Rockys older portrayal because its a great testament to time. His acting while not particularly spectacular did retain a very human and relatable quality makes the movie feel like one huge labor of love. The final fight that Rocky endures is a good payoff; not only do we see Rocky finally add some closure to his career, but we get to see Rocky at the top of his game, droves of fans around him cheering him and becoming inspired by him. The tension and pressure up until this one fight is monumental and is a perfect way to end the Rocky series. Its something that might've left a bad taste in my mouth, but rather ends up being heartwarming and inspirational. In the end, it prevails at a personal level but at also being a great film. If you want to watch something put a huge glassy eyed grin on your face then watch Rocky's latest film, you'll feel ready to take on life headfirst and stand up and fight for something. Pros: Its Rocky, but its also a great Rocky movie. Final fight pays off well, decent dialogue and great way to end the series once and for all Cons: maybe a bit too cheesy at points, but its not that big a deal. 5/5
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Jan 15, 2007 00:04
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Talk about really getting into the depths of Rocky's character. Stallone puts Balboa's heart on screen for everyone to see. Great acting in a great movie. Just dont take it too seriously.
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Jan 20, 2007 00:02
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The story was weak, clearly the weakest of all the rocky movies. Its the typical rocky story nothing even remotely different and it feels like it was put together in about 10 minutes. I did like it though and I suppose I shouldnt really have expected more. It is however the worst movie of the 6 and in my opinion shouldnt have ever even been concieved of, let alone made.
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Jan 21, 2007 14:23
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Another loving retarded Rocky movie that will seem good to people who eat fiberglass insulation in their free time.
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Jan 24, 2007 01:33
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I loved the first Rocky movie. It was one of the first films I really remember as a child. I love boxing and the excitement it brings. After the first Rocky came all the other films some hits and misses, more miss than hits. After being burned on the last film I went into this one in doubt. The pace of the first part is slow and is supposed to make you get some of those old feelings back for Rocky, then the second half, is well the same stuff we are used to from the past Rocky films. Nothing new here, just walking through the same old formula that we have seen since 1976. I did not find myself disliking Mason Dixon. I felt nothing about him or any of the other people in the film. The only person I felt anything for was Bill Conti wasting his great talent on this film. If you have never seen a Rocky film, do not start with this one. Watch the first film Rocky, then Rocky IV and save this turkey for DVD. Pro: The Rocky series has closure Con: Poor acting, weak storyline, too many ads, too long 2/5
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Jan 29, 2007 13:42
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I was really curious how they were going to pull it off. I mean, another Rocky movie? Isn't he a bit old now? I gotta say. I was very surprised. The build up was nice. Some characters and plots of the story could have been taken out all together. My only real complaint is the training/fight. I know this movie isn't all about this but drat if they didn't suck. The training was just all of about 1 minute. And the fight was just too fake/slow paced for me. I mean of course all the movies are incredibly fake and choreographed. But for some reason this one was just worse than the rest. 4/5
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Oct 29, 2007 23:11
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