I’ve never started a Cafe Society thread before. Haven’t even posted here too terribly much, but I like to read everyone’s opinions.
I saw Rocky Balboa the other day. Now, I was a big fan of Rocky I which came out the year I was born. Rocky II was decent. Rocky III and IV were silly, are dated, but I find watchable. I only saw five minutes of Rocky VI and turned it off.
This new one, is much more in the spirit of the first Rocky. There is no cartoonish villain. His opponent, Mason Dixon, is not terribly likable, but he is basically a spoiled, cocky athlete. Sure, he has his money and his entourage, but he is much more Apollo Creed than he is Mr. T; he has his likable moments.
Besides, the movie isn’t about that. It’s Rocky dealing with being an old man, and wanting to let out that last bit of fight he has in him. Sure, it’s sappy and somewhat unrealistic (though I think they dealt with this pretty well), but it was well done, well written, well acted and fun. They dealt with the age thing well, and managed to make the fight relatively realistic in its competitiveness (spoiler that I won’t reveal here).
I’m a grown man and I got a bit teary a few times during it. Anyone else like it?
My experience with Rocky movies was seeing Rocky IV (that’s the one with the Russian, right?) when I was little, but the Rocky Balboa reviews got me curious. I enjoyed it for the same reasons you did, although I felt really sorry for the dog being taken along on runs.
No, not at all. Rocky was a good movie, Rocky II was obviously pandering to the masses, but decent enough, but IMHO the franchise cratered with the next installment, and the latest offering, meh.
Am I one of the few that has seen the original movie but never seen any of the sequels?
I loved "Rocky’. But I could not understand how there were any sequels without changing the original premise so much that it was ludicrous.
In the original movie Rocky was a journeyman fighter given a chance by the reigning champion.
In the sequels , (from what I understand) Rocky seems to be a super-fighter. Makes no sense if you see the original.
NO ! Rocky Balboa thread ?!
Rocky whoa? :rolleyes: Oh, you mean that man Wierd Al Yankovik sang about? You know, that man who is fat and weak and sings “try the rye or the kaiser…” as he stays hungry in his neighborhood deli…
I liked it well enough. It’s not an instant classic or anything but it was good-hearted, inspirational stuff to see over the holiday season. My seven year old son liked it as well. I never really followed the previous films so I don’t know how it “compares” but, on its own, it was good times.
In the fight scenes and at the hotel, was that Sly’s real build or was it jazzed up by the magic of computers? That dude was pretty friggin’ massive and made the Mason Dixon character look puny. 'Specially for his age.
Yeah, and I think Dixon is actually a fighter in real life. Stallone dwarfed him in musculature.
I’m not sure that boxers have to pass a steroid test, but I’m pretty sure Stallone couldn’t right now! I’m sure they got him with good makeup and good lighting and good angles, but regardless, the guy’s body is in ridiculous shape for his age. For half his age.
I think people are assuming that this one is just another Rocky movie throwaway, but it is quite different from all of the sequels. Hell, he doesn’t even get the offer to box until almost an hour into the movie. The boxing is almost an afterthought. My wife (who has a crush on Stallone) was disappointed that the training montage was less than a minute long. The fight was probably only ten minutes.
That’s good to know. When they showed him talking to Marie in the hotel room doorway, my son was whispering to me about how big he was. He’s all about the cartoons like Dragonball Z and I think he was really impressed when I told him that this guy was for real and not just some cartoon.
Antonio Tarver is 28 years old, 6’2" and circa 175-180 lbs., Sylvester Stallone is 60 years old, maybe 5’9" and who knows how heavy, he certainly ain’t lean like Tarver. This movie matchup is worse than a cartoon.
I’m with you, Fiveyearlurker. Damn good movie, intelligently written, well acted, poignant and restrained. A super way to end the franchise. (I thought the scene w/Rocky and his son on the sidewalk was one of the best in the movie.)
Followed this film with the Casino Royale the next day. The first Bond movie I’ve seen in its entirety since Connery.
I especially liked that they went out of their way to establish HOW Rocky could realisticly go up against the champ. The champ is not in his best shape, has only been fighting duds for the last few years AND injures his hand in the first or second round.
Tarver (playing Mason Dixon) is 38. I also doubt he’s 6’2" (boxers are notorious for exaggerating their height). He bulked up to around 200 pounds for the role.
I especially liked how they avoided the obvious cliche opportunities regarding the potential love interest and her kid. This could have easily turned into a horrid predictable unrealistic mess. Rocky and Rocky Jr’s relationship was also kept very subdued and restrained.
Rocky’s relationship with her and her kid (as well as his own son) potentially could have become an over-the-top schmaltzfest. Instead, it was completely convincing and realistically portrayed.
Also, the actress who played the supporting role was quite the subtle blue-collar hottie
