Does the ex-Champion have what it takes to go the distance.

In Brief
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is now widowed and lives off of memories of his past greatness. He owns a small restaurant and entertains the customers with his tales of the fights he has had in his illustrious career. A face from the past, a young girl at the time and now a woman, enters his life and being the warm hearted guy he is offers to help her out anyway he can. He offers her a job in his restaurant and tries to teach her son a little of what he has learnt over the years. The reigning heavyweight Champion Mason "The Line" Dixon (Antonio Tarver), in a virtual fight between computer generated boxers of different era's using there fighting stats as a 'what if' looses to Rocky on a boxing commentary TV programme. Rocky is seen as the benchmark for all to follow. This excites Rocky and he want to fight again, not for the Championship but just a few local fights as he misses it. His son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia) is against the idea thinking it will show him up and he will be ridiculed but Rocky has made his mind up and teaches his son that it is his life and he has to stand up for what he believes no matter what other people think. Rocky is approached by Dixon's trainer and offered a charity match as the speculation with the public over the virtual fight has rekindled there interest and Dixon need to beat the Legend to boost his popularity. With that in mind he gets the help of Apollo Creeds former trainer Duke (Tony Burton) and with Paulie (Burt Young) and Rocky Jr. helping him he goes back into training. With the onset of old age, even though he is still fit, and from the injuries suffered from his career his training regime is vastly cut down from his usual routine so he must make what he does count. Make every punch he lands hurt. Dixon is young and at the top of his game so Rocky must find a way to stand toe to toe with the champ and make it all the way.

1st Time Around
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. With the onset of age Stallone doesn't try to be anything that his isn't and plays Rocky as the legend that he is. I think this film is a marked improvement over the last few films as is better scripted and better thought out. The story seems to be how Stallone wants the the series to end, on a high, as he brings the feeling back of a man fighting against the odds to fulfill a dream and does so well. The familiar faces are back, Paulie as his now deceased wife's brother and Duke as Apollo's trainer. From the start the nostalgia of the previous films is evident from the iconic theme tune to Rocky's training and a strong hook for people who grew up with Rocky, as I did. This film ties up all the loose ends left by the previous films and is a fitting tribute to the Rocky series. The ending I found great as the fight didn't look like it was done in a studio and shows that you don't need to be the best to be 'the best'. This is not a classic but worth anybodies time especially for the Rocky fans.

2nd Time Around
With the improvement over the last few this and the feel good factor back this is worth watching again but really only the devoted will want to keep watching it. If it comes on the TV and you need a Rocky fix then this will do it for you.

7/10