Former heavyweight champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) steps out of retirement and back into the ring, pitting himself against a new rival decades after his initial glory. When a computer simulated boxing match declares Rocky Balboa the victor over current champion Mason "The Line" Dixon, the legendary fighter's passion and spirit are reignited. But when his desire to fight in small, regional competitions is trumped by promoters calling for a rematch of the cyber-fight, Balboa must weigh the mental and physical risks of a high profile exhibition match against his need to be in the ring.

Rocky Balboa is almost good enough that I can forgive them for Rocky V, almost. At times Balboa seems like an apology for making the fifth movie, which was so very bad. You can blame the fifth installment of the series for being so bad for several reasons, and first and foremost was that Sylvester Stallone had nothing left to say about the character that had made him oh so famous and one more underdog story from a character that stopped being relevant was a terrible way to wrap up a series that had been very good at times and very iconic and cheesy at other times. But with Balboa, Stallone finally has something to say again, his life once again mirrors that of his most famous persona, he has hit hard times again, long gone is the fame and all that seems to be left is memories and stories of a better time. Rocky falling upon hard times and wanting one last moment in the sun is similar to Stallone’s career where long gone are the days when he was a headliner and bringing Rocky back the big screen is like Balboa stepping into the ring once more. Stallone once more is an underdog and we can find ourselves wrapped into the story and rooting for Rocky like we once did.

It also helps that the Balboa returns to the formula that made it a best picture winner and not just a fun and cheesy sports film. When you watch the first Rocky film it was never about Rocky’s ability to win the fight with Apollo Creed it was about his ability to be able to stand toe to toe with Creed for fifteen rounds and go the distance, to be good enough to compete with the best. That is what Balboa is about to, its not about him beating Dixon but rather his ability to still compete, still have something left in him that allows him to stand toe to toe with another fighter who should easily destroy him. That is the myth that is Rocky, he didn’t technically with the fight with Creed but he was still a winner regardless.

If you watch Rocky II-V that changes, its no longer about his ability to overcome all obstacles just to compete but instead him overcoming all obstacles to actually win. This is highlighted by the fourth film where he faces a Russian Juggernaut that killed Creed and that should kill him but he wins not only the fight but the hearts of a Russian people that in the height of the cold war should hate him. That is why five didn’t work because it was no longer Rocky but rather the clichéd idea of an underdog fighter and that is why Balboa works because regardless of Rocky winning or losing by just stepping into the ring and giving it everything he has Rocky has already won and we win as the viewers in a movie where we can finally cheer for Rocky again.

I have never been much of a fan of Stallone’s acting it was always this comical kind of tragic like acting that only fit certain characters and stories. Rocky is one of those characters though, the loveable slurring fool with a heart ten times the size of his ability. He finally remembered what made him famous and what once got him a nomination for best actor. It’s hard to not like Rocky, he’s kind and once more he is poignant. With loss of Adrian once more he must find himself in the only place he was ever any good the boxing ring. Burt Young is also back as the quasi villain/hero Paulie who you just have to love to hate at time. He means well but is own nature almost always ruins his good intentions. You have to miss Mickey though who added some toughness and humanity to the story and of course Adrian who was Rocky’s heart and inspiration. This is one though is about Stallone fighting his inner demons through Rocky as he fights his and it makes for good cinema and a great apology for Rocky V.

Grade: B+