by Massie Twins

Created on: March 22, 2008   Last Updated: September 19, 2008

Despite Rocky's bouts with rowdy bar folk, the loss of his wife, the disheartening separation from his son, and the arrogant boxing champion rival, the real fight in Rocky Balboa is whether or not the film should have been made. Not without moments of emotional drama and white-knuckle boxing suspense, Balboa ultimately loses the battle.

Former heavyweight boxing champion Rocky "The Italian Stallion" Balboa runs a small Italian restaurant in Philadelphia years after retiring from his longstanding boxing career. During a news debate, a computer simulated boxing match between Rocky and the current champion Mason "The Line" Dixon proves Balboa to be the victor, which reinvigorates his nearly lost passion for fighting. Interested only in local matches to relieve some of the pressures of his life, Rocky is approached by Dixon's representatives who wish to stage the real version of the factitious fight. Rocky must decide if the high profile exhibition match is really worth the physical risks, along with the possible loss of his pride and fulfilling his need to get back into the ring.

Back in 1976 Hollywood was introduced to the first Rocky film, an awe-inspiring underdog movie, made with a small budget, no-name actors and a truly inspiring script, penned by Sylvester Stallone. Who knew that four sequels would spawn from the adventures of the unsophisticated Philadelphia arm-twister who dreamed of boxing with the pros? After exponentially diminishing interest and equally faltering stories, the sixth film would have to introduce us to some aspect of the Italian Stallion's life that we haven't yet explored. But when each film revolves around a boxing match, there are only so many possibilities. Rocky either wins or loses, and if he loses, he still manages to achieve what's important to him, such as staying in the ring for the full ten rounds.

While diehard fans were thrilled, the majority of moviegoers were skeptical upon the announcement of a sixth film in the Rocky franchise; and rightly so. Sylvester Stallone manages to reproduce the lovable character with recognizable charm and personality, but what of his physicality, and his fighting career? At a staggering 60 years old, who would believe that the Balboasaurus could pull off a convincing match? Stallone, who is in better shape than nearly everyone half his age, does indeed portray an aging fighter admirably. His performance is convincing due to a script purposefully molded around the fact that he's obviously past

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