Rocky Balboa (2006) Review

Rocky Balboa (2006)

Following the passing of his beloved Adrian, Rocky Balboa follows Rocky, who after a computer simulation pits him against the current champ, Mason “The Line” Dixon, he is spurred to come out of retirement for one last ride. 

The often overlooked but just as wonderful sixth and final outing for the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa gives the former champ the sendoff he truly deserved all along. It also feels like more of a return to form than V could ever dream of and that’s because Stallone simply understands Rocky on a fundamental level. He brings him back to his roots and unlike before, he’s content, aside from the passing of Adrian that is. There are no regrets or longing to leave and that’s important for a guy like Rocky, who is as much apart of Philadelphia as it is him. Grounding this story to him and his life after boxing is crucial because it not only feels deeply personal again but it allows his to nurture existing and new connections in a way we haven’t been able to in far too long. 

It also provides an excellent statement as to the current times of boxing, where even today we see grizzled boxers like Tyson and Holyfield coming out of retirement to prove they still have it. Rocky is no different. You can take the fight out of the dog but you can’t take the dog out of the fight, no matter how old apparently. And while Dixon is certainly no Creed or Drago, that further drives home the point that boxing just isn’t what it used to be. 

We get a pretty nice cast here as well, featuring Tony Burton, Milo Ventimiglia, Antonio Tarver, Burt Young, Geraldine Hughes, and Sylvester Stallone. Stallone, in his last (solo) outing as Balboa quite honestly kills it, not only delivering a riveting reprisal of the role that made him famous but also getting at the roots of what has always made Rocky compelling, that, when bolstered by the return of Hughes as ‘Little Marie’, gives us an incredibly heartfelt picture which some much needed sincerity in the absence of Talia Shire. 

Rocky Balboa, directed by Sylvester Stallone, is truly a fitting end for such a storied character, instilling hope and inspiration in us once last time while defying the odds like only he knows how, in this final entry that more than deserves a spot among the pantheon of great Rocky movies. 

7.8/10