Monday 5 May 2008

ROCKY BALBOA (2007)


I really enjoyed this much more than I expected. I always tend to under value Sly Stallone before I see his films. True, he's been in an awul lot of crap but whatever the critics have thrown at him Sly just bounces back. Every time they write off his career you can almost hear him shouting "It ain't over till it's over!" Recently I picked up the first three Rambo movies in a boxed set and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of watching them again. The first one has a little depth but the second and third are pure comic strip popcorn for the eyes and if, like me, you are politically incorrect enough not to care about the body count then there is a lot of fun to be had. ROCKY BALBOA is a sweet movie with a real heart to it. It is well written, very well acted - particularly by Sly - and very nicely directed. If you like boxing movies (I'm not really a boxing fan but I love a good boxing movie) it's very exciting. So what's not to like? It's no masterpiece but its solid entertainment and a lot better than most of the CGI fuelled dross that passes for movies these days. Rating ***

3 comments:

Cerpts said...

Ah, I'm afraid here's where you lost me. Not that I don't think what you said is true, but unlike you I don't like boxing movies (I've never even seen RAGING BULL and I hated the first ROCKY -- bored me to tears). Although I did kinda like Stallone in OSCAR. But I don't think he's ever topped the thespic heights of DEATH RACE 2000. Just a personal prejudice, what can I say.

Anyone for tennis????

Weaverman said...

I'm a bit queasy about a sport where two guys deliberately set out to cause brain damage but maybe that is why its a good backdrop for drama...THE SET UP, CHAMPION,RAGING BULL, REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT,THE HARDER THEY FALL, SOMEONE UP THERE LIKES ME etc. AND COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN.

Cerpts said...

The sad extent of my anti-boxing prejudice should be revealed whole-cloth in the fact that, of all those movies you've just listed, I've only seen the Abbott and Costello one.