Rocky Rocks!

Rating: 9/10 (11 March 2010)

A crowning achievement that, amongst other accolades, earned the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1976, "Rocky" tells the story of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a washed-up boxer who serves as a strong-arm for a loan shark by day and fights for cash in dingy clubs by night. When flashy heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) challenges him to fight, Rocky finally has a chance to prove to himself and the world that he is still worthy. With the aid of an aging trainer (Burgess Meredith), a hot-headed but loyal friend (Burt Young) and a mousy pet-store clerk, Adrian (Talia Shire) Rocky goes the distance in a bid at self-redemption.
Rocky Balboa's rags-to-riches story echoes that of Sylvester Stallone's professional career. A virtually unknown at the time, Stallone was propelled to superstardom following the film's success at the box office, and got his foot in the door not only as an iconic action hero, but also as a prolific writer/director (he would later go on to direct four out of five "Rocky" sequels while writing and starring in all of them). His portrayal of the titular character earned him an Oscar nod, and it's easy to see why. Charismatic and ultimately human as the underdog hero, this is the stuff screen legends are made of.
The script, written by Stallone himself, is focused more on the everyday life of Balboa and less on the sport itself. A boxing film with very little boxing, "Rocky" is more of a character piece where we spend the bulk of the film getting to know and sympathize with our lead so that when the third act kicks in with a rousing montage and a whopper of a fight, you're cheering him on every step of the way. The film is aided by a nostalgic soundtrack and a slight-of-hand by director John G. Avildsen. Avildsen could very well milk the sappiness at hand, but instead, keeps the film feeling raw and real, yet inspiring at the same time.
"Rocky" is, in a nutshell, a classic for the ages. It's easily Stallone's finest film and certainly had an immense impact on pop culture. Even if you don't particularly appreciate boxing or any sport for that matter, you'll find it to be a worthy, involving and inspiring underdog tale. "Rocky" is a true knock-out, time and time again.