 If you've ever lived near Philadelphia, PA, then you probably know how much the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa, means to the City of Brotherly Love. The Rocky character is a true American icon loved the world over. But it is here, in this special city, where his legacy lies.
Growing up in the area, the Rocky films have come to mean a great deal. Rocky is the quintessential underdog. Especially here in the USA, we love to root for the underdog because when they succeed, it gives us hope and makes us feel that anything is possible.
When it was revealed that there was going to be another Rocky movie, many groaned, "enough was enough already.” Sylvester Stallone, at age 60, was just way too old now for this sort of thing, and could never pull it off successfully. But then there were those of us who knew better.
Years have gone by since last we saw Rocky, who is now a widower living on his own, estranged from his son (Milo Ventimiglia) and still mourning the loss of his beloved wife, Adrian. Rocky takes an annual journey to all the places he took Adrian on their classic first date together. From the pet store and the ice rink to Rocky's original apartment building, the date is recreated through flashbacks from the first film. The look of aching sadness on Rocky's face says it all; he is unable to let go of the past.
 Now, Rocky has his own restaurant, where he greets his customers and regales them with stories of past glory. Though making a successful living, there is still, as he puts it, "some stuff left in the basement," deep inside of him. A rage that has been pent up ever since his wife's passing, that he must get out of himself and conquer in order to move on with his life. The only way for him to do that is by going back in the ring. This idea is met with skepticism, but Rocky can't let it go. When a computer simulated match between Rocky and the current reigning heavyweight champion of the world, Mason 'The Line' Dixon (played by real life boxer Antonio Tarver), is played on TV, showing Rocky as the victor, talk of an actual exhibition match between the real fighters begins to spread like wildfire. It's very refreshing that the role of Mason Dixon is not that of your typical bad guy/villain. Here we actually get to see, understand, and even sympathize with his situation, instead of merely despising him just because he's Rocky's opponent. This adds a much more well-rounded and multilayered dimension to the character.
 No Rocky film is complete without a training montage, and this film's got it in spades. Bill Conti's music shines once again and still packs the same emotional punch that it did for all the previous installments. (Gotta love that "Gonna Fly Now" Rocky theme.) It's also nice to see some familiar faces, such as Spider Rico (Pedro Lovell), and of course Apollo Creed's trainer, Duke (Tony Burton), who's back to train Rocky one final time. Stallone has the character of Rocky so integrated within himself, and he gives nothing short of one of his finest performances on screen. Many memorable scenes - including Rocky's long and emotional talk with his son, Robert, Jr., as well as his new relationship with Marie (Geraldine Hughes), the young woman Rocky walked home back in the first installment - make for truly compelling drama.
And the climactic fight at the finale is the icing on the cake. It's inspirational and doesn't disappoint for a second.
 Presentation
This movie looks and sounds incredible! Mastered in High Def, with an anamorphic1.85:1 widescreen transfer, the picture starts out on film, then switches to tape once you get to the fight in Las Vegas. This was done, as Stallone recalls on his audio commentary, to make the fight more authentic, giving it that HBO - Pay Per View Hi-Def TV picture quality look to it. The 5.1 Dolby Digital (in English or French) also shines. Whether you're enjoying a quiet scene, the fight, or Bill Conti's score, it's all a bed of roses. Also included are English, French, and Spanish subtitles.
 Extras
The DVD for Rocky Balboa includes a nice assortment of bonus features. Not quite as impressive as the 2 disc edition for the first Rocky, but still good just the same. Extras include:
Audio Commentary with Sylvester Stallone - This track is the perfect example of why I listen to audio commentaries. Sly may be alone, but he's got plenty of interesting things to talk about, including plans for a future Director's Cut of the film (no indication of an actual release date, so it could be a year from now or it could be 10 years from now), plus some enjoyable personal anecdotes, such as why he decided not to have his real life son, Sage Stallone, play Rocky's son again in the 6th film, along with some insightful background on characters and their development. A great commentary!
Deleted Scenes & Alternate Ending - Includes a Play All feature. Commentary by Stallone for these scenes would have also been nice, but no such luck. Here's the rundown:
Paulie Paints - A scene that gives a bit more background on Paulie's current job situation at the meat factory.
 Breakfast - Same initial scene as in the final film, but this time the scene is extended.
Andy's Bar (Original) - In the film, we had the scene where Rocky goes back to his old bar and meets Marie, who is working as a bartender there. The bar itself was mostly empty. In this deleted version, we get the same scene, but this time the place is packed (every one is greeting Rocky as he walks in the door) and Don Sherman, who played the bartender from Rocky I, is now included throughout the scene (he has lost both of his legs to diabetes). It's easy to see why Sly felt the scene needed to be changed, as emptying the bar and having Marie be the main focal point of Rocky's visit made for a more intimate exchange between the two, not to mention giving the bar itself a depressing quality.
Paulie's Girlfriend Moves His Things - This scene reveals that Paulie has a girlfriend named Betty (which you're completely unaware of in the film). Rocky comes home to find her moving all of Paulie's stuff out of the house.
 Rocky & Steps - A bit of an awkward scene as Rocky (while unloading food from his van) tries making polite conversation with Marie's son, Steps (played by James Francis Kelly III).
Paulie Breaks Down - Here we have a much longer version of Paulie and Rocky outside in the alley by the restaurant. This time Paulie completely breaks down while talking about his sister, Adrian. It's a very powerful and emotional moment that is also quite moving.
Rocky Sparring - This is a scene of Rocky, at the gym, sparring in the ring, with opera music being played.
Alternate Ending - If you haven't seen the film, then don't read this, as it is a HUGE SPOILER!!! If you have seen the film, then you can probably guess what the Alternate Ending is. Instead of leaving the ring right away, as he did in the final film, Rocky waits intently on the judges decision, where he discovers that he's the winner of the split decision, not Dixon.
 Skill Vs. Will: The Making of Rocky Balboa - With a runtime of nearly 18 minutes, Sylvester Stallone, along with interviews by the cast and crew, goes behind the scenes to give us a special look at a film and its series that has stood the test of time and will continue to do so. When Stallone came to this city to shoot the film, no one referred to him as anything other than Rocky. That's just the mentality here. Also, you gotta love the filming of the final time Rocky runs up the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Sly wanted it to be snowing for the scene and was very patient. And sure enough, towards the end of that fateful day, it started snowing...and when the scene was finally completed, the snow magically stopped.
 Reality In The Ring: Filming Rocky's Final Fight - A nicely made 15 1/2 minute featurette that's all about the final fight. For the most part, everything you could possibly want to learn about this memorable battle is discussed in detail by Stallone, Tarver and others working on the film.
Virtual Champion: Creating The Computer Fight - Creating The Computer Fight - As this feature states, this is more of an in-depth look at how the computer fight was created, with Sly commenting on working at Blur studios with Antonio Tarver for the motion capture sessions.
Boxing's Bloopers - A few funny moments during filming. But at only 90 seconds, the segment is over before it ever really begins.
 A Brief Look At The Fight Makeup Of Rocky Balboa - This is a hidden Easter egg I found. It's a quick 90 second look at the fight makeup process, with some comments from Stallone and the art director. To find this hidden feature, here's what you do: 1. At the main menu, use your remote to go to the special features section. 2. When you get to the special features page, with your remote, simply click four times to the right from the Audio Commentary ON position, and a black arrow will appear right beside Rocky's picture. Press Enter on your remote control and the short segment will begin.
Previews - There are trailers to 12 other films included on the DVD, a few of which begin to play as soon as you pop in the DVD.
Overall
Rocky Balboa is a real winner of a movie that fully realizes the essence of the original classic and brings the saga full circle to a thrilling, emotional, and very memorable conclusion. With an impressive look, sound, and feel, along with some nice extras, Rocky Balboa belongs in the collection of every fan and non-fan alike. Pick this film up and watch it again and again. You'll be glad you did. Rocky Balboa - A fitting finale to the Rocky Saga!
"Ain't nothin' over till it's over." - Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa
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