By Dennis D. McDonald

Never having seen the other Rocky movies, all I knew about them was a montage of images and music — the trumpet blast theme, the silhouettes against the Philadelphia skyline, the sleepy “Yo, Adrian!”  mimicry. But I was intrigued by the universally positive reviews and rented the DVD.

I’m glad I did. It’s a great film that  is beautfully and sensitively scripted, filmed, and acted. Stallone inhabits the role and never lets cheesy sentimentality overwhelm the underlying themes of loneliness, undead ambition, and just plain friendliness. This is a beautifully produced film and Stallone must be congratulated.

The DVD extras are also quite entertaining. Stallone’s commentary is witty and intelligent and the production details are fascinating. Most impressive is the information about Stallone getting into shape over a six month period to make this film. I don’t care how old you are, this guy is impressive and you can begin to understand how his own personality has leaked over into Rocky.

Review copyright (c) 2007 by Dennis D. McDonald