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Rocky's always a champ in the hearts of the people

Even Rocky's newest opponent, Dixon, is treated by Rocky himself and by the film as a whole as a person worthy of respect. The first thing we learn about Mason is that boxing fans don't like him, and we can soon see why; he's petulant and easily annoyed, and he is surrounded by greedy managers who care way more about money than about anything meaningful, like his reputation. ("A legacy is what you get when you don't get paid," one of them tells him.) But we get the sense that Mason itches for something deeper, enough so that, when he and Rocky finally meet in the ring, we are concerned for the honor of both men.

There has been much talk lately about Stallone's efforts to promote Rocky Balboa to the religious media, and on some small level, that hype is justified. Most of the Rocky films have, at a minimum, shown our hero praying or crossing himself before the big fight—and interestingly enough, the religious elements have been more pronounced in the earlier and later films, when Rocky was not so distracted by the trappings of money and fame. Rocky prays in the newest film, too, but this time, he does a bit more, as he and Spider read a Bible verse together. It's a nice touch, but nothing to write home about. Then again, it is good to see that Rocky has some sense of the bigger picture, and it's a nice note on which to end the series.

1. What does this movie have to say about pride and honor? Is it always defended when it should be? Is it perhaps defended when it shouldn't be? Point to specific examples.
2. When Rocky says self-respect is the only kind of respect that matters, do you agree? If not, then who else's respect matters? What does Mason "The Line" Dixon's experience tell us about the relationship between self-respect and the respect of others? How should we balance these different forms of respect
3. Why do you think Spider feels a need to "earn" the meals that Rocky is giving him? Is pride involved? Good pride, bad pride, or neither? Why? Can you think of times when you have had difficulty receiving a gift? When Rocky asks, "Why do you gotta give something to get something," how would you answer
4. Rocky Jr. says, "Time is going to catch up to all of us." How should we face this? At what point should Rocky accept that he's too old to fight? Should he have accepted this already? What if he wants to fight again in another 10 or 20 years
5. Rocky reads Zechariah 4:6 ("'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty") and another passage which says we have "already claimed victory in our Lord Jesus Christ." Do these verses "fit" with the rest of the film? How so? Is there any way that they do not fit with the rest of the film? Explain.

Rocky Balboa is rated PG for boxing violence (lots of punches, but nothing all that bloody or brutal) and some language.

Photos © Copyright Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

© Peter T. Chattaway subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

from Film Forum, 12/21/06
Back in 1976, Sylvester Stallone's Rocky won the Oscar for Best Picture. Since then, the sequels have failed to reach that standard, and many other franchises have surpassed them even as they copied Rocky's formula.

But don't count Stallone out. In what is apparently intended to be the final chapter of the franchise, he's brought Rocky back for one more fight. And, strangely enough, the film has been promoted to Christian audiences. Why is that? Christian film critics, who are enjoying the film, have some ideas about that.

Adam R. Holz (Plugged In) says the movie "exceeded my expectations. By a long shot. Not only does this film redeem the series, it tells a compelling story of an older man trying to make sense of a world that has passed him by. Stallone's performance as the aging fighter is easily his best in years."

He concludes, "But what really makes this work is the fact that Rocky Balboa isn't really about Rocky's last fight. It's about a man discovering that he still has something to give, something to live for, even though his best, glory-filled days are behind him." He says it "qualifies as one of the most redemptive films of the year."

Mainstream critics, meanwhile, are rather surprised by how much they're enjoying Rocky's return to the screen.

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