As far as the Rocky franchise goes, nothing really comes close to the original in terms of its intimate scope and epic grandeur on a low-budget (not to mention top-notch and near iconic cast). In terms of the sequels, while it's not always looked upon as the "best", I have a fondness for part 3, if only for its balance of drama and comedy and that it bridges the gap between the early part of the franchise and latter part. And yet in this final installment, Rocky Balboa, Stallone goes back to the roots: the dark and rundown streets of South Philadelphia, and while his film starts as a kind of eulogy for the series (not least of which for the character Adrian), it quickly kicks into gear as a celebration of what Rocky is all about. It's essentially a story of rising to a challenge, proving your worth to nobody in-particular except yourself, and also sticking close as possible to those you care about, family and friends... and the occasional awesome training montage doesn't hurt.

In this segment Rocky is in his 50s and runs a restaurant called Adrian's where he reminisces with the patrons with old stories. He also befriends a woman whom he used to walk home many years ago (she may have been a character in the original Rocky, I can't recall) who also has a son named "Stephs" for Stephen. But with his son unsure about what his father's legacy has on him, and Rocky's own unsure feelings about the "basement" inside of himself, of pain over Adrian dying, he decides to get back into fighting again. In typical "movie" style (and I mean this as a compliment to the conventional wisdom of the writing), a challenger comes forward, young Mason Dixon, who is undefeated and has come under scrutiny due to a computer simulation that shows Rocky, in his prime, could kick his ass. So, training commences, speeches of inspiration/hope delivered, and it all leads up to the big bout in Vegas.

The script, as mentioned, is perhaps the strongest thing here. Stallone shines as usual in his quintessential role, and seeing people like Paulie and Apollo Creed's former trainer played by Tony Burton are nice touches too. Little flaws: Milo Ventimiglia Jr, despite having the same "jaw" as Stallone put it, is not a very good actor here. I'm not sure if it was the direction he was given for the character or just how he is, but he was constantly stiff and then when called upon to get big in a dramatic scene like the confrontation with Rocky outside the restaurant (one of those "Don't do this!" scenes), it falls totally flat. There's also a beef one can have with the way inspiration is summoned in the climactic bout. When we see Rocky and Dixon fighting with just the normal camera angles it's riveting and taut, but then Stallone piles on the clips, the flashbacks, the slivers of nostalgia, and it just gets a little too much and almost (key word 'almost') spoils the momentum of one of the best fights in the entire franchise.

Sure, some of its humor is a little corny, and some of the line deliveries by Stallone aren't always given the biggest "umph" one would want (hey, it's Stallone, waddaya want), but it is a true-blue Rocky movie, and makes a fine sort of comeback note to a franchise that had its ups and downs over the 70s and 80s. It's nothing if not from the heart, in its craft and in its performances, and it should be admired as one of those final bows to an audience that knows this is the end, as opposed to dragging it out even further.

Sylvester Stallone believed that he was negligent when he made Rocky V, as it left both him and his fans disappointed as the end of the series. So that's where Rocky Balboa comes from and much like other movies Stallone has made, the storyline mirrors his own struggles and triumphs.

Rocky is still living in the same Philadelphia neighborhood, but now he's a widower. He runs his own restaurant named Adrian's named after his ex-wife. Two characters from the past return - Marie, a younger and troubled woman, and Rocky's first opponent, Spider Rico.

First off, how does Rocky fight again after how bad he was in the fifth movie? Let Sylvester himself tell you: "When Rocky was diagnosed with brain damage, it must be noted that many athletes have a form of brain damage including football players, soccer players, and other individuals in contact sports such as rugby, etc. Rocky never went for a second opinion and yielded to his wife's wishes to stop. So with the advent of new research techniques into brain damage, Rocky was found to be normal among fighters, and he was suffering the results of a severe concussion. By today's standards Rocky Balboa would be given a clean bill of health for fighters."

Rocky does more than fight a new boxer - Mason "The Line" Dixon, played by real boxer Antonio Tarver - he's also battling grief and to stay in the life of his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia). Paulie (Burt Young) is still in his life, but he's dealing with the end of his work life and the guilt he feels over how he treated his sister while she was alive.

One night, Rocky reconnects with a woman named Marie, who he once escorted home when she was in her teens. She has a son named Stephenson who takes to Rocky as well and this helps him through his pain.

But who is Mason Dixon? He's a boxer that the public has turned on and an ESPN story where Rocky would defeat him in a computer simulation. This reminds him of what his old trainer told him: if he wants to gain respect, he needs to earn it through the right opponent.

This starts Rocky back in the ring, as Dixon's promoters pitch the idea of holding a charity exhibition bout in Las Vegas. The story is that Rocky is a has been and Dixon may be a never was, but the public falls in love with the story.

The best part of this movie is when Robert tells Rocky that his father's shadow has caused him to fail. The hero takes a step and unleashes a speech that I have seen on so many walls: "The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that!" I can't even read these words without getting emotional.

At Adrian's grave, Rocky and Robert come together. Our hero starts training again with Apollo Creed's old trainer, Duke (Tony Burton), who explains that Rocky can't win by speed any longer, so he has to increase his power.

The fight goes the full ten rounds and ends with both men standing. Rocky lands the last punch (and wins the fight in an alternate cut of the film). Rocky thanks an appreciative Dixon for the match, which has given both men exactly what they need.

The movie closes with Rocky at Adrian's grave, saying "Yo Adrian, we did it. We did it."

As disappointing as Rocky V is, Rocky Balboa is perfect. If this was the end of the Rocky saga, it'd be a fine close. However, the character would continue in the Creed movies. This was an emotional watch for me and quite cathartic.

And so here we have it, to date the final entry in the long-running ROCKY series. It's hard to believe that a 30-year gap has passed between the first film and this one, and you might be forgiven for thinking the films would have run out of steam long before now. Not so. Like Rocky himself, this film is a winner and one of those movies that keeps on giving.

Of course, filming styles have changed, so this is the film that feels most up to date of the lot. Stallone employs new camera techniques, especially in the final boxing match which is almost overloaded with stylish inserts, black and white segments and effects to make it feel realistic. Before then, though, we have an engaging and warming human story in which Stallone himself is centre screen throughout. That Rocky is just as likable as he was in the first film is testament to the actor's abilities.

I was disappointed when I learnt that Talia Shire wouldn't be returning for this film, because Adrian has always been a big part of Rocky's life. I needn't have worried. Although the actress is absent, Adrian is present pretty much consistently throughout the movie. It's great to have Paulie back, too, and Geraldine Hughes is an actress who acquits herself well with a sweet could-be love interest.

I enjoyed having Rocky running a restaurant in his retirement, and I liked all the links with other films in the saga. I found the way that he gets back into the boxing world to be realistic and believable, and the training sequences are a heartening throwback to the earlier films in this series. There's nothing not to like here, just strong writing and overwhelming passion. I loved it.