Grudge Match

Grudge Match: Rocky ride on aging bulls

The draw of the film, of course, is to see Jake 'Raging Bull' LaMotta and Rocky Balboa duke it out in the ring. De Niro knows it, Stallone knows it, we know it. Both men gamely play off and send up the iconic characters they played decades ago, cheekily winking at - or desecrating, depending on your point of view - their respective cinematic legacies. Actually, it would all be somewhat thrilling if the script weren't so predictable and sluggish.

The story focuses on a rivalry between two boxers who fought each other a couple of times 30 years ago, winning one fight a piece. Naturally, that situation calls for a "rubber match" to decide the true winner. But it never happened. Hostility remains between the two guys 3 decades later though. Stallone plays Henry "Razor" Sharp and Robert De Niro plays Billy "The Kid" McDonnen. When the two both arrive on set for a computer-simulated video game that will use their likenesses, they engage in a physical altercation which soon goes viral for all the world to see. This prompts a desire to see the two of them in the ring together once again.


Meanwhile two rivals seem to be going through the motions. Their constant bickering is liken to GRUMPY OLD MEN sans the essential cantankerous anti-chemistry. Supposedly these guys hate each other yet seem pretty content, making us forget the entire purpose. But their combined scenes are merely sporadic: Much of the film involves dragging conversations with side-characters, ranging from trainers to the sole love interest played by Kim Basinger.

Will or won't Razor stay in the fight becomes the only suspense till the final match where two old dudes beat each other raw like that frozen hanging beef. Here's where we finally get some old school blood and gusto, but it's much to late to save a missed opportunity involving this rare superstar collective, intriguing and disappointing both cult and mainstream audiences.

 If you wonder how much potential was lost on this movie just watch the last half hour. That is the best of the entire film with a well choreographed, uplifted and well done fight scene that wraps everything up in a great way. It was just amazing as a fan to see Stallone back in the ring probably for one last time.Director Peter Segal is a decent director but he is a through and through comedy director and this film needed someone who can handle comedy/drama/and an emotional story to really bring out the details. The script was sub-par there is no doubt about it and its unfortunate because they had a lot of ducks in a row but then they start throwing rocks into the mix. Still Stallone/Deniro/Rocky fans will find enough in this to be redeemable and enjoyable.