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(This review contains spoilers. You have been warned.)

"It really don't matter if I lose this fight. It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, either. 'Cause all I wanna do is go the distance."

-- Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)

I hate the term "Sports Movie"; Rocky, to me, was always a classic love story, where fortune and triumph were measured by the character's desire to go the distance and earn some self-respect.

Regardless of whether it involved boxing or not, this 1976 motion picture paints a grim and cold Philadelphia. The underdog fighter (Sylvester Stallone) lurks around in the shadows as a two-bit loan shark, with freelancing boxing never being thought of as a serious career. Fighting is more a topic of conversation and a hobby to stay afloat; the character's primary intention is to woo the local shy girl, Adrian, and inspire her character to flourish from beneath her haze of sweaters, hats and Norah Batty glasses.

Rocky is depicted as a creep with no apparent future, living in a one-bedroom apartment with his pet turtles and fish, and photos that remind him of his youth. But we are introduced to the peak of the character's persistence when he decides to invite Adrian inside for the first time, attempting then to seduce her in the sleaziest way possible. After refusing to take no for an answer we begin to see his emotion carry till Adrian is eventually won over (all be it in a chauvinistic way). There's a "street poetry" aroma about it all when the couple kiss for the first time up against the wall -- Rocky in his dirty vest and Adrian still clutching that handbag of hers.

Rocky's life takes a turn for the better, and he is then given the opportunity of a lifetime when a local boxing promoter tells him that reigning boxing champion Apollo Creed has selected him at random to fight in an exhibition match for the title. Reluctant to accept at first, the underdog is given further encouragement by his gym manager, Mickey (Burgess Meredith), to take advantage of the opportunity and make something of himself. Rocky soon begins training as the sun starts to rise above the beautifully-distinctive Philadelphian landmarks, as if to say he has hope is on the horizon.

Rocky is a working-class drama that gives inspiration to ordinary human beings. Stallone's screenplay depicts life on the streets; it may have been dubbed a "Fairytale" by most critics at the time of its release, but there's definitely a lot of realism here. Lurking somewhere on the decaying streets, there is an undiscovered talent looking for the chance to be recognised and respected; Rocky fears becoming "Just another bum from the neighbourhood" and wants to realize his potential and escape. Meeting his love, Adrian, gives him the strength to overcome the odds.

The performances are first rate: Stallone is sleazy, tough and full of heart; his character has the perfect balance of pessimism and determination that many of us can relate to. Talia Shire, as Adrian, manages to blur the distinctions between a geek and a pretty, young female; Burt Young is convincing as a drunk and an abusive voice from the gutter of the harsh, Philadelphian streets; Burgess Meredith is the miserable, old trainer, definitely memorable for his intense catchphrases; while Carl Weathers' cockiness as Apollo has shades of Muhammad Ali that you can't help but admire.

For all its parodies in today's cultural mindset, Rocky is still very much about the heart of its characters, and it remains one of the most inspirational movies of all time. Life isn't about winning -- if it were, Rocky would have beaten Apollo Creed and walked off into the sunset with the belt draped over his shoulders at the first attempt -- but rather an individual's developing aspirations in becoming sincere.

Rocky may not be the greatest movie ever made in terms of its technicality, but in terms of substance and the contagious likeability of its characters, it definitely ranks up there as one of my favourites. The simplicity of the story is one of the reasons why so many people can relate to its message -- it's a timeless film.

On a final note of worthiness, you may be interested to know (if you don't know already) that Rocky truly defined its underdog status by pipping Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver to the Academy Award in 1977. But don't let the cries of injustice that are still heard today bother you -- Rocky is still an incredibly heart-warming tale of one man's determination to succeed that you really need to see.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2008.