`ROCKY' STILL A CHAMPION OF HOKINESS.

Byline: Bob Strauss Film Critic

I know I'm not the only one who's considered the whole Rocky thing a big load of urban hokum since the series began three decades ago.

But even folks like us can get warm twinges of nostalgia and boomer uplift out of ``Rocky Balboa.'' Sylvester Stallone's sixth and theoretically most ridiculous entry in the Philly fightgame franchise is still hokey as all get out.

But with Rocky pushing 60, feeling unloved and just aching for an ear to listen to his palooka wisdom (and, maybe, some loudmouth young boxer he can still pound on), the poignancy factor is hard to resist. And when Stallone -- who wrote and directed this do-or-die comeback vehicle for himself -- finally doffs his robe for the climactic boxing match, any derision we may still have turns to awe.

If grandpa looks this, well, rock hard, we lesser mortals laugh at our own risk.

Also making this slow-moving, over-obvious movie easy to take is the way Stallone has finally cut through all the phony triumphalism (first film), hyped-up self-doubt/corruption (``Rocky II'' and ``III''), geopolitical metaphors (``IV,'' which was so Cold War kitschy it still remains my favorite of the series) and melodramatic tragedy (``V,'' which was such a bummer it K.O.'d the franchise for 16 years). Rocky is now all humble, sweet, old charm. With a few issues he still needs to work out with his fists, of course, but that kind of makes him even more hangdog adorable.

These days, Rocky lives with his turtles in South Philadelphia. He spends every morning at the graveside of the departed Adrian -- you know he's committed to this, since he keeps a folding chair in the crook of a nearby tree. Unfortunately for the big guy, son Robert (``Heroes' '' Milo Ventimiglia) can get away from him, and is trying to establish some identity of his own outside of his dad's broad celebrity shadow. The whiny brat rebuffs Rocky's every effort to bond.

That shadow isn't as imposing as it used to be, though. Rocky's nights are spent autographing and reminiscing with patrons at his nice but (of course) modest restaurant, where Italian specialties are made by a Spanish-speaking staff. Yes, times are changing, which the champ laments at length with the only major holdover from the earlier films, his crotchety brother-in-law, Paulie (Burt Young). And to aggravate that point, that uppity ESPN network uses one of its newfangled computers to simulate what would happen in a fight between Balboa in his prime and the current title holder, Mason ``The Line'' Dixon (retired light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver).

This encourages Rocky to give it one more shot. Cue ``Gonna Fly Now'' and side-o'-beef punchin'/hurtling up the art museum steps montage with, amusingly, lots of shots that show the Italian Stallion's constitution ain't what it used to be.

As mentioned, when Rocky and Dixon really face off in the ring, it's no joke, which is about the highest praise Stallone can earn at this point. He also does a nice job of shooting on location with handheld cameras. Realism, however, will prove limited for anyone who doesn't spend time with old guys who make a lot of really rousing speeches.

When Rocky's dispensing nuggets of insight about taking life's hits and keeping going, it's permissible to either laugh or nod in agreement or both, which I guess is tribute enough to Stallone's writing skills. Saddling him with a scruffy but lovable mutt (just like our hero!) and a potential Adrian replacement (newcomer Geraldine Hughes) who says stuff like, ``The last thing to age on somebody is their heart,'' reminds us that there's always been a lot of paint-by-numbers sentimentality in the Rocky saga, too.

But if you've enjoyed those aspects of the movies, you'll be pleased to know that ``Rocky Balboa'' dishes 'em up the way you like it. And if you just thought that the sappy stuff got in the way of some good whomping, show up late to see a die-hard geezer smack the sass out of younger opponents. That may be just as corny a fantasy in its way, but mooks like us aren't getting any younger, so we may as well go for it.

Bob Strauss, [phone]

[e-mail]

ROCKY BALBOA - Two and one half stars

(PG: violence, language)

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Geraldine Hughes, Milo Ventimiglia, Antonio Tarver.

Director: Sylvester Stallone.

Running time: 1 hr. 42 min.

Playing: In wide release.

In a nutshell: Pushing 60, a widowed Rocky returns to the ring. It's sweet and kind of dumb, like the first Rocky movie, so there's a nice, nostalgic patina to compensate for the ridiculous plot.

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Photo:

(color) The Italian Stallion (Sylvester Stallone, right) pulls no new punches in ``Rocky.'' He still beats the brash newcomer, played this time by Antonio Tarver.