Bruce Willis, Sly Stallone, and Harrison Ford are all bringing signature characters back to the big screen after a long hiatus. The latest Rocky movie came out last year. Live Free or Die Hard is out this weekend. Soon enough we'll see Rambo and Indiana Jones. I hope that in each case they remain as true to the character and take the time to show aging's effects on heroes as this movie did.

Here we see Balboa as the champ, older, lonely, more than a bit sad, but not without the spirit that made him the success he was. He's a has-been, living in the past. He retells stories of former glory in a restaurant named after Adrian. His son doesn't really want to have anything to do with him. Pauly wants Rocko to snap out of the rut he's in.

In the meantime we see the raining champ, Mason Dixon, who's having troubles of his own. No one respects him. He can't get a really challenging fight. His management is after him to do something to improve his image. His old trainer tells him that he needs to find some self respect.

The two men are destined to fight. And after they each see a computer animated fight that brings them together virtually, the inevitable is set in motion. The computer decision pegs Rocky as the victor, which doesn't sit well with Mason. It really puts a twist in Rocky's son Robert Jr.'s underwear. Suddenly his larger than life dad is in the limelight again. Sure enough Rocky decides to give it a shot.

We get it all, the music, the training montage, the spectacle. And through it all Rocky's age is a factor. For the other films that will be following this one, the ones reviving heroes now a bit longer in the tooth, I hope that it doesn't get ignored. In a culture that runs from every wrinkle and gray hair and no longer respects its elders I doubt that will be the case. It looks like McClane will be every bit as indestructible as ever. Rambo stopped being a human being after the first movie and become a video game. I hold out some hope for Indy, but not much.

In any case I think you should definitely check this one out.