No one could have imagined a better send off for the heavyweight champion of all movie characters. At age 60, Rocky can still knock us out.

Ironically, 30 years of overwhelming criticism and ridicule of the “Rocky” franchise has made “Rocky Balboa” an even greater triumph among audiences.

Written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone, “Rocky Balboa” follows a trademark story structure we’re all familiar with: an hour of setup, followed by the famous training montage, and topped with one final resolution in the boxing ring.

Much like the original “Rocky,” the most important stuff happens outside of the ring.

We first meet the aged yet healthy former champion at the gravesite of his beloved Adrian, who died of “woman cancer” a few years before.

Then, after a few nostalgic trips around the “changed” neighborhood of his South Philly home, we quickly get the sense of a troubled guy who, as best friend Paulie (Burt Young) puts it, is “living in the past.”

Rocky now runs an Italian restaurant called Adrian’s, where he spends his workday managing the place and entertaining guests with old boxing stories.

The big twist occurs when a computer generated boxing match is shown on national television. The fight

pits Rocky, in his prime, against the current and undefeated heavyweight champion, Mason “The Line” Dixon (real life light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver).

As Rocky watches himself win the simulation by knockout, he begins to consider climbing into the ring once again.

His distant son (Milo Ventimiglia), a serious victim of “famous father syndrome,” disapproves.

“What’s crazy about standing toe-to-toe saying, ‘I am’?” replies Rocky, in one of many inspiring speeches.

Mason Dixon’s managers soon convince Rocky to fight in a ten round exhibition against the champ in Las Vegas, which he accepts.

Rocky’s old boxing coach, Duke, inaugurates a long awaited training montage with the words, “Let’s start building some hurtin’ bombs!”

The boxing match is all you could expect from a “Rocky” fight, but this one is a little different.

Rocky is fighting a true underdog’s battle against an opponent who is almost half his age, so every punch he takes or lands gives you a greater surge of emotion and excitement.

The best films are always the most inspiring ones. They need not the stylish flare of a director or a monster sized budget.

With “Rocky Balboa”, the saga ends on an inspirational level so deep and overwhelming that you’ll be thinking about it for months.