Grudge Match

 
Though it must have looked good on paper, the idea for this senior citizen’s version of “The Fighter” — let’s pit “Raging Bull’s” Robert De Niro against “Rocky’s” Sylvester Stallone in a boxing match 30 years down the road from their prime — gets bogged down with cliched plot lines, sentimental shtick, and the general unbelievability of seeing 70-year-old De Niro facing off against an almost-68 Stallone in the ring. Billy “The Kid” McDonnen (De Niro) and Henry “Razor” Sharp (Stallone) were two local Pittsburgh fighters with a fierce rivalry; each had scored a victory against the other. But, in 1983, on the eve of their decisive third match, Razor suddenly announced his retirement, ending their careers. Thirty years later, a wannabe boxing promoter (Kevin Hart) persuades them to re-enter the ring and settle the score once and for all — with a lot of money riding on the match. There’s plenty of stale “old-man” jokes (many of the predictable punchlines are uttered by grumpy-old-man Alan Arkin, who’s Stallone’s trainer), a cardboard characterization by De Niro as a skirt-chasing senior, and lifeless directing by Peter Segal, whose portfolio includes “Tommy Boy,” “My Fellow Americans,” “Nutty Professor II – The Klumps,” “Anger Management,” “50 First Dates,” the remake of “The Longest Yard” and “Get Smart.” The stars of the film: a still-radiant Kim Basinger as Stallone’s love interest, the de-aging technology used in the scenes with De Niro and Stallone as younger boxers, and Stallone’s vintage white mustang. Extras: Deleted scenes. Blu-ray adds “The Bull & The Stallion,” “In the Ring With Kevin Hart,” “Ringside With Tyson & Holyfield,” “Blow for Blow With Larry Holmes,” “Kevin Hart Unedited,” alternate opening, alternate endings with an introduction by Peter Segal. Vitals: Director: Peter Segal. Stars: Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 113 min., Comedy, Box office gross: $29.342 million, Warner.