Creed (2015)

I've seen the original Rocky, but I haven't seen any of the sequels. So I basically got the gist of it, but I might have missed some of the backstory though it is well implied by the screenplay. I did not miss the reference to the American flag boxing shorts that Rocky bestows on Creed before the big fight. I think overall it is a solid movie, but I guess I just didn't really have the connection to the franchise that those who have been following this character for four decades. It is actually pretty incredible that it has lasted for so long and so many movies. It is not just Star Wars that made it all the way to seven. And what we see in this movie is an aging Rocky, and it is his story line that interested me the most. As a boxer past his prime, he must decide what impact he will have on the next generation. And I think this movie is quite good enough to create a new generation of Rocky fans who will now go back to see the movie that started it all.

Similar to Star Wars Episode VII, this movie borrows a lot from its original source material. It sticks to a tried and true formula. Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed packs Rocky-type heart that makes the character likable. Sylvester Stallone lets Jordan shine as the protagonist, playing second fiddle in his own movie. It is the second half of the movie that Stallone gives Rocky some substantive material (which I think brilliantly advances the character in a very natural way) and then he still finds a way to make this movie about the titular Creed. It could have become the Rocky show at that point, but he exercised a poignant restraint. And finally, the last scene on the legendary steps is the perfect way to bring the franchise full circle.