Fresh blood infused into the ROCKY franchise; a solid punch of energy and entertaining to the hilt.

Rating: 9/10 (30 November 2015)

CREED (2015) ***1/2 Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Andre Ward, Tony Bellew, Ritchie Coaster. Fresh blood infused into the ROCKY franchise with Jordan giving it his all as Adonis Johnson, the son out-of-wedlock of Apollo Creed (and uncannily resembling Carl Weathers so that helps!), who decides to forge his own path to fame as a boxer despite the family (and familiar) trappings and pitfalls which leads him back to Philadelphia seeking out his late father's frenemy Rocky Balboa (Stallone adding some nice shades to his iconic character) to enlist as a reluctant trainer, aide de camp and father figure. Jordan reteams with his FRUITVALE STATION collaborator Ryan Coogler who double teams as director and co-writer with Aaron Covington that employs all the tropes of the film series (montage training sequences, big bout etc.) but make it their own that not only pays tribute to the movie dynasty but also gives it a solid punch of energy and entertaining to the hilt.