Pleasantly surprised!

Rating: 7/10 (23 January 2016)

I always thought Rocky Balboa was the perfect end to the series, that it was a truly satisfying ending and we didn't need another Rocky film after this (you think of the aged boxer poster gag in 'Airplane 2'). But Creed pleasantly surprised me, its a pretty mature film, neither Rocky nor his protégé are down and out in this film, their lives are pretty good, they both just need a new challenge to fulfil themselves. Equally his opponent is no Clubber Lang, his performance and motivation are hugely credible although you wonder what American audiences will make of the scouser accent?
Great performance from SS, very brave for him to now play someone so age appropriate, the love story between Adonis and his girlfriend is also fine, very believable and if they make another film I'd like to see where it goes, a budding music star going progressively deaf is a great dramatic concept. The fight scenes are good as always, Hollywood exciting in a way real boxing can never really be but also not shying away from the brutality of it all, when they're spitting blood out or when Adonis' eye swells up you really wince for them. Equally the cancer subplot really works and doesn't shy away from the reality of it, you understand Rock's reluctance for treatment having seen his wife go through the same.
If I had a complaint I would have liked to have seen Rocky's son in this film. In the last he was trying to escape his dad's legacy, as Rocky comments it can't have been easy trying to have been Rocky Balboa's son on the streets of Philly. Here we have Adonis trying to live up to his father's legacy. But I guess with the death of Sly's son from a heart attack that would have been to painful for him. Reputedly the director had to persuade Sly to let him use the picture of him from Rocky 5 and the film is dedicated to his memory. Maybe if they make a sequel?