Great boxing film though not a patch on Southpaw

Rating: 7/10 (9 February 2016)

Finally got time to see this film and I'd heard some very positive things about it so expectations were reasonably high. Another outing for the Rocky franchise, this films fits in the sequence well and is certainly a worthwhile addition to the series. That said, it's most definitely a film that stands on it's so there's no need to have watched the previous films.
The storyline holds few surprises, based on the son of Apollo Creed trying to make his own name in the world of boxing. The lead actor, Michael B Jordan, is surprisingly good in his role, despite a sometimes poor script. However the real star is Sylvester Stallone, the moment he arrives on screen (in possibly the single best scene of the film) it takes on a whole new feel, one that is familiar and comfortable. He simply does his thing and you can't help but love him for it.
For me though it wasn't a patch on one of my favourite films of 2015, Southpaw, in either style, substance, soundtrack or the sheer grittiness of a boxing film. It was certainly worth seeing, if only for the superb performance by Stallone, but not one that I'd rush to re-watch anytime soon.