Clearly the 2nd Best Rocky film.

Rating: 8/10 (27 December 2015)

*mild spoilers only* Just got back from the 60th film I've viewed this year, "Creed". Edited-it into my top 25(#4) just before writing this review.
It's hard to ignore the comparisons between "Creed" and "The Force AWakens". Both the 7th film in historic film series. Both returning to their storyline roots, both with gigantic expectations, and both seemingly liked by the masses.
I liked THe Force Awakens, but Creed is a superior film. It has the nostalgia without the nostalgia taking away from the individual story. The acting is superb, the boxing scenes amongst the best put to film(Southpaw-7.5 earlier this year also amongst the very best for this).
I wouldn't say this is considerably better than Southpaw... it is better, and more importantly, it didn't feel the need to show me every aspect of the story in the trailer.
GO see it on the big screen.
THe new characters are far better developed than in TFA, and going back to ROcky Balboa, the series was starting to get an edge from the aging Stallone, who's acting chops were really starting to guide this series
"Creed" takes that aspect to the next level. Stallone is fantastic. These are characters that we can root for.
My only minor complaint is that the film is a little too chopped-up scene-wise in the first 45 minutes, and could have perhaps been served better by slowing down just a bit and dragging some scenes-out. I know it would have lengthened a film that is 2 hrs already, but I think this film would have been perfect at about 2:20, adding just a touch more to some early scenes.
The theater was pretty packed, and the crowd seemed VERY pleased with the film. There were a few applause's at the end of the film. There was a louder/bigger applause for TFA, but that's because the 'world of star wars' had disappeared since 1987, and people were happy to have it back, and I saw it on opening night. Plus Star Wars fans are nuts, and even though Creed is a big hit, it will never receive the attention of a film like TFA. Regardless, Creed is CLEARLY the better of the two films, and a notch above the other fine boxing film from 2015, "Southpaw".
Stallone is the driving force in this film, but Michael B. Jordan and many of the supporting performances are also strong here.
There is a gritty realism to the film. It manages to use the nostalgia without feeling gimmicky. The references and recurrences from earlier ROcky films fit seamlessly into this new fresh story. THe acting and the direction are inspired. Stallone's personal care for this series has shown over the last two films - especially in the more serious scenes. I can't recommend this enough. An absolute shoe-in for the top 10, and possibly the top-5 of 2015. Pure, unadulterated entertainment.
84/100 Nipping a 9/10 on the heels. SOmetimes I downgrade films after they soak-in for a while, but that won't be the case here...