The Rocky saga is alive and well

Rating: 8/10 (31 January 2019)

It should be no surprise, that having Sylvester Stallone still with producer and writing credits behind this movie, and also in front of the camera, that this turned out to be such a solid movie. This movie is developing a new character in the series, the strong - headed, but good-hearted, Adonis Creed, son of the late Apollo Creed. It follows the Rocky movies template to the letter, in that it tries to balance the protagonist's personal life with his success in the ring. But there is a twist. The side story involving Ivan Drago and his son turns out to be as, if not, even more important than that of Adonis and Rocky. They're not portrayed simply as the evil opponents any more. There's more to their father and son relationship than meets the eye. This, for me, is the highlight of the movie. Acting is strong throughout, there are many touching scenes throughout between Adonis and his wife( the discovery of their child having been born deaf, Adonis's marriage proposal), Rocky reuniting with his estranged son and a grandchild he's never met before and his relationship with Adonis, whom he considers, by all accounts, as his own son. You get the inevitable fall from grace of the main protagonist, which was to be expected, and the subsequent build up and later resurgence with training montage included. Cliche some times, but highly enjoyable and entertaining.