Creed. Corazón de campeón

History has a strange way of repeating itself. 40 years ago, Rocky Balboa became a household name and turned an unwanted actor into one of the greatest success stories in Hollywood. The fact that Rocky (1976) won three Academy Awards including Best Picture is of little importance compared to the real life struggle behind the making of that film. For Sylvester Stallone, it was a rags to riches story that mirrored his real life struggles to make a decent and honest living. Cut from the same cloth maybe, but Creed is much more than just the seventh installment in the Rocky film franchise. As a no- holds-barred sports drama, this is every bit an exceptional crowd pleaser with a lot of heart, plenty of amusing jabs to the ribs, and an unexpected but emotional haymaker to the gut. And a lot more.

Co-written by director Ryan Coogler, there's no doubt that Creed is a passionate love letter to the first film, which in itself is a poetic love story about fighting the good fight. Although boxing is the central theme, and often frowned upon as a brutal blood-sport that causes serious injuries, it's never been about the fight but more about what you are fighting for. Coogler gets this spot-on when we are introduced to teenager Adonis Johnson in juvenile detention. We soon learn that Adonis is the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed, born shortly after the latter's death in Rocky IV. Appolo's widow Mary Ann (Phylicia Rashad) rescues young Adonis from what is certain to be a life on the streets and raises him as her own in the plush Creed estate in Los Angeles. Cut to present day and Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) is a corporate executive half way up the ladder. It's a stark contrast to Stallone's blue collar stiff in the first film, but this is where both films converge. Like Rocky, Adonis (calling himself Donnie) knows he is destined for something else, so heads to Philadelphia to meet his late father's rival turned best friend.

The meeting with Rocky is one of several great moments in the film while also serving as a nostalgic homecoming occasion for every fan of the franchise. It's a fascinating intersection of the past but none better than the fact that in many ways, Creed is an inverted mirror image of Rocky. And before sending this film off on its own pulsating trajectory, Coogler reveals a full hand of spades. One of which is the legacy Rocky bestows on Donnie, and in essence, Stallone handing over the franchise baton to Jordan. We may not realize this at first and that's because we are already smitten by the father-son relationship developing between Donnie and Rocky. Their character study is the most significant aspect of this film. Donnie has always been an orphan and the reason why he never took on his father's name is an emotional revelation. Who he is and why he wants to become a professional boxer is his darkest secret.

Both equally emotive and with comic interruptions, Jordan and Stallone deliver impressive performances. Stallone in particular gives what has to be his career best performance since Copland, and if this is his franchise swan song (owing to a devastating but befitting plot device) that's all the more reason why this film must be seen. But as they say, the show must go on and Jordan is more than capable of shouldering future films under the Creed banner. And with the inclusion of Philly local Bianca (Tessa Thompson), Donnie's neighbor and love interest, future sequels look to be set in Rocky's beloved hometown.

Onto the production quality and it suffices to say that Creed has THE best technical aspects in the franchise, including spectacular fight choreography, astounding cinematography in the ring and around Philadelphia, and an upbeat hip-hop soundtrack fused with the original score from previous films. The only real letdown comes from Donnie's main opponent (Real life professional boxer Tony Bellew) who isn't as antagonistic as you would expect, given the villainous ferocity from Clubber Lang (Rocky III) and the evil Ivan Drago (Rocky IV). But that's a minor blemish to an overall outstanding film made with grit, substance and style. At its best, Creed is a very intimate film for fans and newcomers and an undisputed knockout for 2015.

It's not about winning, it's about hard work, daily dedication and never giving up because new opportunities will come. This is the biggest lesson I take from the Rocky movies, a lesson that is valid for our lives, the person who can absorb this mentality will probably have a lot of success in life.

About the film, the performances are good, the plot is not that deep (and it doesn't need to), sets, soundtrack, action scenes and very accurate fighting.

That's it, a simple film (but not generic) that fulfills its role very well, a good sequel to a saga of legendary films.

Although young Michael B. Jordan has the title role in Creed the film really belongs to Sylvester Stallone. Sly joins an exclusive club of players like Bing Crosby, Paul Newman, and Al Pacino who got two Oscar nominations for playing the same role. In the case of Sly and Newman both aged naturally into the parts of Rocky Balboa and Eddie Felson. It's hard to believe that it has been 39 years since Stallone debuted Rocky Balboa. It's also 39 years between the nominations that Stallone got for Best Actor for Rocky and Best Supporting Actor for Creed.

But between that there have been several Rocky films over the years as Sly has developed more facets to the fighting Mr. Balboa of Philadelphia than I'm sure he even thought of when he debuted Rocky. It all really comes together with Creed.

But as for the story it seems that back when Apollo Creed was killed in that fight with that Russian steroid machine Dolph Lundgren in Rocky IV he had a dalliance that resulted in a post mortem birth of an illegitimate son who grew up to be Michael B. Jordan, character name of Adonis Johnson. Apollo's widow Phyllis Rashad took him out of foster care as his natural mother had died and raised him.

Jordan has an interesting dichotomy to deal with. He's his father's son and wants to make it in the fight game, but on his own as Adonis Johnson. He seeks his father's old friend and rival Rocky Balboa as a mentor and Rocky trains him for a title shot at the light heavyweight championship.

Rocky Balboa is not the most articulate movie hero ever developed, but he sure imparts a lot of wisdom to Jordan. Those scenes with Jordan are what got Sly Stallone that second Oscar nomination. Also Rocky has some personal crises of his own to deal with. These guys are of incalculable help to each other.

I really loved this film and how Stallone developed Rocky to this point. Like fine wine, Rocky gets better with age.

There's no other way to say it; Creed is a knockout.

From start to finish, this film exhilarates and crackles with brilliant on screen performances and masterfully directed fight sequences. It wholeheartedly captures what was so brilliant about the first film: the characters. Yes, I'll return to theaters to see the fights, but it's the characters, particularly Rocky and Adonis that truly captivated me from start to finish.

I can't say enough great things about writer/director Ryan Coogler. The way he masterfully captures the modern spirit of Philadelphia and the visceral tension of standing toe-to-toe with a man who wants to see you hit the ground is second to none. What stood out the most, however, was his writing of Rocky Balboa. The subtle nuances that we love about the Italian Stallion are effortlessly worked into the script and flow like water from Sly's crooked mouth. Speaking of, the script would be for naught if it weren't for the beautiful performances by Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. I'm not ashamed to say I was brought to tears at various parts of this film.

I'm just so happy to say that this film wasn't a disappointment. This film exceeded my wildest hopes of a 7th Rocky installment and had me feeling amped up for hours after the credits rolled. I can't wait to see more from the talent involved in this film, and I proudly endorse and recommend Creed to Rocky fans and film fans alike.

Continuing my plan to watch every Sly movie in order, I come to Creed.

Plot In A Paragraph: Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.

Long rumoured, Sly publicly turned this movie down on more than one occasion. And I was in the camp that was glad he did. I didn't want anything ruining the ending to Rocky Balboa, which for this Zoner was perfect. However a few flops at the domestic box office later, and it's back to Rocky.

And it is the smartest decision he made in years, winning the Golden Globe and taking him all the way to the Oscars. (I still say he should have won)

Whilst I enjoyed Creed immensely, I can see both sides of the argument regarding this movie.

I'll get what I didn't like out of the way first. Whilst I loved the nods and references, I thought it literally borrowed TOO heavily from the first movie from me (Just a few....The champs opponent breaking something prior to the fight, and the Champ needing an opponent quick, and said opponent is chosen because of his name. The fighters needing separating at the end of the second round, A 14th round knock down with the champ turning his back to celebrate as the hero gets up, the result of the fight)

It undid all the Rocky/Robert relationship restored by the end of Balboa. How did the vultures of the gutter press, not pick up on how sick Rocky was looking?? And did Robert not see any pics of his Dad in the papers or on TV, and think "He's not looking too well, I'll give him a call"

I didn't relate to Adonis (nobody's fault) but when Rocky wasn't on screen, especially early on, I wasn't that interested, and was tempted to reach for the remote, to run it forward to the next time Rocky was featured.

As someone who has lost close (TOO many) family members and loved ones to Cancer, and been with them all the way through it, the scenes of Rocky receiving his treatment, struggling to the toilet and needing to be tucked in, struck me far TOO close to home as I thought they may.

Tony Bellew was intimidating enough, but thought his physique lacked, and he almost looked fat next to Jordan.

Now on to the good.

Sly is fantastic, and is totally worthy of his Golden Globe win and Oscar Nomination!! It's defiantly an Oscar worthy, so for him not to win, was guttering!! He was the best thing in the movie, and when he wasn't on screen, I found myself thinking "When is Rocky coming back in to it" Although I think his Balboa performance, was better (the "It wasn't supposed to be like this Paulie" scene in the meat house and the "It ain't about how hard you hit" Speech come to mind) and it could be argued Copland is too!!

I thought all the cast were good, especially Jordan, and I really liked Rashad, even if she was under used!! (I thought it would be her at the hotel room door, the night before the fight, meaning Rocky finally called her)

I loved it when Gonna Fly Now kicked in during the start of the final round.

I know it's not to everyone's taste, but I enjoyed the score, and all the fight scenes were well shot too!! Though I'm not quite sure how it was a split decision. He seemed well beat to me.

The scenes that I cried at 1 When Rocky got the news 2 "Put everything that was good in my life in a bowl" 3 seeing Rocky struggle during the training montage 4 "You're a Creed and I love you kid" and the Rocky music kicked in 5 seeing Rocky struggling up the steps.

It was nice to see Sly playing Rocky again, and it is a very touching movie that reduced me to tears more then once. It's a well made, entertaining movie, and I do enjoy it. But I don't feel the need to revisit this movie that often. I think my ten your old son summed it up best. When I suggested watching this, he questioned why I wanted to watch it, so I asked why not?? And he replied "If I want to watch a Rocky movie, I'll watch one of the real ones"