Recognizing his own limitations in the boxing ring, Sylvester Stallone brought Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan aboard to create this solid continuation of his "Rocky" story. The young protagonist, appropriately called “Adonis,” has a difficult start in life and is involved in minor offenses when Phylicia Rashad, who plays Apollo Creed’s widow, "Mary Anne," takes him in and provides stability through education and …

It’s remarkable how Creed manages to honor all of the previous Rocky movies while also charting a course forward for the series. Following years of Rocky installments, and with more recent ones suggesting that the franchise had seen its peak, Creed arrived as a surprising success. It's a legacy sequel similar to Top Gun: Maverick. Everything about the film—the acting, visuals, production design, fight sequences, and …

It's not great. The film is frequently overcome by an excessive sense of importance – it’s even unpleasant to watch at times. The plot feels fabricated, and I didn’t care for the inclusion of characters with illnesses: a musician losing her hearing and a rocker diagnosed with cancer. If these weren't films about rockers, I seriously doubt anyone would have noticed this one.

CREED feels like the latest installment in the ROCKY series. To be honest, what I really wanted was another Rocky movie, so this spin-off completely caught me off guard. But it makes sense, considering Rocky Balboa is getting older. Plus, with all these reboots happening now, keeping a franchise going and introducing a new generation to it seems like a pretty clever idea. This way, they can keep the original fans …

This is easily among the finest boxing films I’ve seen. It functions as an extension of the initial Rocky storyline, and Michael B. Jordan embodies his character exceptionally well. Sylvester Stallone delivers what could be considered one of his strongest performances yet. The fight sequences are truly impressive, and director Ryan Coogler did a fantastic job. If you're a fan of boxing, this is definitely worth your …