Rocky vs Creed
After six movies spanning thirty years, a number of title defenses, as well as a series of impossible victories, what was left for the Rocky universe? The answer is Creed (2015), a soft reboot which introduces the new lead of Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the illegitimate son of the legendary Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). I actually had a similar idea about twenty years ago – continue the boxing story with one of Apollo’s sons. It’s the logical move. In Rocky Balboa (2006), we see that Rocky’s only son, Robert (Milo Ventimiglia), works in some corporate job, so it’s not like he’s going to put on the gloves. I thought…
Rating the Rocky Movies: Part II
Every artform is open to interpretation. We all like different things. So I’m sure there are people who disagree with my bottom four choices. That’s okay. I understand why people love the other Rocky movies; or if they even prefer one of the Creed movies, which are slick and well-made. I look at them from the point of view that I want them to be true to the original universe. Rocky III and Rocky IV feel as if they stray, trading substance for glitz. The Creed movies feel like they’re hitting the same beats but (for me) not generating the same emotion. They play like remakes trying to again capture…