‘Creed II’ reviews
Shaune’s “Creed II” review, Nov. 22, 2018 John’s “Creed II” review, Nov. 28, 2018
‘Creed II,’ a sequel to both ‘Creed’ and ‘Rocky IV,’ wins by decision (Movie review)
We’re not supposed to heap praise on sequels, since they are standing on the shoulders of their predecessors, but something should be said about how skillfully “Creed II” continues the story from “Creed” (2015) and “Rocky IV” (1985). Suffice it to say, director Steve Caple Jr.’s film will please fans of this franchise that has
‘Creed II’ is a crowd-pleaser, even if it doesn’t pack the same punch as the original (Movie review)
Ryan Coogler’s “Creed” (2015) was a surprisingly well-executed and welcome addition to the “Rocky” franchise. Working as a reboot of sorts, it brings “Rocky” to a new generation. With “Creed II,” Steve Caple Jr. directs a fairly by-the-numbers sequel that works, but doesn’t have near the impact that “Creed” does.
‘First Blood’ reviews
John’s “First Blood” flashback review, Sept. 19, 2019 “First Blood” – More than just a great action movie, the first entry in the “Rambo” series – directed by Ted Kotcheff – is a powerful anti-war opus. John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is a war machine who has had all human emotion stripped away by the horrors
‘Rambo’ reviews
John’s “Rambo” flashback review, Jan. 9, 2020 John’s top 10 movies of 2008, May 6, 2009
‘Creed’ respects ‘Rocky’ traditions while doing something a bit different (Movie review)
“Creed” — the seventh entry in the “Rocky” series — respects its elders while also doing its own thing. As the saga’s first film not written by Sylvester Stallone, and the first not directed by Stallone or John G. Avildsen, “Creed” has a different sense of style. That having been said, Stallone’s Rocky is the heart
Countdown to ‘Creed’: ‘Rocky Balboa’ (2006) unapologetically, effectively tugs at heartstrings (Movie review)
Rightly ranked by IMDB voters as the best of the “Rocky” sequels (with a 7.2 rating), “Rocky Balboa” (2006) is a beautiful grace note to the fighting portion of the Italian Stallion’s career. (His training career appears to continue in “Creed.”) While the film makes few bones about the fact that a 50-something former champion can’t beat
Countdown to ‘Creed’: This ain’t no pie-eating contest, but ‘Rocky V’ runs off the rails in final act (1990) (Movie review)
The “Rocky” films never drifted into the arena of spectacle as much as their reputation suggests. Even the most over-the-top entry, “Rocky IV,” includes acknowledgements of the heightened plot, like when the commentators note the bizarreness of the Creed-Drago match. Still, the larger-than-life villainy of Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago changed the perception of the
Countdown to ‘Creed’: Boxer takes on Cold War, inner demons in muscular ‘Rocky IV’ (1985) (Movie review)
With its montages and Eighties arena-rock songs, not to mention the “U.S. versus U.S.S.R.” foundation that begs for the hoariest of subtexts to be added, “Rocky IV” (1985) is unquestionably the most stylized film in the series up to this point. At first blush, it’s a brainless throwaway movie with a must-buy soundtrack highlighted by Robert Tepper’s
Countdown to ‘Creed’: ‘Rocky III’ (1982) regains eye of the tiger with enjoyable friendship yarn (Movie review)
Are the “Rocky” films more spectacle or substance? At first blush, the opening act of “Rocky III”(1982) suggests spectacle. Rocky fights professional wrestler Hulk Hogan – OK, technically “Thunderlips” – in a charity bout. It’s unclear to both Rocky and the viewer whether Thunderlips is putting on a show or actually trying to beat the crap