Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashād, Tony Bellew, Graham McTavish

OUR RATING: ★★★★☆

Story: Spinoff sequel from the Rocky film series directed and co- written by Ryan Coogler which follows Apollo Creed’s on, Adonis Johnson Creed (Michael B. Jordan), who never knew his father as he died before he was born.

But boxing is in his blood so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). After tracking Rocky down, Adonis asks him to be his trainer. Eventually Rocky agrees to take him on, even as the former champ is battling an opponent more deadly than any he faced in the ring.

With Rocky in his corner, it isn’t long before Adonis gets his own shot at the title, but can he develop not only the drive but also the heart of a true fighter, in time to get into the ring?

Verdict: Ryan Cooglar has managed to breathe new life into this stale franchise and brings out a solid crowd pleasing story with some seriously great performances from Michael B. Jordan and Stallone. I always thought Stallone was great but here we really get to see him shine with some serious acting chops!

Best Quotes (Total Quotes: 19)

Adonis Johnson: I want you to train me. I need somebody solid and who else better to go to? You at least owe me that.
Rocky Balboa: I can tell the way you talk, you been to school so I figure you got some brains. Why would you want to pick a fighter’s life when you don’t have to? If Apollo was around, he would tell you that, too.
Adonis Johnson: Well he ain’t around. I been fighting my whole life. I ain’t got a choice.
Rocky Balboa: It’s always about a choice. I was in the ring, I saw how it went down. That fight should’ve been stopped, I should have stopped it.
Adonis Johnson: Maybe he wanted to go out like a fighter. Maybe, you did exactly what he wanted.
Rocky Balboa: I think he’d rather be here, talking with you.

[looking at Adonis]
Rocky Balboa: There is a resemblance. I’m usually here all the time so if you’re ever in the neighborhood, come by if you need something.
Adonis Johnson: I’ll be at Mickey’s gym tomorrow.
Rocky Balboa: I don’t go there. I haven’t been there in a long time.
Adonis Johnson: Since we’re pretty much like family, who won the third fight?
Rocky Balboa: He did.

[Adonis jogs over to Rocky’s restaurant and sees him unloading some stock from the back of a truck]
Adonis Johnson: Hey, unc! Unc! How you doing?
Rocky Balboa: Did you call me unc?
Adonis Johnson: Yeah, it was either that or O.G.
Rocky Balboa: What’s an O.G.?
Adonis Johnson: Old-ass gangster.
Rocky Balboa: Unc is good.

[Adonis helps Rocky unload the stock from the back of the truck]
Rocky Balboa: So why’d you come by? You hungry?
Adonis Johnson: No, I just wrapped up at the gym. Figured I’d stop by.
Rocky Balboa: Okay.
Adonis Johnson: Maybe ask you a question.
Rocky Balboa: Sure, I can do all this.
Adonis Johnson: What are some drills I can do to get my hand speed up?
Rocky Balboa: Some guys up there, I bet they can help you. There’s a guy there named Pete, he’s a pretty good trainer.
Adonis Johnson: Yeah, but he’s with his fighter most of the time. I mostly just train myself.
Rocky Balboa: Do they know you’re a creed?
Adonis Johnson: I don’t go by that, I’m trying to make it on my own. My name’s Johnson.
Rocky Balboa: Who’s Johnson?
Adonis Johnson:My mom’s name. Plus, just makes life easier. Plus, you know, if you train me nobody around knows me. We could fly under the radar. They’d never know.
Rocky Balboa: Yeah. I told you before, I just don’t wanna do it, kid.
Adonis Johnson: That’s cool, but maybe, you know, you could just give me some drills.
Rocky Balboa: Drills?
Adonis Johnson: Yeah, things I could do on my own.
Rocky Balboa: You don’t stop, do you? You’re like a woodpecker. My God.

Rocky Balboa: Alright, I got a few. But that’s it. Okay?
Adonis Johnson: Yeah, Of course.
Rocky Balboa: Five rounds of jumping rope. Three rounds on each of the bags, when you get to the heavy bag just don’t keep throwing your hands because you can hurt them. It’s also about using your legs, alright? And then five rounds of Shadow…
[Rocky hesitates as he tries to think about how to spell it]
Adonis Johnson: O-W.
Rocky Balboa: It’s a “w”. Boxing.
Adonis Johnson: Boxing, yeah.
Rocky Balboa: And that’s it. Alright?
Adonis Johnson: Yeah.
Rocky Balboa: Okay, here you go.
[Rocky gives the piece of paper with the notes he’s written to Adonis]
Adonis Johnson: That is perfect.
Rocky Balboa: Good luck with that.
Adonis Johnson: Alright, got it.

Adonis Johnson: Hold that real quick.
[he gives the piece of paper and his Phone to Rocky and helps to unload the last of the stock from the truck]
Adonis Johnson: Alright, man.
[Adonis takes back his phone and starts walking off]
Rocky Balboa: Wait, don’t you want this?
[holds up the piece of paper with his notes]
Adonis Johnson: I got it right here.
[holds up his phone]
Rocky Balboa: What if you lose that thing or it breaks?
Adonis Johnson: It’s already up in the cloud.
[Adonis jogs off and Rocky looks up]
Rocky Balboa: What cloud? What cloud?

[Rocky visits Paulie’s and Adrian’s graves]
Rocky Balboa: Here we go, Paulie. Happy Birthday, my friend. I didn’t forget ya. Your favorite. Miss ya, pal.
[he places a bottle of drink on the grave]
Rocky Balboa: Yoh, Adrian, my darling. The best of the best.
[he places a single red rose on Adrians grave and takes a seat opposite]
Rocky Balboa: I’ll tell you, Adrian, God, it’s getting harder to walk up this hill. What does that mean? Anyway, it’s a good day today. It’s a good day, got no problems. the bills are paid. The only thing is, it’s tough to sleep at night sometimes my back. No matter what you do, it catches up to you. Anyway, shall we see what’s new in the world today?
[he takes out a newspaper to read but stops and starts to think]

[Rocky decides to go and visit the gym Adonis is training at and Adonis sees him talking to Pete Sporino]
Adonis Johnson: Hey, unc! Unc.
Pete Sporino: He talking to you?
Rocky Balboa: Yeah. I think so, yeah.
Adonis Johnson: You made it.
Rocky Balboa: Yeah. Just walked by. Here I am.
Pete Sporino: How you know Hollywood?
Adonis Johnson: We met at the restaurant.
Rocky Balboa: That’s it.
Pete Sporino: Okay, Rock. Okay. You need anything, you let me know.
Rocky Balboa: Okay. Good luck, kid. Seriously.
Leo ‘The Lion’ Sporino: Thanks.

Rocky Balboa: Can I talk to you a minute?
[Rocky and Adonis walk over to talk in a quieter spot in the gym]
Rocky Balboa: You know, I don’t even know what I’m doing here because I got other plans for my life and this wasn’t part of it. Your father was special. Tell you the truth, I don’t know if you’re special. Only you gonna know that when your time is right. It ain’t gonna come overnight. You’re gonna take a beating, you’re gonna take this, you’re gonna get knocked down, you’re gonna get up and you’re gonna see if you got the right thing.But, you gotta work hard. I swear to God, if you’re not gonna do it, I’m out.
Adonis Johnson: Rock, every punch I’ve ever thrown has been on my own. Nobody showed me how to do this. I’m ready.
Rocky Balboa: Come on. Let’s do this. Step into my office.

[Rocky starts training Adonis by getting him to catch a chicken as he had to do when was being trained by Mickey]
Adonis Johnson: You serious?
Rocky Balboa: I am serious. This is old school. You should be able to grab one of these birds.
Adonis Johnson: Thirty seconds?
Rocky Balboa: Yeah, in your dreams.

[pointing to Adonis as they look in the mirror]
Rocky Balboa: You see this guy staring back at you? That’s your toughest opponent. I believe that’s true in the ring and I think that’s true in life.

Adonis Johnson: Every move that I make, every punch that I throw, everything’s gonna be compared to him.

Rocky Balboa: Everything I got has moved on and I’m here.

Adonis Johnson: [to Rocky] You standing here crying about nobody’s around for you. I’m here for you everyday! I’m standing right in front of you!

Rocky Balboa: [to Adonis] Bring back everything that’s ever hurt you, all the pain you had inside. They don’t know what we’ve been through. You belong here!

Rocky Balboa: Time, you know, takes everybody out, it’s undefeated.

Rocky Balboa: One step at a time. One punch at a time. One round at a time.

Rocky Balboa: As long as you’re talking, you’re not listening.

Adonis Johnson: I can train at your house.
Rocky Balboa: No, I don’t know, nobody’s been to my house in a long time you might be uncomfortable there.
Adonis Johnson: What, do you walk around naked?

Total Quotes: 19

Trailers: