![]() Robert is especially against it and tries to dissuade his father from getting back into the ring. Scene Setup: The fight with Dixon doesn’t have everyone excited. It’s a triumph in Stallone’s career, and the perfect bookend to a story about going the distance. When it all comes to an inevitable, but thrilling end, Stallone challenges us to think about ourselves, time, heroes, winning, and much more. For those who grew up with the fighting hero, it hits with stinging honesty, and forces our own personal reflection. There is nothing forced about this film and moments feel rich with authenticity, almost as if we are watching Sylvester Stallone’s story rather than his pugilist alter ego. Stallone does right by keeping the nostalgia at a minimum and concentrating more on relationships and endings rather than on mining the audience for memories. It really humanizes Rocky and truly strips away the cartoon invulnerability he had in the Rocky IV and V. Old Rocky stand-by Tony “Duke” Evers ( Tony Burton), Creed’s former trainer and series regular, points to Rocky’s arthritic hands as an issue, so concentrates on brute strength and mass as the best defense. Stallone, if you’ll forgive the phrase, doesn’t pull any punches, and addresses his age and physical condition throughout without letting it drain the story of realism. Written and directed by Stallone, Rocky Balboa is the ending the character truly deserves, giving Rocky a far better closure than that of the previous entry. Antonio Tarver, Sylvester Stallone (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) The two eventually agree and the media storm around it pits the “has-been” Rocky against the current champ’s lack of credibility. When Rocky applies for his license, news breaks and Dixon promoters approach him for a charity bout in Las Vegas in hopes of elevating Mason’s spiraling public image. This fires up the champion and incites some angry debates, but in the suburbs of Philly, inspires an aging fighter to quietly return to the ring. Naturally, as happens with all great athletes though, comparisons are made, and when ESPN broadcasts a computer simulated video of a fight between Mason and Balboa (in his prime), Rocky comes out on top. Meanwhile, in the boxing world, a new champion is making a name. Mason “The Line” Dixon ( Antonio Tarver) is undisputed and winning over the world as a charismatic and entertaining fighter that has fans angered as he seems to have no opponents who can match him, blaming him for fighting in mis-matched bouts. Geraldine Hughes, Sylvester Stallone (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Rocky is haunted by the past, the strained relationship he has with Robert, who is trying to become corporate, and with how much times are changing. She owns a small bar and has a son who soon looks to Rocky as a father figure. But times are hard. He even reconnects with an old familiar face, “Little” Marie ( Geraldine Hughes), the troubled girl he tried to steer to the right path thirty years earlier on the tough streets of Philadelphia. Adrian has passed, dying from cancer four years earlier, having only his grown son Robert ( Milo Ventimiglia) as family. He looks weathered, tired, but mostly happy. He works as the owner and storyteller at a small but successful Italian restaurant where he goes table to table recounting famous bouts with patrons. Rocky ( Sylvester Stallone) is long retired from boxing, his career a memory for most. In a brief written message accompanying the video, Stallone added that “though it breaks my heart, sadly all things must pass… and end.” Of course, if both Creed II and Rocky IV have proven anything, it’s that anybody can change, so maybe if Creed III just so happens to crack the right story, audiences will get one last chance to see the man himself.REVIEW: Rocky’s first words are, “Time goes by too fast,” and right away sets the necessary tone. ![]() And I couldn’t be happier as I step back because my story has been told, there’s a whole new world that’s going to be opening up with the audience, with this generation. Then all of a sudden this young man presented himself and the whole story changed. I thought Rocky was over in 2006 and I was very happy with that. “Well, this is probably my last rodeo because what I thought happened, and has happened, I never expected. ![]() Per The Hollywood Reporter, Stallone posted a short video of himself giving a speech on the set of Creed II on what was most likely his last day of filming: But will Rocky Balboa himself, 72-year-old actor Sylvester Stallone, be a part of it? According to a new video posted to his official Instagram account, most likely not. Creed II may not be as good as its immediate predecessor, but its incredible connections to the Rocky film franchise’s lore and ample opening weekend box office returns practically guarantee that a third Creed movie is going to happen.
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