Cert 12A
113 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, infrequent strong language
Sylvester Stallone is to boxing movies what George Lucas is to sci fi, I mused to myself as I sat in screen 3 of Nottingham Cineworld tonight.
And, as in the Star Wars series, I reckon the seventh installment of Rocky is the best since the first.
I was particularly intrigued by its latest incarnation, Creed, because of the surprisingly gushing feedback after it opened in America a few months ago.
I wasn't the only one. This advance screening was packed with people who were presumably inquisitive to see how 69-year-old Stallone could hope to recreate the old magic.
Well, the good news is that he doesn't go back into the ring.
Instead Ryan Coogler's film centres on the son of Rocky's greatest adversary, Apollo Creed.
The latter had died before Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) was born but his boy has inherited his dad's fighting instincts.
However, before he can compete in the big time he needs a trainer, so, guess who he turns to?
Yes, Rocky (Stallone) is persuaded back into the fight game and agrees to try to help his charge land a shot at the big time.
I have never been a big fan of Stallone, largely because of his poor diction and his lumbering movement but this is certainly one of his better performances.
It might seem as if I am trying to maintain a tenuous link but there were echoes of Harrison Ford's role in Star Wars 7 in that he plays the old man with a combination of pathos and tongue in cheek.
He even prompted a fair few laughs from a crowd who were soon on his side.
They would have also been impressed by the fight scenes which were every bit as good as Southpaw last summer.
Much of this is down to Jordan who gives every ounce of energy to the movie.
There is a bit of romance with Creed junior falling for a pretty singer (Tessa Thompson) but that is a mere sideline to the action which climaxes at Goodison Park, home of Everton Football Club (the crowd scenes were filmed at half-time of a match against West Brom).
Actually, I was really pleased that the movie's makers were tight on the detail of the city of Liverpool and Everton, in particular. They could have been easily messed up.
Attention to the nitty gritty is imperative in any sports movie and here Creed scores highly.
In fact, as the old Rocky tune started to play, I suddenly found myself cheering like it was 38 years ago.
Michael B Jordan 
RT 
Reasons to watch: Best of the Rocky franchise since the first
Reasons to avoid: Plenty of very bloody boxing scenes
Laughs: a couple for me but many more for others in the cinema
Jumps: none
Vomit: yes
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8.5/10