Creed--The Rocky Saga Continues

I went into Creed with the lowest of expectations.  The Rocky Balboa character, once a hallmark in film achievement, had become totally cartoonish.  You just couldn't take  it seriously after watching the many sequels.
 This movie features the son of Apollo Creed, Rocky's arch rival and later friend who died fighting a robot like Russian in Rocky IV.  Adonis Creed, played by Michael B. Jordan was conceived in Apollo's extra marital affair.  Apollo's widow, looks up the angry boy, who seemingly can't help getting into fights, She wishes to raise the boy, who had lost his mother to an undisclosed death.
Adonis quits his job as a financier to attempt to become a professional boxer.
I think the reason this works is the movie deserts comedy which is where Rocky sequels turned and gotten back to drama.  Rocky is back in Philadelphia, seemingly near broke, his wife and best friends are gone.  In other words, the show goes back to it's roots.  As a result, you get that feel good feeling that the first Rocky, almost 40 years ago, was able to deliver and that sequels were not.