Compared to most fans I only watched Creed II last week and I cried my soul out. It might not make sense to anyone but Creed, Rocky has a story that goes way back with us. My husband and daughter were both badass kickboxers. Tasya was only 6 years when she went on to do 500 squats. She definitely has the genes of Michel! Together they had their ‘Daddy-Baby’ rituals after kickboxing. They shared something so deep.
Coming back to Creed II, Michel was so looking forward to it after watching the first one. Watching it with him last week made me realise that it could have been me watching it alone for all I know his accident could have taken him away.
(SPOILER ALERT)
Yet there we were, watching it with me holding him and drenching him with my non-stop tears. I could not stop the tears when Adonis was training after the fight he lost against Drago Junior. His pain, his tears, his frustrations all made sense. Each therapy is exactly what Michel must go through. Each time he tries lifting his hand must be physical, mental and emotional torture. The doubts he must have, the pain he must hide from us, the tears not shed.
That hospital scene tore my heart to pieces as I saw Michel again with those tubes hooked up to him. That swollen face, his eyes full of questions, remorse, pain…
I held him till the fight ended and cried even more for Drago, both Ivan and Viktor.
Now you will ask me why Drago? Yes, I feel for Creed, I feel for him more because I see Michel’s struggle through his. Yet Ivan Drago had so much pain too. He lost everything for which he fought. Yes, he was wrong at many levels. He was still wrong raising his son with hate pumping through his veins. I cried in the end for him because despite being an ass and raising a son filling him up with anger, he chose his son’s life against his broken pride and ego. It showed that in the end, he had more love for his son than the mother ever had. Ivan throwing that towel for Viktor proved to be the most poignant act he could do. He eventually showed the hidden love he had for his son. It meant returning back to all that he lost yet he did it.
To those who wonder why people cry watching movies, I would like to say that movies might be fictions but somewhere out there someone when through that same ordeal. Someone cried true tears. Someone hurt for real.
Creed II was me watching my life being fought on that ring. That everyday fight to keep going despite all the hard blows.
I have the lump in my throat while writing it all. Well, if you have not watched it, go for it. The soundtrack is amazing, especially the training and last act plus hunks shirtless? It made me cry even more! 😁😂
Last thing, those stairs, part of the whole Rocky saga, well they hold a story close to my heart too.
Maybe one day I will share it, till then…
This is life, life’s little things…
By Reena DKL