REVIEW: Creed delivers as a bright revival to the Rocky series.
By Franklin Racobs, Staff Writer
The Rocky franchise has become the quintessential example of great boxing films. After a few relatively unsuccessful films, Creed, the seventh film in the series, serves as the necessary rebirth of the franchise. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Creed tells the story of Adonis Johnson Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the estranged son of beloved character Apollo Creed. In a similar fashion to the original films, Creed seeks the mentorship and training of a well-established boxing coach, the legendary Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), to fight boxing’s undefeated champion, “Pretty” Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew).
As a film, Creed delivers what most reboots/sequels/spinoffs cannot do: a phenomenal film that both stands on its own as a feature, but also ties in perfectly with the Rocky universe. In a return to the first Rocky film, Creed is more focused on character development and storytelling than it is on boxing, which keeps the film from becoming another boxing cliché.
Ryan Coogler does a great job directing the movie. It may only be his second feature film, but he displays a director’s poise that goes beyond his years. Coogler, who grew up watching the Rocky films with his father, came up with the story for Creed and wrote the screenplay with Aaron Covington. Perhaps the most impressive directive work in the film is the second major fight that involves Adonis Creed. The fight is a thrill to watch because Coogler captured it all in one continuous shot. He made it feel as if you were watching a real life boxing match.
The character of Adonis Creed is well-written, and Michael B. Jordan does some of his best work to bring the character to life. Jordan trained for a year to prepare for the role of Creed and it definitely paid off. Jordan looked and fought like a real boxer. The choice to have British professional boxer Anthony Bellew play Creed’s final opponent bolstered Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Creed because he was able to spar in the ring with a real life fighter.
Stallone, in particular, appeared to revitalize his career after a series of substandard roles. A nomination from the Academy for Best Supporting Actor could lie in the future for Sylvester Stallone. Stallone’s return to the character Rocky Balboa was a surprising treat that tied the film together. Seeing Stallone in this role again should serve as a reminder to viewers why he is a great actor. Stallone’s performance in Creed is raw, meaningful and definitely his best work in a while. Since Coogler directed this film, it gave Stallone an opportunity to focus on just the portrayal of Rocky, instead of having to worry about directing like he did in the previous Rocky films. The performance of Stallone gave the film a sentimental and emotional feel, but at the same time his performance didn’t rely on the fact that he was playing the beloved Rocky character.
Whether you’re an avid Rocky fan or not, Creed is a film you should see. It is both a classic tribute to the original Rocky and a film that stands on its own as one of the highest quality motion pictures of 2015. The film sparks new and creative life into the franchise and proves we have plenty to look forward to from director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan.