Creed - directed by Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Tony Beelew, Graham McTavish, Andre Ward
Running Time: 133 minutes
Rated: M - Mild language, some bloody boxing violence, very tame sex scene.
Honestly, when I saw the announcement of this movie and read the plot description my first thought was that Stallone was really milking this franchise now.
We've had six Rocky films already in which we've seen Rocky win, lose, train other fights and come back for just one more fight more than once.
There have been a couple of weak entries but mostly I have enjoyed them.
None have reached the quality and acclaim of the original 1976 Oscar winning "Rocky" though.
Nominated for ten Academy Awards it took home three- Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing.
The acclaim dropped off pretty quickly as the series went on.
I recall the derision that "Rocky IV" drew when it came out and to be fair that movie is often heavy handed and sometimes out and out ridiculous.
It is tough to keep a series appealing to audiences over six movies so I don't blame Stallone for attempting to outdo himself with each fight set piece.
He did tone things down for parts 5 and 6 which brings us nicely part 7 - aka "Creed".
"Creed" announces itself as more "Rocky" then "Rocky IV" very early.
Starting in 1998 in Los Angeles we meet Adonis Johnson a young man in a youth facility with a penchant for fist fighting with the other boys.
A woman ("Cosby" star Phylicia Rashad) arrives and tells him that she is the wife of the late Apollo Creed who had an extramarital affair that resulted in his birth.
Flash forward to present day Tijuana and Adonis (who now goes by the name Donnie) wins a low rent bout before returning to a desk job in LA 12 hours later.
It is a jarring transition.
We are used to boxing being a sport for blue collar types.
Donnie has been raised in a mansion and is able to quit his job to pursue his boxing dream without too much difficulty.
Contrast this with Rocky Balboa in the 1976 film where the situation is reversed and he has nothing and sees boxing as a way of improving his lot in life.
But regardless this movie instantly looks and feels like it is a Rocky film despite the actual Rocky not appearing for about thirty minutes.
The reasons for this movie being called "Creed" instead of some variation on the name Rocky are also clear very quickly.
This is definitely Donnie's story with Stallone taking a supporting role.
Not to say that it is a small role- far from it.
This is Stallone's best role for quite some time.
It is also perhaps his out and out best performance.
This version of Rocky Balboa is not trying to hide his age.
He is an old man - the body is giving out and he wears glasses.
He is content to go about a quiet life running his restaurant and hasn't shown his face in the gym for years.
When Donnie arrives in town seeking his help that changes.
The relationship between the two men will be the cornerstone of the film and thankfully it works really, really well.
Michael B Jordan is great and this is a star-making performance filled with charisma, intelligence and a clear commitment to making the boxing scenes look authentic but the real performance to savour is Stallone's.
For once playing his age Stallone deals with not only the challenges of re-imagining his famous character as such but also the revelation of a serious illness.
Anyone who is used to see him only in the likes of "Cliffhanger","Judge Dredd" and the Rambo and Expendables movies where little is required apart from his tough guy persona will be pleasantly surprised by the sort of performance that long time fans have always known is in him.
I think you would have to go back as far as "Copland" to find a performance remotely as good as the one he gives in "Creed".
The other performance of note is director Ryan Coogler.
His handling of the boxing scenes is just one of the most obviously impressive aspects of his work.
The choreography in the first fight in particular is amazing.
There are very long takes in this fight with the boxers ducking, weaving, dancing and punching their way across the ring.
Not once did the action look faked and it is exciting, visceral stuff.
Coogler shows a deft hand in the scenes in which Rocky and Donnie interact.
The script by Coogler and co-writer Aaron Covington is smart and paced to perfection.
There isn't a lot of actually in the ring man vs man boxing in the film but when it comes the character work that has already occurred lends the scenes even more impact.
With a romantic subplot, a fight to prepare for, relationships to form and strengthen and of course a boxing match every bit of the 131 minute running time is used to great effect.
Coogler handles it all with apparent ease.
It could scarcely be better paced.
By the time the climactic fight started any worries that it would be a ridiculously over the top exercise in trying to top the previous movies vanished.
It was clear that the project was in the best possible hands and was the return to the sort of character piece that the original movie is.
Honestly, I was not ready for how good this movie turned out.
The seventh film in a series that really only has two movies that are really good didn't come with high expectations for me but this is a damned good movie.
Far better than than this years disappointing "Southpaw" in every way including the astoundingly well put together boxing sequences and the lead performance I cannot recommend this highly enough.
It doesn't matter if you don't like boxing movies- there is plenty more to this film than just the sport.
The relationship between Donnie and Rocky is central to this film and the dialogue whilst they get to know each other is spot on.
Clearly Coogler is a name to look for in the future based on this terrific film.
RATING: 82/ 100
CONCLUSION: The second best Rocky movie to date. Exciting, drama filled and a reminder as to exactly what made the first film such a legend- great characters.
Running Time: 133 minutes
Rated: M - Mild language, some bloody boxing violence, very tame sex scene.
Honestly, when I saw the announcement of this movie and read the plot description my first thought was that Stallone was really milking this franchise now.
We've had six Rocky films already in which we've seen Rocky win, lose, train other fights and come back for just one more fight more than once.
There have been a couple of weak entries but mostly I have enjoyed them.
None have reached the quality and acclaim of the original 1976 Oscar winning "Rocky" though.
Nominated for ten Academy Awards it took home three- Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing.
The acclaim dropped off pretty quickly as the series went on.
I recall the derision that "Rocky IV" drew when it came out and to be fair that movie is often heavy handed and sometimes out and out ridiculous.
It is tough to keep a series appealing to audiences over six movies so I don't blame Stallone for attempting to outdo himself with each fight set piece.
He did tone things down for parts 5 and 6 which brings us nicely part 7 - aka "Creed".
"Creed" announces itself as more "Rocky" then "Rocky IV" very early.
Starting in 1998 in Los Angeles we meet Adonis Johnson a young man in a youth facility with a penchant for fist fighting with the other boys.
A woman ("Cosby" star Phylicia Rashad) arrives and tells him that she is the wife of the late Apollo Creed who had an extramarital affair that resulted in his birth.
 |
| Sylvester Stallone and Michael B Jordan |
It is a jarring transition.
We are used to boxing being a sport for blue collar types.
Donnie has been raised in a mansion and is able to quit his job to pursue his boxing dream without too much difficulty.
Contrast this with Rocky Balboa in the 1976 film where the situation is reversed and he has nothing and sees boxing as a way of improving his lot in life.
But regardless this movie instantly looks and feels like it is a Rocky film despite the actual Rocky not appearing for about thirty minutes.
The reasons for this movie being called "Creed" instead of some variation on the name Rocky are also clear very quickly.
This is definitely Donnie's story with Stallone taking a supporting role.
Not to say that it is a small role- far from it.
This is Stallone's best role for quite some time.
It is also perhaps his out and out best performance.
This version of Rocky Balboa is not trying to hide his age.
He is an old man - the body is giving out and he wears glasses.
He is content to go about a quiet life running his restaurant and hasn't shown his face in the gym for years.
When Donnie arrives in town seeking his help that changes.
The relationship between the two men will be the cornerstone of the film and thankfully it works really, really well.
Michael B Jordan is great and this is a star-making performance filled with charisma, intelligence and a clear commitment to making the boxing scenes look authentic but the real performance to savour is Stallone's.
For once playing his age Stallone deals with not only the challenges of re-imagining his famous character as such but also the revelation of a serious illness.
Anyone who is used to see him only in the likes of "Cliffhanger","Judge Dredd" and the Rambo and Expendables movies where little is required apart from his tough guy persona will be pleasantly surprised by the sort of performance that long time fans have always known is in him.
I think you would have to go back as far as "Copland" to find a performance remotely as good as the one he gives in "Creed".
The other performance of note is director Ryan Coogler.
His handling of the boxing scenes is just one of the most obviously impressive aspects of his work.
The choreography in the first fight in particular is amazing.
There are very long takes in this fight with the boxers ducking, weaving, dancing and punching their way across the ring.
Not once did the action look faked and it is exciting, visceral stuff.
Coogler shows a deft hand in the scenes in which Rocky and Donnie interact.
The script by Coogler and co-writer Aaron Covington is smart and paced to perfection.
There isn't a lot of actually in the ring man vs man boxing in the film but when it comes the character work that has already occurred lends the scenes even more impact.
With a romantic subplot, a fight to prepare for, relationships to form and strengthen and of course a boxing match every bit of the 131 minute running time is used to great effect.
Coogler handles it all with apparent ease.
It could scarcely be better paced.
By the time the climactic fight started any worries that it would be a ridiculously over the top exercise in trying to top the previous movies vanished.
It was clear that the project was in the best possible hands and was the return to the sort of character piece that the original movie is.
 |
| Michael B Jordan and writer-director Ryan Coogler |
The seventh film in a series that really only has two movies that are really good didn't come with high expectations for me but this is a damned good movie.
Far better than than this years disappointing "Southpaw" in every way including the astoundingly well put together boxing sequences and the lead performance I cannot recommend this highly enough.
It doesn't matter if you don't like boxing movies- there is plenty more to this film than just the sport.
The relationship between Donnie and Rocky is central to this film and the dialogue whilst they get to know each other is spot on.
Clearly Coogler is a name to look for in the future based on this terrific film.
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