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Creed Review

November 26, 2015 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
Creed Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
8.5
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Creed Review  

Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Written by: Ryan Coogler

Starring:
* Michael B. Jordan – Adonis Johnson Creed
* Sylvester Stallone – Rocky Balboa
* Tessa Thompson – Bianca
* Phylicia Rashad – Mary Anne Creed
* Tony Bellew – “Pretty” Ricky Conlan
* Graham McTavish – Tommy Holiday
* Wood Harris – Tony “Little Duke” Burton
* Andre Ward – Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler
* Gabriel Rosado – Leo Sporino

Running Time: 133 minutes
Rated PG-13 for violence, language and some sensuality.

There’s a wonderful moment very early on in Creed that instantly sets the film apart. It starts when Adonis “Donnie” Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed, is seen fighting in a dingy location in Mexico. Johnson isn’t professionally trained, but he has passion and is gifted on a natural level and he dismantles his opponent, putting him down and picking up the win. Then the moment comes, as it smash cuts to Donnie in a suit and tie working in an office. He’s just received a promotion, but as we find out from his long walk to his boss’ office, he’s about to quit that job.

This scene is incredibly important to the success of Creed, because it does something that absolutely needed to happen for the film to work: it distinguishes Adonis Creed from Rocky Balboa. Sylvester Stallone’s most recognizable role has been one of the most enduring fighters in cinematic history since Rocky was released in 1976. Since that Best Picture-winning film elevated Stallone to worldwide fame, Rocky Balboa has gone on to form the centerpiece of five sequels of varying qualities that have established the franchise’s legacy. Trying to step into that legacy is a risky proposition, but that’s exactly what Ryan Coogler finds himself doing in his sophomore film with Creed. It’s an impressive accomplishment to say he’s up to the task of carrying on the series’ legacy and taking it in a new direction.

Creed stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis, the illegitimate son of Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed from the first four Rocky films. Born after Apollo died at the hands of Ivan Drago, Adonis is adopted by Apollo’s widow Mary Anne (Rashad) after his mother dies and he ends up in the Los Angeles legal system. Apollo is an angry kid but Mary Anne does her best to keep him out of trouble, guiding him into that nice office job among other things. But as much as she detests it, she can’t stop his passion for fighting and Adonis goes to Philadelphia seeking someone to train him.

That lands him at the front door of Rocky, who is running his restaurant and has no interest in the boxing world anymore. It isn’t long before Adonis convinces Rocky to train him, and they begin to work together while he begins a relationship with his neighbor Bianca (Thompson), a young singer with her own life challenges. Adonis keeps his mother’s name, going by “Donnie Johnson” to stay out of his father’s considerable shadow. Soon he’s competing professionally and gets the fight of a lifetime: a shot at the brash light heavyweight champion “Pretty” Ricky Conlan (Bellew). But he can only get the fight if he cashes in on his father’s legacy. Meanwhile, Rocky is dealing with his own issues, relating to his health. As the night of the big fight draws closer, the question becomes whether they can help each other win their respective battles.

Ryan Coogler was taking quite a chance by making his second film a spinoff of a franchise as beloved as Rocky. The writer/director established himself as a rising star with his first film, Fruitvale Station. That film also starred Jordan and earned both its director and star some major accolades for its handling of sensitive subject matter. Coogler demonstrates the same deft tough in his approach to Creed, balancing the demands of both honoring the first film and forging a new path. At a glance, the format is very similar to the underdog tale of Rocky: young up-and-comer faces established champion with everything on the line. But Coogler’s script does some smart things to riff in its own direction.

The first and most important thing he does is establish Adonis Creed’s story as inherently different from that of Rocky’s. This is where that aforementioned smash cut is so important. Rocky was, at its core, a story about a working-class hero who refuses to give in when his dreams are impossible. It was an inspirational film during an era when cynicism ruled movie screens. Adonis’ story is very different than that; he doesn’t have to fight in order to escape a life of loan sharking. Coogler instead shifts the motivations of his central character to that of escaping his father’s legacy.

Adonis says at one point, “I’ve been fighting my whole life” and that boxing isn’t really a choice for him; it’s in his blood. But his relationship with his father’s legacy is one that tears at him, which allows Coogler to find a compelling angle to the traditional boxing story. His story is filled with the same spirit as Rocky — the growing romantic relationship, the mentor/student dynamic, the underdog battling the champion — and of course its mythology. But it has its own story to tell and it gets that across quite effectively.

Coogler’s script isn’t the true strength of his contribution here, though. Instead it’s his work in the director’s chair, which is nearly flawless. It’s shot in a way that makes it fit in visually with the best of the Rocky films, but Coogler also makes his own mark. The boxing scenes are tremendous, with one captured in a thrilling single-take format that puts the audience right in the ring. And the climactic fight is as pulse-pounding as it should be; Coogler captures all of the brutality and skill of these two warriors going at each other, boosted by an exemplary score from Ludwig Göransson. It’s a film that feels mainstream without betraying Coogler’s indie sensibilities; it has blockbuster excitement but maintains its intimacy in scenes at Rocky’s home and Adonis’ or Bianca’s apartments. One particular standout sequence sees Adonis at his foster mother’s home, using a projector to put a YouTube video of Rocky and Apollo’s fight on the wall so he can shadowbox with his famous father. It captures everything you need to know about the character’s mindset without the need for long-winded exposition.

The film also serves as an acting clinic, with Jordan and Stallone delivering some of their best work. Jordan makes you forget that he was in one of the biggest bombs of the year (August’s Fantastic Four) with his charismatic turn here. It’s not easy to step into the kind of legacy he’s tackling here, but he has the presence and acting chops to capture anger and inner turmoil of a man who is trying to find his own place in the world. His dynamic with Stallone is off the charts, and the elder actor shines in one of his best turns yet as Rocky. The good-natured pugilist act is one that Stallone could do in his sleep by now, but he never coasts here.

Tessa Thompson’s performance as Bianca is also stand-out work; she could have easily been dwarfed by the two leads because it isn’t her story, but she has quite the spark with Johnson and acquits herself well. Pro boxer Tony Bellew is quite good as the champ Conlan, and while Rashad’s role is brief, she brings grace to Mary Anne. Other supporting roles have less impact but there’s honestly not a bad performance here, even from the non-professional actors.

Like any Rocky film, there are plot elements that suspend disbelief. I’m no boxing expert, but from a layman’s point of view it’s fantasy to think that a situation would happen where Creed — famous father or not — would get a shot at the world champion after one above-the-board professional fight and several more spurious ones, particularly in an era where that shouldn’t be too hard to uncover. The opening act feels a little haphazard as well, with the first several sequences coming across more as vignettes stitched together than the beginning of a story. But that quickly works itself out and the less believable plotwork fits perfectly in hand with the franchise as a whole, and the film ends on a very strong note, making Creed a film that does what many worried it couldn’t in resurrecting this franchise for what may be another reign at the top.

8.5
The final score: review Very Good
The 411
With powerful performances from Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone powering the way, Ryan Coogler delivers a major win with Creed. A sharp script from Coogler honors its predecessors while looking at the boxing story from a new angle, while the writer-director finds room for thrilling action and dramatic intimacy between its primary stars. Tessa Thompson shines in her supporting role as the love interest and Jordan matches up well with Stallone, both delivering some of the best work in their respective careers. Balancing inspiration and dramatic heft, Coogler has crafted a spinoff that may just stand as the best film in the Rocky franchise since the original.
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Creed, Jeremy Thomas