Review of Creed (2015) by Anthony M — 21 Jan 2019

Similar to the greatest films in the franchise, Creed is a testament to emotional film-making - you'll laugh, cry, and cheer throughout its 133-minute runtime.

Creed centers on Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of the late Apollo Creed, and follows his attempt to make a name for himself as a professional light heavyweight boxer. To advance his career, Adonis travels to Philadelphia to track down and persuade his father's old friend and former heavyweight champion, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), to serve as his trainer. After an initial reluctance, Rocky is eventually won over by Adonis' persistence and joins his corner. While this setup may sound contrived or come across as clichà (C) under less assured direction, Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) crafts a picture that is both confident and authentic. Coogler places equal emphasis on his characters struggles inside and outside of the ring, which culminates in a realistic and poignant evolution of Rocky's character and the franchise.

Creed also deserves praise for two knockout performances. Playing the character that both ignited (Rocky) and rejuvenated his career (Rocky Balboa), Stallone delivers an impassioned, genuine, and award-worthy supporting performance. Jordan also impresses as Adonis, exuding the perfect balance of poise and affability to earn the audiences respect - there is no way you won't be rooting for him by the time the credits roll.

Rocky's whole life was "a million-to-one shot," but those are still better odds than crafting a sequel, nearly forty years after the release of the original, that both honors the past and breathes new life into the franchise. Simply put, Creed is the best Rocky film since the original, and succeeds largely the same way Rocky went the distance with Apollo all the way back in 1976 - with heart.