Review of Creed (2015) by Matthew S — 17 Sep 2016

If "Rocky Balboa" was the epitaph for the "Rocky" series of films, then "Creed" may serve as at once its epilogue and, ostensibly, as the jumping-off-point for a new generation, with its title character. Michael B. Jordan is very good as the son of Rocky's old friend and opponent, Apollo Creed, and it's evident how hard he worked. It's not quite a method performance, but he conveys his character's emotional states effectively and makes a fine boxer. What he seems to lack is charisma, which is why Stallone's Rocky is such a welcome face in this picture. The two of them make a fine partnership and it is a joy to observe the growth and development of their on-screen relationship. This is where the film is anchored.

The fight sequences, ironically, are the least effective component of "Creed", suffering from over-editing, scoring and lacking coherence. The climactic boxing match is effectively ruined by some very ugly cuts, interrupting the flow of the fight, and the whole sequence is only allowed to have superficial impact because the score is *screaming* at us the whole time to feel worried, then elated, then angry, then worried, etc. If I had a dollar for every time a climactic moment in modern cinema was killed by its soundtrack, I could retire. The fight choreography in "Creed" is a real disappointment and not a patch on that of great recent fight films such as "The Fighter" or "Warrior".

There are some strong moments and some really tasteful revisiting of iconic moments from the first "Rocky" film. The performances all round are strong. "Creed" succeeds as a standalone show whilst recalling its "Rocky" roots without getting mired in too much nostalgic sentimentality. It's not as good as "Rocky" (not much is, in this genre) and for my money "the Fighter" is still the best recent boxing movie to come out of hollywood, but it's got enough heart and soul for it to work.