Review of Creed (2015) by Patrick L — 29 Feb 2016

"Yo Rocky! "Creed" is the best film in the "Rocky" series since the original".

Movie Review: Creed.

Date Viewed: November 28 2015.

Directed By Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station).

Screenplay By Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington, Story By Ryan Coogler, Based on characters created by Sylvester Stallone.

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad,.

Wood Harris, Tony Bellew, Andre Ward, Gabriel Rosado and Graham McTavish.

Rocky Balboa is no longer a joke, he may get another Oscar nomination. SAY WHAT!?!

Nearly 40 years after "Rocky" took home the Oscar for Best Picture, we finally have a sequel that's just as good as the 1976 original. "Creed" takes the series to a new direction, it isn't about Rocky this time around, we now follow Adonis Johnson who is Apollo Creed's son played by Michael B. Jordan. "Creed" is not just a sports movie, this is a movie about legacy, honor, loyalty and nostalgia.

Adonis "Donnie" Johnson never knew much about his father, he lives in a Los Angeles youth facility where he spends most of his time fighting. Everything changes when he meets Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad), she is an extramarital lover of former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). She agrees to take him in and when Adonis explores his new home, he wants to know everything about his father. Adonis' biological mother died while he was young and Apollo Creed died in the ring while fighting against Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). 17 years later, Adonis (Jordan) quits his job to pursue his dream of becoming a professional fighter like his dad.

Adonis plans to go to Philadelphia to find an old friend of his father but his mother doesn't want him to pursue boxing because Apollo died while fighting in the ring and she doesn't want him to die the same way his father did. When he does land in Philadelphia, Adonis tries to track down Apollo's rival and close friend Rocky Balboa (Stallone). When he does find him in Rocky's Italian restaurant named after his late wife Adrian, Adonis wants Rocky to train him to become a fighter like his dad.

Rocky doesn't want go to back to boxing because it brings back too many memories. At first, he is reluctant to get back to the sport he loves but eventually he agrees to train Adonis.

Adonis also finds a love interest, she is an inspired singer/songwriter named Bianca (Tessa Thompson). After Adonis defeats a local fighter, Rocky receives news from his doctors, he has been diagnosed with lymphoma. Adonis urges him to get treatment but Rocky refuses to do so because treatment wasn't enough to save Adrian.

Adonis' big fight is with British fighter and world heavyweight champion Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew). Even though Rocky is in ailing health, he still has the strength to train Adonis for the big fight.

"Creed" was written and directed by Ryan Coogler who previously worked with Michael B. Jordan in "Fruitvale Station". Coogler made a fantastic feature debut two years ago and in 2015, he brings the "Rocky" franchise back to life with a new story and new characters. Michael B. Jordan is excellent as the underdog fighter who hopes to become like his dad. Sylvester Stallone is just tremendous in his seventh outing as Rocky Balboa, he really deserves an Oscar nomination. I was amazed how good he is, for years he was nothing but Razzie fodder. With "Creed", Sylvester Stallone deserves the career comeback of the year award. Sure, I enjoyed some of his beef-cake action movies but I truly wish Stallone would get more movies like this in the future. Tessa Thompson is terrific as Adonis' girlfriend and Phylicia Rashad is really good as Adonis' mother.

I will not reveal what happens at the end but we do get pieces of nostalgia. 2015 has had a bunch of sequels and franchise revivals but "Creed" is one of the best. This is a movie that truly honors the "Rocky" legacy. "Creed" is without a doubt one of the best movies of the year.