Creed Review

With some time passing after Rocky decided to bow out of the lime light, it was only a matter of time before someone would give the old reboot method a shot for such a long running sports drama film series.  However, with new creative forces helming this along with a younger cast of new characters and a different approach to a familiar formula, we have here the seventh entry in the series that not only revitalizes the aging film series but makes it relevant and uplifting in the veins of the original film back in the late 70’s.  The sharp, energized writing from director Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) and Aaron Covington along with the skillful direction of the film from acting to cinematography makes this unique and memorable enough to be separated from the cartoonish but dumb fun entries that came before it.  Every actor has fully realized arcs and personality come to life by their confident yet expertly delivered performances with standouts being the leads and supporting cast.  It is also the most hard-hitting, brutal film in the series with its exceptionally crafted fight scenes and the big, bombastically memorable score that give the film such vibrant energy and strong identity to be a formation of both Rocky and this new character’s story.  Let see how this film surprisingly came out to be a knockout winner.

During the 90’s (and Rocky dealing with that fifth entry that no one likes to talk about), a young black boy gets into fights and Juvenile centers until Apollo Creed’s wife Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) takes him in as her surrogate son.  Many years have passed, Adonis "Donnie" Johnson Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is a young man now drifting through life to fight in underground clubs in Mexico and working a 9-5 job in the office in California.  However, the desire to fight still resides in his very being which motivates him to seek out Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) in Philadelphia to train him to be a boxer as good as his father and to become his own man despite others looking down on him as being the illegitimate son of a boxing champion that lost his life in the ring.  This time, Creed has more to prove by becoming a fighter that would honor both the old and new traditions of boxing, allowing him to forge his own path in the face of adversity.

It is essentially a soft reboot of the series by taking the plot structure of the first film and rearranging events as well as giving a much needed update to fit with this present day tale of the underdog rising above the odds despite being seen as a mere shadow of his father’s days as a boxer.  It would be easy to make something as silly as the other entries but this film opts to be as real and grounded as the first and sixth film in the series by making it about the characters themselves rather than how ridiculously campy and fun the fights can be.  There is a uniquely balanced tone of both sentimental and exciting here that even the original films never could do as we see the characters change gradually into who they end up becoming such as Jordan as the brash yet determined Creed and the old, familiar character traits we love to see from Stallone as Rocky.  While it does have some slow bits regarding the repeats of familiar beats near the end of the film, it is still a winner and will absorb you into the drama and struggles of a character that is both relatable and charismatic, thanks to the powerful performances from everyone involved.

Michael B. Jordan continues to surprise audiences with his fantastic performance in the lead as Adonis Creed, a young prideful man trying to prove to himself that he can be a great boxer without relying on a name that shadows his very existence in this world.  Then, you have Sylvester Stallone returning again as Rocky Balboa and he provides the most vulnerable, humane performance we haven’t seen in a long time.  They are developed in a mentor/father and son pairing that not only provides the emotional arc of the story but their character arc as well, allowing for the story to have a purpose to be told.  Everyone else fit their roles accordingly whether it be villainous, roguish, or the prerequisite love interest for this story.  With the great, capable actors and inspired, emotionally charged script, the performances with the writing bring a relatively simple story to grand, epic heights that a good sports drama is able to do with the right creative force behind it, as is the case with this film.

Now for the main event, the boxing/action set pieces with about a total of 4 of them throughout the film.  It is worth examining since this film handles the boxing matches differently from the other entries in the series with an emphasis on the brutality and effective sound design to make each punch, hook, and uppercut feel raw in their delivery to a face.  The most effective use of these elements is the one shot, one take boxing match in the middle of the film where they never stop the scene with one visible cut (there may have been digital manipulation for certain cuts in the veins of the film Birdman) and the fighters get progressively wounded and weary from each round.  It was clear to see and absolutely harrowing to watch which is why the last fight might not be as technically impressive but it still combines the emotional arcs, great and meaty sound design, and the powerfully made orchestra/synth score that makes each fight feel as painful and exciting as you would expect a boxing match to be in this series. This is all enhanced even more by the cinematography for the film.

The camera work in this film is nothing short of amazing that it is inspiring to see upcoming talent utilizing the camera in ways that set this apart from the other entries in this series.  The use of that long take is absolutely stunning to watch despite that fact that it does lessen the technical qualities of the final bout but the use of wide angle lens and natural grit of the place really makes this world come to life.  The use of set dressing and design for certain places (Rocky’s home for one and the Gyms Adonis trains in) are all distinctive and matches the character’s journey into becoming a fighter that will instill the values of his father and his friend in his boxing.  This also allows for the pacing to be pretty brisk for the most part other than the downtime that occurs in the middle for character development.  This film is astounding on a technically level and deserves some recognition for making this different from the Rocky films especially in its musical score and style for this spinoff.

There is a fusion of the grand, classical orchestra with a mish-mash of synth based hip hop music instilled into both the score and the use of the licensed music to project a different identity and theme for this character in particular.  It is quite successful, thanks to the efforts of composer Ludwig Göransson as well as the emphasis on portraying a different yet familiar view of Philadelphia from a new character’s perspective musically.  It is catchy, bombastic, and quite effective in being inspiring and exciting to listen especially during the fights and Adonis’ training.  It is also effective on its own to listen to as that should speak volumes to the quality of music writing and composition to make it stand out from the Rocky films and other sports dramas.

This was quite possibly one of the bigger surprises to come out of cinema as Creed not only breathes new life into the long running series but it works on its own as an effective reboot to the entire series with a new, relatable character to root for as well as the old guard passing the touch in a dignified way for a new generation of stories to be told.  This handles the development of a bitter, angry character smoother and engaging than other boxing films that came before (Southpaw).  This is a reboot handled quite well in the hands of a creative team that respects and evolves the original premise and film for a new audience.  CREED is a truly amazing, exciting return of a beloved, fun sports film series that bring backs the familiar underdog story and uses the ideas of old and new to create a memorable film that will be looked upon with love and respect for the film that inspired it to be made, Rocky.

Score: ****1/2 out of *****
CREED is a resounding winner of a film with wonderful performances from the leads, a fantastic musical direction from Ludwig Göransson as well as hard hitting sound design, exciting boxing scenes (that one take boxing match and the final bout being a satisfying yet less grand way of ending the story), and the film being able to inspire and entertain at the same time, makes this one of a boxing film.  It’s good to have a good boxing film again that can stand on its own without having to be a part of an established series but it ties into the other films with Rocky so well that it feels like a natural evolution/sequel to move the story forward.  Despite some pacing issues in the middle and the final battle being a bit anticlimactic as well as being a bit campy/cliché at times with the character arcs/development, this is still a crowd-pleasing film that will surely win over anyone who has doubts about this film’s quality.