Creed (2015) Review

"Time takes everybody out."
-Rocky Balboa



Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) is the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).  He gives up his career in finance to pursue his dream of boxing.  He convinces Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) to train him and soon finds himself in a match against the world champion, Ricky Conlan (Anthony Bellew).


What Works:

Michael B. Jordan is a fantastic actor and doesn't disappoint in Creed.  Going into this movie, I didn't know that Adonis was a child from an affair and didn't have the name Creed.  That was an interesting twist and I really liked it.  It really helped define the character and shape Jordan's performance.

Sylvester Stallone is fantastic as Rocky, as per usual, but this time we get a Rocky who has no fight left.  It's an emotional story and Rocky gets an excellent character arc, especially considering he isn't the main character any more.

The cinematography is spectacular with the best example being the fight between Adonis and Leo (Gabriel Rosado).  It's nothing short of a masterpiece.  The fight is filmed as one long take.  It's impressive work and the highlight of the film.  

Adonis has an interesting love interest in Bianca (Tessa Thompson).  She's a much more dynamic character than Adrian ever was.  She has her own goals, aspirations, and struggles and she provides an extra layer of conflict for Adonis to make for a more engaging story.  It helps that they have fantastic chemistry.

Finally, the 3rd act final battle is really exciting and intense.  Ricky Conlan is easy to root against and I had no idea who was going to win the match.  It's a great conclusion to a great film.


What Sucks:

My only complaint is the same one I have with most of the Rocky sequels in that it's too close to the original.  It's a minor complaint here, but this movie is basically Rocky with a different character.


Verdict:

Creed is the best film in the series since the original and it's actually a close call between the two.  Jordan, Stallone, and Thompson are all terrific, the cinematography is top of the line, and the 3rd act is supremely exciting.  This movie has definitely got it going on.

 9/10: Great 

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