'Creed' A Review

Creed is a sports drama a sequel/spin-off in the Rocky series. The film opens in 1998 on Apollo Creed's(Rocky's opponent turned friend, killed in Rocky IV) illegitimate son, Adonis Johnson(Michael B. Jordan) fighting in juvenile detention. We learn he's an orphan bouncing from group home to institution. Enter Apollo's widow Mary Ann(Phylicia Rashad) who takes him in. In the present we see Adonis working for a high-end brokerage firm, on the weekends he throws himself into sketchy boxing competition in Mexico. He quits his job to pursue boxing full time and travels to Philadelphia to seek out his father's old friend- Rocky Balboa(Sylvester Stallone)- to train him.

With the current glut of sequels, remakes, spin-offs, reboots, and franchises it would be easy to dismiss Creed as just more of the same, a nostalgia cash grab. The reality couldn't be further from the truth. The film is fresh and modern with a great lead performance by Jordan while seamlessly and authentically incorporating the story of Rocky. Stallone as Rocky is almost better than he has ever been, the character of Rocky is aged, with still the same charm and practical knowledge we've come to know and love but now with an increasing complexity. All his contemporaries are dead, the vitalic determination that has defined him is waning. The chemistry between Jordan and Stallone is natural and magnetic, both entirely committed to story and character. They are, above all, sincere. There is no hint of irony or winking and because of that it is completely effective. Tessa Thompson as Bianca Adonis's love interest is fully flushed out with her own life and aspirations, a good foil for Jordan if somewhat under utilized.

The soundtrack is a combination/mashup of contemporary hip hop and the original Rocky score, weaving the old and new effortlessly, bringing the film to multiple emotional crescendos. The cinematography is vivid and fluid especially the boxing matches and the various training sequences which are cut expertly with the characters emotional journeys.

Like the original Rocky, Creed offers a distillation of the American experience- struggle, set back, and perseverance on the road to self discovery. It follows a similar structure but updates, embellishes, and adapts the story to reflect the current generation. The film is unabashedly inspirational and provides validation and catharsis.

Creed is not about boxing or success or fame it is about how we deal with life. How to face fear, stand up, and go the distance.

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