Creed, 2015.
Directed by Ryan Coogler.
Starring Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, and Tony Bellew.
SYNOPSIS:
The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.
For all the unified bitching we typically embark on whenever Hollywood randomly decides to revive a long dead franchise in hopes that it will once again turn a lucrative profit, all at the sacrifice of quality filmmaking, every once in a while we eat crow when a movie comes along that successfully reinvigorates our collective affection for its beloved characters. Creed is one such example; not just an average or merely good movie however, but rather one of the year’s absolute best.
It all starts with the shift of character focus from Rocky Balboa to Adonis Creed (son of Apollo Creed), allowing the series to offer up plenty of new characters and stories to tell. I like Rocky, as we all probably do, but let’s face reality and admit that the prospect of him getting back into the ring (factoring in brain damage, deceased wife, and him getting way up there in age) is about as exciting as watching two old people in a retirement home duke it out over the last piece of chicken at dinner. Actually that sounds awesome, fuck! Anyway, that isn’t to say he serves no purpose anymore to a modern story arc, because the truth is that he evidently can remain an important and interesting pillar to this new saga of films.
The idea of Rocky training Adonis seems to be an expansion of the very core theme of the original movie, which is learning to respect and admire your toughest rival. Having a strained relationship with his son Robert (he’s not actually in the movie, but what we need to know is glossed over) who now lives in Vancouver, Rocky lives an isolated life by himself. He is essentially the last outlaw, with all loved ones around him buried six feet under, mundanely tending to Adrian’s (the restaurant named after his late wife). So what better way to get back in the game than furthering the brotherly love between his good friend/best rival by mentoring the man’s son? Adonis is in a bit of a funk himself; his childhood obviously wasn’t the greatest, and his burning passion in life is for boxing, with a desire running so deep it he quits a decently paying office job just to take a trip to Philadelphia and seek out training from Rocky.
What develops is a personal story about earning the biological name given to you, rather than coasting off of all of the attention and glamorous lifestyle that organically can come with such a blessing. Adonis even refuses to use the Creed name during fights, choosing to go by Adonis Johnson, simply because he doesn’t want everything great in life handed to him on a silver platter. Think of Shane McMahon, son of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, who put himself in harm’s way, agreeing to some of the most dangerous stunts the corporation has ever seen, just because he wanted to show the world that being privileged and rich from birth doesn’t mean you should slack and not fight for the right to revel the finer things in life.
Wrestling analogy aside, Rocky also must wage a battle of his own that sees him in the hospital fighting to stay alive. The less said about this subplot is better for the viewer, as it packs one hell of an emotional punch, placing Rocky in a position where he must debate if he’s ready to once again be reunited with his loved ones in the afterlife, or embrace a new family with Adonis.
Speaking of relatives, Adonis’ mother also gets some screen-time as the less than enthusiastic parental figure that wishes he would settle for a normal life rather than one of pain, constant injury, and potential death. With limited scenes and usage, the script manages to effectively weave her into the story as a conflicted but ultimately supportive family member. Adonis also manages to pick up a girlfriend along the way, although it feels like her character isn’t taken advantage of, or is as intriguing as it could have been; she’s a singer with progressive hearing loss that is unafraid to, likewise, pursue her passion and live in the moment. Surprisingly though, the regressive hearing loss isn’t touched on too much, and neither is her character at all outside of being your typical supportive girlfriend.
It also needs to be mentioned that director Ryan Coogler (who previously worked with Michael B. Jordan on Fruitvale Station) superbly crafts an entry of the overarching Rocky franchise with proficient technique. Around halfway through the film, Adonis has a flight that lasts what feels like roughly 5 minutes, and is also shot in one take, tracking various characters from the boxers to ringside onlookers. Simply put, the scene is impressive as hell, managing to create a sequence highlighting every participant as the camera swivels around the ring.
There’s also a bevy of nostalgia to be found, but thankfully never overwhelming to the point where it’s distracting, or too much if you are unfamiliar with the franchise to grasp the continued plot. For example, it’s a wise decision to mention Adonis’ father meeting his death inside a ring and leaving it at that, especially considering that saying more means you also have to acknowledge a cheesy, over-the-top film where a hulking Russian mopped the floor with him. Creed knows how to pay homage and reference past installments without over-indulging.
The only real flaw with the movie is that it mostly feels like a beat for beat remake of the original film, and with a far less compelling rival opponent. This time it’s a riches-to-rags-back-to-riches narrative, with the welcome added drama of having to clench our fists and hope that Rocky can survive the disease he is facing. With that said, it’s finally worth mentioning that Sylvester Stallone, and Michael B. Jordan for that matter, deliver performances worthy of Oscar nominations, although it is unlikely due to some rather stiff competition this year.
Still though, Creed is a triumph at expanding on the legacy of many beloved characters, and a film that can stand on its own two feet, carving its way for sequels ripe with potential. Yes, I’m saying it right now, I already can’t wait for the next entry. The chickens may be slowing down, but the Creed saga is off to the races!
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder – An aficionado of film, wrestling, and gaming. Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=ROisAvdW5SY
