Directed by Ryan Coogler
Written by Ryan Coogler (story and screenplay), Aaron Covington (screenplay), based on characters created by Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Tony Bellew, Graham McTavish, Ritchie Coster, Wood Harris, Frank Pesce, Roy James Wilson
Soundtrack: Ludwig Göransson
In this crazy world we live in these days, where they’ll make a movie out of any existing property, including but not limited to board games and action figures, it’s nice to know that a sequel/prequel/reboot/whatever can elevate above the noise once in a while, even if nobody really wanted or needed it in the first place (much like the recent Rise of and Dawn of The Planet of the Apes, which are very good).
The triumph of Creed is that it blends together elements that are usually impossible to rectify. It’s a celebration of nearly forty years of a beloved franchise that is also worthy of critical acclaim on its own (much like Skyfall, which the characters are fittingly watching at one point), but, it’s also cognizant of the fact the there is a real world that exists (in particular, a real sports world).
Let me reiterate. If you’re a fan of the Rocky franchise, you should enjoy this movie greatly, as there are numerous references and tributes throughout. Does it work as its own movie, regardless of one having ever heard of Rocky Balboa before? I can’t answer that, but my impression is that it’s getting through to people just fine. It’s certainly a richer experience than that other boxing movie that came out earlier this year.
Another key to the success of Creed is its balance. It will make you laugh, cry, and cheer at points throughout, but it maintains a consistent tone. Nothing feels like a set-piece, which is to say everything flows nicely together, as opposed to feeling like the movie is stopping to do something different. What I’m really trying to say here is that Creed is never boring, and it doles out the dramatic punches and boxing punches in near perfect measure.
I suppose most of the credit goes to writer/director Ryan Coogler. I’m not sure if this was a passion project for him or if the studio just picked his name out of a hat, but it seems he was the right man for the job. He injected a lot of life into a film that could have easily come out of the oven already stale.
In terms of performances, Michael B. Jordan is equal parts mature and youthful, as a younger man should be, and Sylvester Stallone gives the best performance of his career since Cop Land in 1997. He won’t beat out Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies, but I don’t think a nomination for Best Supporting Actor is out of the question for old Sly.
If there’s one precise knock I have on Creed, it comes in the visuals. There’s one bout that’s done in one-shot style (who knows if they really did it or just composited it), and it feels very show-off-y and inappropriate for this kind of movie. Also, and this isn’t really anybody’s fault but the studio’s, but I wish there would have been another 10-15 million dollars in the budget just for shear production value, because some of the scenes with large crowds don’t look entirely convincing, and it threatened to take me out of what I was watching.
At the end of the day, Creed is a fresh take on a tried and true inspirational formula that works almost perfectly, and the fact that the filmmakers fully embraced the Rocky franchise as a whole makes it extra sweet.
I give it a full recommendation, and it’s a great way to start off the holiday season.
Rating: ★★★★½