The illegitimate son of Apollo Creed seeks out his late father's
friend and rival Rocky Balboa to train him to fight in the big leagues. DRAMA/SPORT
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Creed (2015)Directed by Ryan Coogler
Written by Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington Starring Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Tony Bellew, Graham McTavish, Ritchie Coster, Andre Ward Sequel to 2006's Rocky Balboa Oscar Nominations - Best Supporting Actor (Sylvester Stallone) |
When I first heard that they were making a movie about Apollo Creed's son being trained by Rocky Balboa, I was sure it was purely a cashgrab that could never amount to the legacy of the Rocky franchise. When I was finally able to see the film, all of my low expectations disintegrated and were replaced by glowing surprise at the amount of heart, integrity, and power that Creed has injected back into this franchise.
Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis Johnson so well, and his chemistry with Stallone is what keeps this film from becoming a joke. With Rocky in the role of the trainer, Adonis seeks to step out of his father's massive shadow and become a fighter on his own merits. This film perfectly mirrors the original Rocky, from the training montage to the landmarks of Philly to the epic fight against the world champ in the climax. Granted, it stumbles a bit in the originality department, but the superb performances outweigh the film's lack of imagination. Creed erases the corniness and camp that started to turn the Rocky franchise against itself and brings it back full circle to follow a new underdog in what I hope is the beginning of something great. I believe that Creed stands as one of the best films of the year and does perfect justice to one of the most epic sports movie franchises of all time. For a film that is all about legacy, Creed doesn't forget its roots and instead lets them shine on. |