The Rocky movies
have had a long and timeless career of bringing peoples’ emotions into the ring
and beating the hell out of them. Despite technically being a spin-off, Creed is no different. Expertly directed
by Ryan Coogler, Creed is just as
worthy to take over the heavy weight boxing superstar franchise as its
protagonist Adonis Creed is to take up the mantle of champ from not only the
aged Rocky Balboa, but from the memory of his deceased father Apollo Creed.
Creed succeeds in much the same way the original Rocky film
did in that not a single second or word is wasted. There isn’t a scrap of fat anywhere.
It’s a lean, mean, tight movie that constantly pulls back in on the driving
force of Adonis’s saga: creed.
Belief. But it isn’t just a simple “believe in yourself” cat poster ideal that
Adonis strives towards. This film goes so much deeper than that, exploring the
psyche of a young man desperate to grow, succeed, and break past his own
self-doubts.
Of course this isn’t just Michael B. Jordan’s show,
Sylvester Stallone also returns as a world-weary Rocky Balboa who has his own
fight to take on as he steps into the role of mentor for his late rival’s son. I’m
happy to see that if he actually tries, Stallone can still be a phenomenal
performer and he does indeed knock it right out the park. No joke, this might
just be strongest Rocky performance ever put to film. A real palpable melancholy
permeates every one of Balboa’s actions and words. His time has come and pass,
and now it’s someone else’s time. Jordan and Stallone work very well off each other
and I eagerly await them furthering the relationship in whatever sequel they
have planned.
Creed is a perfect execution of the passing of the torch
that I hope others learn from as we edge further into an era of legacy.
Score: A+
