The latest iteration in the "Rocky" franchise represents the merger of independent filmmaking and the Hollywood model. The movie simultaneously denounces and pays homage to the ever-popular boxing film. Director Ryan Coogler proves Sundance hit "Fruitvale Station" wasn't just beginner's luck in his sophomore attempt.
"Creed" isn't just a good boxing movie, but a full revival of the "Rocky" series, the true birth of Michael B. Jordan, a career resurgence for Sylvester Stallone and one of the best genre films of the year.
In 1998, an orphaned Adonis “Donnie” Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) is residing in a youth facility in Los Angeles. One day, Mary Anne, Apollo Creed's widow, adopts him as her own son and reveals to him that his father is the world famous Creed.
Years later, “Donnie” begins training to be a professional boxer like his dad. He ventures out to Philadelphia to train with his deceased father’s rival, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), but he refuses to use his father’s name in an attempt to create his own legacy.
Hollywood had been churning out boxing dramas for decades — "Creed" marks the seventh Rocky film and the second studio-driven boxing film of 2015 after "Southpaw." Even more offensive than the constant exposure of these films is how repetitive their themes and tropes are. The wheel hasn't been reinvented since Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" in 1980.
"Creed" doesn't offer a complete overhaul, but it feels new thanks to Coogler's stylistic flourishes and attention to detail. Coogler offers variety in his direction that keeps the film fresh, especially in the ring. Two well-choreographed matches grace the screen to bookend the production. The first fight is one long tracking shot that is gorgeous and smokey and the final fight is tiresome and energetic with sporadic cuts and close ups.
Although Coogler and screenwriter Aaron Covington's script isn't as much of a revelation as Coogler's finessed direction, "Creed" really succeeds at creating genuine relationships. This is driven by how deep the strength of the cast runs; even the smallest of performances are noteworthy.
Shockingly, the best performance is Sylvester Stallone. Stallone was able to turn in a genuine and charismatic performance despite many weak offerings in the franchise. There is an element of tenderness to the performance that adds depth to the brutish ex-boxer. The chemistry between Rocky and Donnie is engrossing, especially thanks to Stallone's caring, paternal energy.
Jordan delivers a strong performance and balances the hypermasculine nature of the sport with a sense of compassion and pride. His natural charm shines through as Donnie, which makes him a treat to watch.
What “Creed” has that is missing from other boxing dramas is a female presence. Apollo Creed’s wife, Mary Anne, adopts Donnie and despite her limited screen time, Phylicia Rashad leaves a lasting impact on the film. Soon after Mary Anne departs, Bianca (Tessa Thompson) becomes a constant in Donnie’s life. Bianca, a singer-songwriter and Adonis' love-interest, becomes the strong female voice in the second and third acts of the film. Thompson’s charm matches that of Stallone and Jordan’s and she is a necessary infrastructure to Donnie’s plight along with having her own arc.
Despite all of the inspired choices by Coogler and the strong performances, “Creed” doesn’t always work. Some aspects of the film are just heavyweight; Bianca’s progressive deafness adds no depth to her character or to the story. These rare misfires are quite forgivable in the grand scheme of things since “Creed” is a unique blockbuster that has its own audacious voice. Just like Donnie worked to create his own legacy, “Creed” also works to create its legacy separate from the middling “Rocky” series.
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Reach the reporter at tanner.stechnij@asu.edu or follow @tannerstechnij on Twitter.
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