Creed Review
Grand Total: 8 ½
Technical
Engaging 6
Suspenseful +1
An amazing scene (Creed and Rocky in prison) +½
Amazing cinematography +½
Great performance/character (Michael B. Jordan
as Adonis Creed) +½
Great music +½
Total: 9
Overall impression
Creed tells the story of Adonis “Donny” Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed of the Rocky franchise. Even though Donny has established himself as a successful man in finance, he is drawn to his father and his father’s profession, watching all of his fights and learning to box on the side. He’s talented, but cocky and full of anger over his difficult childhood. He realizes, after a while of getting beaten, that he needs a legitimate trainer, one who could see where he’s coming from. The only trainer out there that could do that would be Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Creed is about Adonis, with Rocky, accepting his name and making it in the boxing world. Now, the actual boxing elements of this film play out almost exactly the same way they did in Rocky. That isn’t a flaw so much as you can always see where this film is going. But you have to respect how well it’s executed, imitation aside. This movie is incredibly well acted by both Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, and the movie gives each a genuine moment to shine. My favorite scene in the entire film is the scene in which Donny’s anger comes out, and Michael B. Jordan makes you feel that frustration in a searing look that he gives to Rocky. Apart from the acting, this film is well directed and well shot. The second fight in this movie is done, seemingly, in one take. All of the fights in this film feel real as well, even when they are slowed down at points for dramatic effect. The problems I have with this movie are mostly in the writing. Sometimes a scene will introduce a new topic or develop an idea that is never really explored again. Movies often do this if their scenes have other things that they’re trying to do, such as develop characters, and this is often the case in Creed. This hurts the focus of the movie a little bit, and was pretty noticeable when it happened. That having been said, the focus of Creed is, for the most part, on the new: Donny and what he wants to do with his life. The film features Sylvester Stallone pretty heavily, but it doesn’t rely on him because Donny drives the story. On top of that, this film uses Stallone very well by giving Rocky his own story that is relevant to the plot and actually makes you care. It helps that Sylvester Stallone is giving it his all in this performance. I wouldn’t really call him a good actor in general, but he does a pretty good job in this film. Overall, Creed succeeds in rebooting the Rocky franchise by establishing a great new character and letting him stand on his own, even if the story is a little unfocused at times and definitely walks through the same beats as the original.
Total: 8
