Directed by Ryan Coogler
The Rocky franchise is a bit of an oddity for me. I have liked all of the entries - at least to some degree, though some are much better than others - but I don't consider any of them all-time great films nor do any of them make my list of personal favorites. The original Rocky, the 1977 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, has been my favorite since I outgrew the cartoonish nature of Rocky IV.
But now that I've seen Creed - the semi-reboot but still a direct sequel to Rocky Balboa, the last installment in the series - the original has some stiff competition.
Creed follows the story of Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the illegitimate son of the late, great Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers in the first four Rocky films), as he tries to make himself into a boxer. Adonis, in an effort to succeed on his own merit and not just get by because of his famous last name, goes by Donny Johnson.
As a young boy, Donny was rescued from a juvenile detention facility by Apollo's widow - Mary Anne Creed played here by the wonderful Phylicia Rashad - who took him into her mansion and raised him as her own son, despite all the mixed feelings that must have dredged up for her.
After a short scene set about 15 years in the past with Donny as a troubled youth, we move to present day where Donny is boxing in Tijuana. Even after watching a short and unprofessional fight, you can tell Donny has a bright future in the sport of boxing and he knows it, too. He quits a promising job and tells Mary Anne he plans to work full-time on his boxing career, much to the chagrin of his mother who has already lost a husband to the sport and desperately wants to keep her son alive and healthy.
 |
| * Prepping for a fight in Tijuana * |
Donny moves to Philadelphia and gets in touch with his father's old nemesis-turned-best friend, Rocky Balboa, with Sylvester Stallone reprising his iconic role. Donny wants "The Italian Stallion" to train him and, after some hesitation, Rocky agrees. While in Philly, Donny also starts a romantic relationship with Bianca, a neighbor played by Tessa Thompson.
What follows is a pretty straightforward Rocky story - complete with training montages, sparring sessions, moments of romance, and inspirational speeches, all leading up to the climatic final bout - and could almost be described as a rehash of the original film, where an unknown fighter with lots of heart but little experience goes up against the champion of the world.
Creed does everything very well, from the writing, direction, and editing to the performances, score, and cinematography. No one aspect is transcendent or groundbreaking but taken as a whole, they form an exceptionally crafted, emotional, and satisfying film.
 |
| * Stallone shares some training advice with Jordan * |
 |
| * The look of a warrior, with his coach supporting him in the background * |
My favorite aspect of the film were the two lead performances from Jordan and Stallone. Jordan is an actor who has greatly impressed me previously as Wallace in the HBO series The Wire and as Oscar Grant in Fruitvale Station - also written and directed by Ryan Coogler - and showed so much range and so much raw emotion as Donny, that I can't wait to see him in more. Donny is a complicated character and Jordan doesn't miss a beat throughout the film. He's intense, intimidating, and physically imposing, but also charming, funny, and caring. He doesn't want to hurt his mom but knows he has to pursue his dream, no matter the cost. He fights hard for everything and doesn't want to publicize his real name, even though that would open up so many doors for him, professionally. I don't think there's an emotion Jordan failed to realistically capture, as he flowed smoothly from angry to hopeful to depressed to happy to excited and to everywhere in between. When the time came for Donny to shed a few tears, something a lot of actors - even some of the greats - have a hard time with, they seemed to come easily to Jordan. It's as fine a performance as I've seen in any film over the last few years and I'm disappointed he didn't get the award recognition he deserved last year.
Stallone - long since believed to be an actor of very limited range and talent, though I don't necessarily agree with that appraisal - did get lots of nominations and wins for his supporting turn in Creed and I now know why. Before I watched Creed, I probably would have said Stallone's best performance was in Cop Land but now I'm not so sure. Sure, playing Rocky for the seventh time doesn't exactly seem like a tough task for him, but I've never seen Stallone impart so much heart, so much feeling to a character. Rocky is in almost exactly half of Creed - 65 minutes of the 133 total minutes - but during all that time, Stallone is practically flawless. This version of Rocky is old and while not completely broken down, he's clearly headed in that direction, but he still has a fire burning in his heart. Like the mentor/father figure/coach in almost all sports dramas, Rocky has no shortage of inspirational speeches and Stallone delivers them all with just the right mix of heart, humor, and weariness. When he says something about fighting for what's important in life, you're compelled to believe him - the character has been through so much and is so well-developed that there's no doubt about his convictions. I often don't agree with the Academy Awards and who they pick to reward, but I have to take serious issue with them bestowing last year's Best Supporting Actor on Mark Rylance (for his perfectly fine, but nothing more work in Bridge of Spies) instead of giving it to Stallone. I feel like maybe they were impressed by Rylance because he was by far the best part of his mediocre film, while Stallone was almost overshadowed by Jordan's powerful performance. Stallone accomplished so much - elevating a character who, for over 30 years, has been more cartoon than human to such a deeply human level. Stallone's Rocky in Creed is just a wonderful feat and proves how talented Stallone can be when given the proper material and direction.
The supporting cast features quite a few fine performances in various small roles, but Thompson and Rashad are the standouts. Thompson, who I've never seen in anything despite her rather extensive resume, was very impressive as Donny's romantic interest. When this subplot started up, I immediately thought it would be lackluster and unnecessary, but I was wrong. Not only does Thompson give a believable, charming, and warm performance, but the writing is surprisingly strong. The romance angle never feels tacked on - like so many do in non-romantic films - and Thompson's Bianca is a fully developed character with hopes, dreams, and fears of her own. She doesn't exist just as a sounding board for Donny. Instead, she adds to his character's development and helps to illuminate different issues in the film. Bianca seems like a character who could carry a film all on her own and I have no doubt Thompson would be up to the task.
Rashad is an accomplished actress who can do everything - film, television, and the stage - well, but I'll always remember her as Claire Huxtable on The Cosby Show. When her name appeared in the credits of Creed, I was immediately excited. Her role as Mary Anne Creed isn't anything original - a lot of dramas have the tough, supportive, and concerned mother figure - but Rashad instantly adds a level of tenderness, class, and heart. She does quite a bit in only a few scenes and I'm not ashamed to admit she was responsible for a couple of the tears I shed during the film. It's a credit to Rashad that she was able to take this role - originally played by two separate actresses in the Rocky, Rocky II, and Rocky IV - and make it completely her own.
All of the actors owe a lot of credit to Ryan Coogler, the talented writer and director behind Creed. Without Coogler's persistence, Stallone would not have agreed to the film being made and definitely wouldn't have participated in it. You can tell by watching Creed that Coogler had a passion for the franchise and for the story - this wasn't just some paycheck for the young man. Following Fruitvale Station - a deeply personal and intimate drama - I wouldn't have guessed Coogler would move onto a Rocky sequel, but he was able to craft an excellent addition to the series. His direction is solid - especially in the fight scenes, where you feel as though you're in the ring with the characters - but the writing is where Coogler really shines. The Rocky series usually suffered from poor writing - Stallone was never all that gifted when it came to dialogue, for example - but Coogler doesn't make the same mistakes. I was especially impressed with the dialogue in Creed, where the characters rarely sounded like cliches or cardboard cutouts. Even though Coogler didn't break much new ground, plot-wise, he was still able to craft an interesting, well-plotted screenplay that allowed the characters to shine through. In a film with very few surprises, you need strong and dynamic characters and Coogler delivered.
The look of the film impressed me, as well. I was particularly drawn to some of the different camera set ups and angles used by cinematographer Maryse Alberiti. In conjunction with fantastic editing - courtesy of Claudia Castello and Michael P. Shawver - the cinematography created a visually interesting, compelling film. Neither aspects are likely to draw a lot of attention - much like Coogler's direction - but taken as a whole, they combined to create something very satisfying.
Movies, despite being a visual medium, are inherently dependent on sound and Creed managed to check off all the right boxes with its score and soundtrack. The Rocky franchise has always been filled with memorable music, so I expected more of the same from Creed. The newest film does recycle some of the original's iconic music like Gonna Fly Now and Going the Distance, but could have used even more of it, in my opinion. I actually got chills when Going the Distance started up during the final fight. The majority of the music contained in Creed - R&B, blues, techno pop, and rap - isn't generally my kind of thing, but I thought it all worked quite well in the film. It was one of the major differences separating this film from the rest of the franchise.
In the end, I think Creed should more than satisfy the fans of the Rocky series. If you've enjoyed the rest of the movies, this one will provide more of the same but at a higher level than what we've gotten from the rest of the sequels. If you haven't seen or don't care for the series, I can't imagine Creed doing much for you.
I have a feeling that there will be sequels to Creed made - it more than quadrupled its budget at the box office and garnered a lot of critical praise - and I hope they continue to expand and build upon what they started here, with well developed and interesting characters. The Rocky sequels became too broad and cliche, but if further Creed films can avoid those pitfalls, I'll happily step line up to see them.
 |
| * Stallone during a quiet and tender moment at the graves of his wife and best friend * |
The supporting cast features quite a few fine performances in various small roles, but Thompson and Rashad are the standouts. Thompson, who I've never seen in anything despite her rather extensive resume, was very impressive as Donny's romantic interest. When this subplot started up, I immediately thought it would be lackluster and unnecessary, but I was wrong. Not only does Thompson give a believable, charming, and warm performance, but the writing is surprisingly strong. The romance angle never feels tacked on - like so many do in non-romantic films - and Thompson's Bianca is a fully developed character with hopes, dreams, and fears of her own. She doesn't exist just as a sounding board for Donny. Instead, she adds to his character's development and helps to illuminate different issues in the film. Bianca seems like a character who could carry a film all on her own and I have no doubt Thompson would be up to the task.
Rashad is an accomplished actress who can do everything - film, television, and the stage - well, but I'll always remember her as Claire Huxtable on The Cosby Show. When her name appeared in the credits of Creed, I was immediately excited. Her role as Mary Anne Creed isn't anything original - a lot of dramas have the tough, supportive, and concerned mother figure - but Rashad instantly adds a level of tenderness, class, and heart. She does quite a bit in only a few scenes and I'm not ashamed to admit she was responsible for a couple of the tears I shed during the film. It's a credit to Rashad that she was able to take this role - originally played by two separate actresses in the Rocky, Rocky II, and Rocky IV - and make it completely her own.
 |
| * One of the two most important women in Donny's life - Thompson's Bianca * |
 |
| * And the other - Rashad's Mary Anne Creed * |
All of the actors owe a lot of credit to Ryan Coogler, the talented writer and director behind Creed. Without Coogler's persistence, Stallone would not have agreed to the film being made and definitely wouldn't have participated in it. You can tell by watching Creed that Coogler had a passion for the franchise and for the story - this wasn't just some paycheck for the young man. Following Fruitvale Station - a deeply personal and intimate drama - I wouldn't have guessed Coogler would move onto a Rocky sequel, but he was able to craft an excellent addition to the series. His direction is solid - especially in the fight scenes, where you feel as though you're in the ring with the characters - but the writing is where Coogler really shines. The Rocky series usually suffered from poor writing - Stallone was never all that gifted when it came to dialogue, for example - but Coogler doesn't make the same mistakes. I was especially impressed with the dialogue in Creed, where the characters rarely sounded like cliches or cardboard cutouts. Even though Coogler didn't break much new ground, plot-wise, he was still able to craft an interesting, well-plotted screenplay that allowed the characters to shine through. In a film with very few surprises, you need strong and dynamic characters and Coogler delivered.
The look of the film impressed me, as well. I was particularly drawn to some of the different camera set ups and angles used by cinematographer Maryse Alberiti. In conjunction with fantastic editing - courtesy of Claudia Castello and Michael P. Shawver - the cinematography created a visually interesting, compelling film. Neither aspects are likely to draw a lot of attention - much like Coogler's direction - but taken as a whole, they combined to create something very satisfying.
Movies, despite being a visual medium, are inherently dependent on sound and Creed managed to check off all the right boxes with its score and soundtrack. The Rocky franchise has always been filled with memorable music, so I expected more of the same from Creed. The newest film does recycle some of the original's iconic music like Gonna Fly Now and Going the Distance, but could have used even more of it, in my opinion. I actually got chills when Going the Distance started up during the final fight. The majority of the music contained in Creed - R&B, blues, techno pop, and rap - isn't generally my kind of thing, but I thought it all worked quite well in the film. It was one of the major differences separating this film from the rest of the franchise.
 |
| * I love this shot, from the composition to the stark black and white contrast * |
In the end, I think Creed should more than satisfy the fans of the Rocky series. If you've enjoyed the rest of the movies, this one will provide more of the same but at a higher level than what we've gotten from the rest of the sequels. If you haven't seen or don't care for the series, I can't imagine Creed doing much for you.
I have a feeling that there will be sequels to Creed made - it more than quadrupled its budget at the box office and garnered a lot of critical praise - and I hope they continue to expand and build upon what they started here, with well developed and interesting characters. The Rocky sequels became too broad and cliche, but if further Creed films can avoid those pitfalls, I'll happily step line up to see them.
No comments:
Post a Comment