Creed

Dir: Ryan Coogler

2015

*****

After 2006's Rocky Balboa I would have bet good money that that would be the last we would see of Sylvester Stallone's lovable fighter. I'm glad I never got a chance to bet that good money as I would have lost it all. Rocky Balboa left things in a relatively good place, I'm a huge fan of the franchise and was always happy to see Rocky return but only if the story was right. To have Rocky fight again would have been disastrous and thankfully Stallone and company clearly understood this. Rocky coached in the past but not to great effect but thanks to brilliant writing and an obvious passion for the character, Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington came up with the perfect next chapter for the franchise. Creed is classed as a spin-off but it is still part of the Rocky story. It tells the story of Apollo Creed's son, Adonis, who was born after his father's death to a women he had an affair with. Taken in and essentially rescued from a youth facility by Creed's widow, young Adonis has a privileged life. However, boxing is in his blood and he has fight in him that he can't seem to quench. After several illegal fights in Mexico, he finally decides that this is what he want to be but he wants to win on his own merit. Everyone associated with his father turns him away until he approaches Rocky. Rocky is now totally alone with only the running of his restaurant keeping him going. He keeps going but has essentially given up. Adonis finally convinceses him and they both train together and become friends. On paper is sound like the same old stuff we saw in Rocky IV and Rocky V but it really doesn't feel that way. There is a very real tenderness in the old Rocky, the way he talks about characters now retired and some who have since passed. There is a particularly touching scene where he talks about his son, once played by his real son, who has since died in real life. I don't mind admitting that I've cried at Rocky, Rocky III and Rocky V but only once per film. Creed got me no less than three times. It is a Rocky film but it is also a Creed film, Michael B. Jordan very much taking the lead role and absolutely flying with it. Creed is far more than just another re-boot, it takes the essence of the original Rocky film, turns it on its head and does its own thing but with exactly the same magic. The final message of the film being a rather positive and inspirational one, maybe even better than the original Rocky. Much like the 1976 version, it really isn't about boxing, it's about fighting for sure but not in the sport sense. Michael B. Jordan's performance is something special, he knew he had a lot to live up to when taking the role and he clearly trained hard both physically and mentally. Stallone’s Rocky is also an interesting character now he is in his late 60s and you could be forgiven in thinking Stallone is a retired boxer whose been hit in the head a few times in his life. I think Ryan Coogler’s direction is key though, he already had a good working relationship with Michael B. Jordan but he also stepped into what is a huge responsibility given the huge popularity and cultural legacy the Rocky series has amassed. I was seriously thrilled from beginning to end. It was an absolute treat to behold and return to form as well as a brilliant new beginning that had me grinning throughout. It was also rather nice seeing the wonderful City of Liverpool featuring for one of the fights, although it also felt a little surreal. I would pay good money to hear Sylvester Stallone’s attempt at a scouse accent. My only reservation is that so many characters were killed off when the actors are still very much alive. You would think that Stallone would have learned his lesson, but thankfully there are no ghosts here.