"Creed"

   I am an ardent fan of the cinematic arts. Although I have certain genre preferences, I don’t let that stifle my curiosity and close myself to different flavors of entertainment. That said...I am a huge fan of science fiction, super hero and action movies! Please visit my other blog The Boxed Office for reviews, exclusively, on these types of movies.

The Cast: 

Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone

   

   Michael B. Jordan is making his way in Hollywood and not letting the “downs” in his career (Fantastic Four) define him. I was amazed at the dedication he showed to the role just by observing the phenomenal shape he was in, and his performance complimented the legacy of the “Rocky” films that have come before.

   

   There is not much I can say about Sly Stallone that has not already been said. Back again as Rocky Balboa, the role has become a part of him and it’s just wonderful to have grown up with all the films and witnessed the progression of the character.

The Plot: 

   Adonis Johnson is a fighter. Since he was a child he has been unable to alter the call of his genetics. Taken in by the wife of Apollo Creed, she raises him as if he were her own, fully knowing what his true origin is.

   

   Raised in affluence and looking at a big promotion at a great job, Adonis fights in secret in Mexico…making short work of everyone he faces. Deciding he has to answer the call of the urge that has been driving him all his life, he quits his job and decides to fight full time.

   

   With nobody willing to officially train him in Los Angeles, he moves to Philadelphia with a plan to be trained by one of the greatest fighters of all time, and one of his father’s closest friends, Rocky Balboa.

   

   Rocky runs a restaurant named after his deceased wife called “Adrian’s” and has absolutely no interest in training anyone, even the son of Apollo Creed…but Adonis is a fighter that doesn’t know the meaning of giving up and eventually he and Rocky decide to see what will happen when they both commit to each other.

   

   What follows is a story that is the perfect complement to the Rocky franchise that travels in the only reasonable direction left…and having learned all the lessons from the previous films, is an instant classic.

The Verdict:

  

   It’s easy to pinpoint what has made the Rocky franchise so great. When you have a great story and you tell it with passion and sprinkle it with hard-hitting action and comedy…greatness is just inevitable.

   

   Michael B. Jordan did a lot of research and invested a lot of time and effort into this role and it’s evident when you see the detail and passion he delivers in his performance. By the end of the film I was left with little doubt that he is Adonis CREED…a person with not just the desire and passion for fighting, but the heart of a warrior that refuses to be denied the war.

   

   I was always touched by a particular scene in "Rocky Balboa" wherein Rocky goes to the cemetery and sits in front of his wife’s headstone. The tug on the heart is real…and that magic continues in this film for both he and Adonis which is, for me, one of the knock-out qualities of this film as such moments drive home the realism of the content. This wasn't just a film about fighters fighting, but a film about people living.

  If you are a fan of great films…and always wanted to know who won the third fight between Rocky and Apollo, go see this film. I’m certain we will see Jordan (and Stallone) again (trilogy?) and I encourage everyone to treat themselves to a film that easily punched four, out of five, cinnamon sticks in my cup of tea

Rating 4 / 5