Movie Review: "Creed"

Creed (2015)

PG-13

3 Stars out of 5

Director                                Ryan Coogler
Writer                                   Ryan Coogler, Aaron Covington
Cinematography                 Maryse Alberti
Music                                    Ludwig Göransson

Adonis Creed                       Michael B. Jordan
Sylvester Stallone               Rocky Balboa
Tessa Thompson                 Bianca
Phylicia Rashad                   Mary Anne Creed
Tony Bellew                       “Pretty” Ricky Conlon

 

I try to keep an open mind about all movie genres: slasher/teen exploitation, sophomoric comedies, celebrity bio-pics, even sports movies; but I admit, that last category is real trial for me. I readily admit to feeling the adrenalin and the emotional strings a really good one like (say) “Rocky” (1976) or even a moderately good one like “Invictus” (2009) can engender. But the reality is they almost all employ the same plot and the same gimmicks to trigger emotion in the audience. Just like every worthless teenager staffed slasher movie, they are completely predictable. Occasionally, and if the acting and other production values are real good, I’ll watch such movies as “Rocky” or “Creed” (aka Rocky VII), but I go into the movie expecting to be disappointed, and I usually am.

That being said, I was drawn to writer/director Ryan Coogler’s attempt to re-start Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky” franchise due to all the critical raves for Stallone’s performance as Rocky Balboa. And here let me vent just a little bit more by asking a pointed question: “where does one set the bar for good, Oscar-worthy acting for Hollywood veterans like Stallone?” Was all the talk about Stallone’s performance simply due to his years in Hollywood without critical approval for his acting; was it due to some sentimental memories for his accomplishments as the writer for the original “Rocky”; or was it due to the fact that in all of his previous roles, Stallone was nearly incapable of stringing three sentences together, with or without various guttural sounds that sort of passed for language? I am quite frankly leaning towards the latter-most question; that is, so little is expected from Stallone as an actor that when he turns in a journeyman performance, as he does in “Creed”, everyone gets thoroughly excited. He does do a decent job in “Creed” as an aged, tired, sad and lonely former boxer. It was not an Oscar-worthy performance any more than dozens of similar performances that take place in Hollywood every year and go completely unnoted.

“Creed” tells the tale of an orphaned child of a former Rocky boxing opponent, Apollo Creed. Creed the Elder left behind a woman carrying his child. The child is brought into this world just prior to Creed the Elder’s death in the boxing ring (see Rocky part 4, or thereabouts). The child (Adonis Creed,  played by Michael B. Jordan) born into a world without the wealth and prestige of his famous father grows up angry and often in trouble with the authorities. He is rescued by his step-mother and Apollo’s wife, Mary (Phylicia Rashad). She tries to steer him towards a life outside of the ring, but fails. Grown-up “Baby-Creed” (as one character refers to him) leaves Mary and her wealth for Philadelphia. Adonis wants to track down Rocky and get him to train Adonis (aka Donny) to become the boxer he knows he truly is. Rocky is too tired and says no; but not surprisingly, he relents, though for no clear reason other than to let the movie continue. The ostensible reason Rocky changes his mind is that Rocky sat in a cemetery reading the newspaper to his deceased wife Adrian and trainer, Paulie. Fortunately for the aged Rocky, he does not have to stand to read the paper nor sit on the ground as Rocky has stashed a folding chair in a nearby tree for his presumably frequent visits. Sure.

Writers Coogler and Aaron Covington work hard via their script to create a Philadelphian world of blue-collar camaraderie where Rocky Balbo can’t walk down a street without being called out to by almost every passer-by, where he can store his chair in the cemetery’s tree as if the cemetery is his living room, where he can go to the local jail to bail out Donny when he gets in trouble and do so with the local cops knowing and loving Rocky to the point they give him free run of the jail. These scenes and others all add up to a two hour long homage to Rocky; “Creed” is not a stand-alone, original movie. It is clear from the start that what Coogler and Covington really want to do with their film is to acknowledge the earlier film, Stallone as the writer, and Rocky as a character. There is some technical skill in the script being able to refer back to certain “Rocky” moments in Creed: Rocky’s triumphant run up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art vs. Adonis’ run through the streets of Philadelphia paced by a group of motorcyclists; the build-up of the cocky young Adonis, only to have him fall and then get back up; Adonis’ strength and speed in the ring buttressed by his dogged determination, and his final “unexpected” good showing in the ring against the world champion “Pretty” Ricky Conlon (actual boxer Tony Bellew). The problem is, it is all just so clichéd.

There are two things about “Creed” that must be actually praised. Number one is Adonis’ girlfriend, Bianca as played by Tessa Thompson. Thompson was last seen in “Dear White People” where her acting was one of the stand-out features of that fine movie. In “Creed” Thompson seems thoroughly genuine as she portrays a young singer slowly going deaf. Is her hearing problem a functional point to the movie; no, though it provides a plot point as she must play her music loudly in her room right below Adonis’. He storms down to ask her to lower the volume and instead, he is completely entranced by her beauty and attitude; and thus this part of the movie arc is off and running. Thompson’s smile is the most believable part of the entire movie. She seems truly happy in her reactions to Adonis/Jordan’s more wooden acting during their one on one scenes. However, Jordan plays the boxing scenes exquisitely and while this at times seems more like superb athleticism than acting, his performance in the ring scenes is an important part of the other major plus for “Creed”: the cinematography/directing. Director Coogler and cinematographer Maryse Alberti employ a steady-cam method of squeezing into various street scenes where Rocky and Adonis are walking; this strongly creates a sensation that the viewer really feels like he is walking the streets of Philadelphia with the two protagonists; that he is part of the camaraderie, too. Even more effective are the scenes shot in the ring during Adonis’ various bouts. Virtually all of these scenes are shot so close to the action, one has to wonder how the actor/athletes are able to perform their roles without banging into the camera. Apparently, they don’t and the end result camera-work is just outstanding.

As sports movies go, “Creed” is fine, one more in an over-crowded field. As homage to “Rocky” it also hits every note just as carefully as the original. As an opportunity for Stallone and Thompson to show what they can do as actors it is a fine vehicle for both. But as an opportunity to explore real people living real lives as portrayed by characters that might be someone you know or can relate to, it failed for me. If you like sports movies, love the original Rocky or just want to see Stallone speak coherently, then this is your movie. If you are looking for something more intelligent, then try the last movie I reviewed: “Brooklyn”.