“Creed” approaches a 40-year-old franchise that’s gone the distance — Sylvester Stallone‘s saga of Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa — from an admirably different perspective: that of Rocky’s late rival/friend Apollo Creed’s son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), who has his own boxing dreams and knows just the mumbling Philly warhorse to help him achieve them.
A Balboa-Creed reunion of sorts, after Apollo’s mid-match demise three movies ago in 1985’s “Rocky IV,” the film also reteams Jordan with his “Fruitvale Station” writer-director, Ryan Coogler.
But that one-two punch of expectations — energizing a franchise and burnishing the acclaim heaped upon “Fruitvale” — seems to have gotten the best of Coogler, so that “Creed” emerges as a reverent entry but never a truly refreshed one.
The opening suggests thematic promise, showing us a 13-year-old Adonis Creed, a foster-home hopper in juvenile detention, walloping a fellow inmate. Coogler and co-screenwriter Aaron Covington’s sharp character notion is that Adonis, an illegitimate child who entered the world after Apollo’s death, has a hole to fill from never knowing his famous dad. Apollo’s widow, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad), adopts him, and he grows up in luxury, but as a young man on a career track in finance (when Jordan takes over), he’d rather secretly box in Tijuana, where he racks up a 15-0 record, and study his dad’s fights on YouTube.
Spurned by L.A. trainers who scoff at his self-taught status, Adonis decamps to the City of Brotherly Love and tracks down the Italian Stallion, still running the restaurant he named after deceased wife Adrian and wary about playing Mickey (Burgess Meredith’s father-figure trainer in the original “Rocky”) to another kid with something to prove. That reticence doesn’t last long once Rocky is convinced he sees Apollo’s talent in Adonis, and the training and motivational platitudes kick in. (“That’s your toughest opponent,” Rocky says to Adonis’ reflection in the mirror.)
The biggest irony about “Creed” is that what’s missing inside Adonis is a nagging question mark for the movie, too. Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed was a galvanizing force in the first four “Rocky” movies, but without him here, save the odd snippet of boxing footage, “Creed” creates a strange distance between the brassy, entertaining cockiness of Weathers’ performance, as fondly remembered by moviegoers, and the necessity of his absence being a driving force for Adonis. Though Jordan hits plenty of solid chip-on-his-shoulder notes in his portrayal of someone wondering whether his name is a blessing or a curse, the movie is like a ghost story without a ghost. (Although you do learn who won that private Rocky-Apollo bout that closes “Rocky III.”)
None of this would have mattered had Adonis been written with a personality equal to Apollo’s or Rocky’s, but Coogler and Jordan fall short of making the youngster as compelling a figure. The mechanical parts of the story don’t serve Jordan’s natural charisma the way “Fruitvale” jazzed everyday moments. By now, Stallone wears Rocky like a favorite tracksuit, and he’s a believably older version of his good-hearted underdog. But his scenes with Jordan, rather than being organically warm, feel dictated by formula.
The screenplay’s fighting-in-life metaphors aren’t memorably explored either. Adonis’ love interest — tough, talented singer girlfriend Bianca (an underused Tessa Thompson, “Dear White People”) — makes one mention of a hearing-loss condition on their first date before being sidelined as inspirational movie support staff. Later, “Creed” uncorks a third-act health scare for Rocky that feels conveniently shoved in to give both mentor and mentee equal dramatic footing on the uphill-battle front.
But even as a standard issue path-to-identity sports movie, “Creed” has its undeniable pleasures when that bell rings. Coogler’s fight scenes, augmented by Jordan’s commanding physique and cinematographer Maryse Alberti’s nimble cinematography, boast a fleet, visceral immediacy, with Adonis’s debut U.S. bout thrillingly choreographed and shot as one circling, ducking, weaving take.
And while the movie’s big showdown opponent, a Liverpudlian bruiser named “Pretty” Ricky Conlan, may not have the cartoony heft of Mr. T’s or Dolph Lundgren‘s ’80s-era foes, real-life heavyweight champ Anthony Bellew’s perma-snarl performance is grin-worthy.
“Creed” doesn’t forget to pay homage to “Rocky” touchstones, either: the iconic steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art get a sweet, poignant nod at the end, and Bill Conti’s soaring fanfare makes an appearance. But an attempt at giving Adonis his own training montage crescendo, surrounded during a street run by bikers doing wheelies, doesn’t quite work.
Few longstanding franchises have been so personally tended to as the “Rocky” movies, with Stallone variously lauded and vilified for scattershot handling of his own beloved American loser-turned-hero. If 2006’s correctively quieter, old-school charming “Rocky Balboa” felt like a fitting close to an invariably overextended series, you can see why this entry — the first one not written by Stallone — suggested a reason to continue. But instead of playing like the first of a series of Adonis Creed movies, “Creed” never rises above being one more by-the-numbers “Rocky” retread.
18 Dramatic Championship Sports Movie Moments: From 'Rocky' to 'Remember the Titans' (Photos)
"The Pride of the Yankees" (1942)
This beautifully dramatized moment of sports history, as wonderfully monologued by Gary Cooper, helped to immortalize the already infamous "Luckiest man" speech by Lou Gehrig.
“Rocky” (1976)
In the ultimate underdog story, newcomer Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) gets a shot at the world heavyweight title against champ Apollo Creed. Rocky proves he has the goods, going the entire 15 rounds against Creed, but loses in a split decision. Rocky would get a rematch though and win the title in “Rocky II”.
"Breaking Away" (1979)
One of the most inspiring underdog stories ever made, the Little 500 bicycle race in Bloomington, Indiana, is a local classic as made famous by this film. In the film's closing race scene, the locals -- dressed in plain white T-shirts with their nickname the "Cutters" -- upset the richer college students with more expensive bikes and uniforms, riding across the finish line in pure glory.
“Chariots of Fire” (1981)
Two Englishmen push each other to be the best sprinter at the 1924 Olympics. While they won gold on the big screen’s racetrack, “Chariots of Fire” would go on to win Oscar gold for best picture.
“The Natural” (1984)
Robert Redford plays middle-age rookie Roy Hobbs in “The Natural.” Hobbs leads his team to a championship on his final at-bat when he launches the most famous home run in movie history. Thus proving the unspoken rule in baseball: If you break the lights you win the game.
“Hoosiers” (1986)
Another Indiana classic in what is widely considered one of the greatest sports movies of all time, “Hoosiers” follows a small town high school basketball team as they make it all the way to the state finals. They play a bigger and more athletic team in the finals, but with a last second shot pull off the surprise victory.
“Major League” (1989)
Charlie Sheen and Tom Berenger lead an outfit of misfit Cleveland Indians from last place to a shot at the league pennant against the powerhouse Yankees. Even though the film is a comedy, the final game plays out in dramatic fashion.
“A League of Their Own” (1992)
“A League of Their Own” proved that girls can play baseball, and ends in a play at the plate that determines the championship. Geena Davis’ Rockford Peaches may lose that final game, but as Tom Hanks taught us, “there is no crying in baseball!”
Steve James’ revolutionary documentary follows inner-city Chicago kids William Gates and Arthur Agee throughout their high-school basketball careers. The film culminates in both striving to reach the finals of their city wide championship tournament.
“Remember the Titans” (2001)
Based on the true story of Virginia’s first integrated high school football team (led by coach Denzel Washington), the Titans not only change the views of an entire town, but they go undefeated on their way to a thrilling state championship against an all-white team.
“Friday Night Lights” (2004)
The film that spawned the critically acclaimed TV series (which in turn may spawn a film of its own) is memorable in that its featured team doesn’t win the championship. The Permian Panthers mount a great comeback, but come up one yard short of the state title.
“Miracle” (2004)
In perhaps one of the greatest upsets in sports history, a team of U.S. college hockey players defeated the Soviet Union, the three-time defending gold medal winner and best team in the world, during the Cold War.
"DodgeBall" (2004)
Okay, okay. This is really a parody of sports movies. But for all its send-ups of underdog sports movie formulas, it also embraces them full-heartedly during the gripping championship showdown between the Average Joes and Globo Gym.
“The Fighter” (2010) David O. Russell‘s Oscar-winning picture depicted boxer Mickey Ward’s (Mark Wahlberg) climb up the ranks from middling contender to a shot at the title. The final fight shows the grit and heart that it took for Ward to win the belt.
"Senna" (2010)
The best sports documentaries are as riveting as their scripted counterparts, putting viewers right in the action as if they are watching it unfold live. "Senna" is one of the finest examples, using primarily archival footage with no narration and few interviews to show the bitter Formula 1 rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost that led to the 1989 and 1990 championships being decided in controversial fashion at Japan's famed Suzuka Circuit.
"Survive and Advance" (2013)
ESPN's "30 for 30" series included a look at arguably the most famous championship run in college basketball history. In 1983, Jimmy Valvano led the North Carolina State Wolfpack on a streak of nine consecutive overtime or one-point wins, culminating in a last-second basket to win the championship over top-ranked Houston. In this documentary, even though the outcome is known, every game's heart-stopping drama is recreated perfectly.
"Creed" (2015)
The power and hypnotic beauty of this famous running scene from "Creed" as directed by Ryan Coogler is immense. Michael B. Jordan captures the inspiring training run from the original "Rocky" with a modern spirit. You can feel the emotion of the moment so strongly and can't help but root for him.
"Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies" (2017)
Another ESPN documentary that puts you right in the moment. Narrated by Lakers fan Ice Cube and Celtics fan Donnie Wahlberg, this five-hour doc covers the most famous championship rivalry in sports, which peaked with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the 80s. The tension hits its peak with Game 4 of the 1987 NBA Finals, in which Bird infamously missed a game-tying three-point shot.
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Whether it’s the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat, TheWrap recaps the biggest moments in these sports classics
The biggest irony about “Creed” is that what’s missing inside Adonis is a nagging question mark for the movie, too. Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed was a galvanizing force in the first four “Rocky” movies, but without him here, save the odd snippet of boxing footage, “Creed” creates a strange distance between the brassy, entertaining cockiness of Weathers’ performance, as fondly remembered by moviegoers, and the necessity of his absence being a driving force for Adonis. Though Jordan hits plenty of solid chip-on-his-shoulder notes in his portrayal of someone wondering whether his name is a blessing or a curse, the movie is like a ghost story without a ghost. (Although you do learn who won that private Rocky-Apollo bout that closes “Rocky III.”)
