Creed: A heavyweight knockout

Creed smartly returns back to the basics of what made the Rocky franchise so appealing in the first place.

Bucket List Reviews January 23, 2016
Creed is a story of an underdog boxer named Adonis Johnson (Michael B Jordan) who is burdened by the legacy of his father, the boxing legend Apollo Creed. Adonis embraces his fate and heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creeds legendary match with a boxer named Rocky Balboa. After realising the potential in Adonis, Rocky agrees to train him in the ways of boxing and the determination of a better life.

Did anyone ask for another Rocky movie?

Well, I’m glad they did end up making it because Creed is the best Rocky film since, well, the original Rocky (1976). After the campy, Rocky III, Rocky IV, the abysmal Rocky V and the redeemable Rocky Balboa , Creed smartly returns back to the basics of what made the Rocky franchise so appealing in the first place; an underdog story of a man who dreams big.

Michael B Jordan is more than up for the task to fill in the shoes of Stallone, bringing with him the grittiness and sweat that the franchise so badly needed. Unlike Jurassic World, the film pays homage to the previous Rocky films without letting the nostalgia factor overwhelm it. Ryan Coogler’s previous indie film Fruitvale Station (2013) allowed him to breathe a new life to this tired old franchise with sharp, emotional dialogues and creative cinematography.

Other than a pointless love story and a few exponential, obligatory storytelling clichés, Creed is a solid boxing film in its own right and can be easily detached from the Rocky brand.



Still of Michael B. Jordan in Creed (2015)

Still of Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in Creed (2015)

Still of Michael B. Jordan in Creed (2015)

Still of Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in Creed (2015)

Still of Michael B. Jordan in Creed (2015)

Still of Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in Creed (2015)

 
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Bucket List Reviews Bucket List Reviews are short consensus on the latest films in the World of Cinema. For more film reviews, visit the facebook page of 'Bucket List Reviews' (https://www.facebook.com/bucketlistfilmreviews/?fref=ts), or subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwSdyPZ_htZng0Ec-2cmlgg or check out my blog at: jibrankhan.de
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (2)

Khalid Rafi | 8 years ago | Reply No offence, but this is not a review. It's merely a paragraph with 5-6 filler photos
Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply In my opinion definitely Sy Stallone's best acting role so far and Michael B. Jordan was fabulous.....I'd have given it 4.5 stars.
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