A Knockout (Almost)

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2016)

(Rating: ☆☆☆½ out of 4)
This film is highly recommended.
In brief: A crowd-pleaser that carries its own weight due to some fine acting and direction.
GRADE: B+
Since The Champ appeared in the 1930's, the genre of boxing film has been an on-going cliché of sorts, the downtrodden overcoming the many hardships placed in his way. Always slow- motion shots abound...plus, training montages...the hand-held circular camera-work at ringside...leading up to the final bout! Even reviews of these sporting films become tiresome and unoriginal..."A real knockout!"..."Down for the count!"..."It pulls no punches!"..."Throw in the towel!" ( I will try and spare you these puns, although I cannot promise that I will succeed.)
A select few overcome the familiarities of the genre and achieve greatness like Raging Bull and Million Dollar Baby. Some creating memorable moments like The Fighter, Requiem for a Heavyweight, Fat City, and the original Rocky. Others fail miserably like Grudge Match (a Stallone dud) and Against the Ropes, but most follow the winning formula with a high degree of entertainment. Creed is an exception to the rule when rating tales of pugilists. It works very well and avoids most of the clichés (but not all) due to some fine acting and sharp direction, even if the script is featherweight, routine and totally predictable.
Donny Johnson, a.k.a. Adonis Creed, feels the need to follow in his lost father's footsteps, enlisting the help of former champ, Rocky Balboa as his trainer. That's the simple premise of the film in which director / writer Ryan Coogler wisely concentrates on the human drama more than the blood sport, although his fight sequences are quite brutal. His direction is solid, except for a clumsy inspiration uplift scene involving bikers fans and his over-reliance upon the Rocky source, complete with musical cues and nostalgic images. He stages the boxing sequences most effectively and builds a nice chemistry between his actors.
Michael B. Jordan is a revelation in the role as Apollo Creed's illegitimate son. He shows the inner conflict and rage within the man, delivering a powerful performance. Sylvester Stallone redeems himself with a restrained and understated portrayal of his famous screen icon, successfully erasing the memory of his recent film work as an aging action star. Tessa Thompson makes a vivid impression playing Bianca, Adonis' love interest.
All in all, Creed surprisingly packs an emotional wallop (sorry!), thanks to the fancy footwork (oops, once again) of Mr. Coogler and company.