Good grief!

Rating: 6/10 (2 December 2015)

Rocky is practically my favorite film, so I felt obliged to buy a ticket soon after Creed's release. The nicest thing I can say about it is that Rocky is still Rocky, and it was nice seeing him again. The fight choreography is also worthy of the series. Additionally, Tessa Thompson adds a little depth as Bianca, and new to the role of Mrs. Creed, Phylicia Rashad of The Cosby Show fame, is a welcomed presence. That pretty well does it for my positive remarks.
Although I personally consider it to be even more overrated than Rocky V is underrated (having always appreciated the latter for many reasons), it would be foolish to dissuade anyone in general from seeing Creed given its sweeping popularity. A popularity that I fail to comprehend. Reading several glowing reviews has done little to illuminate it. The general idea seems to be that Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Johnson is a great character who fascinates and inspires people. I see a conflicted pugilist with none of the pizazz and gift of gab crossed with gravitas that characterized Carl Weathers' Apollo Creed as a Goliath to Rocky Balboa's David. Neither Michael B. Jordan nor Adonis Johnson are the stuff of movie magic.
As I watched Creed, bewildered by its critical acclaim, I could not help but agree with Rocky that he is a dejected remnant of a bygone time. Perfectly understandable, as I derived much more from his stroll through the zoo with Talia Shire's Adrian in Rocky II than from over two hours of this comparatively soulless offering. The original film absorbed me completely with character after character superlatively realized and a palpably gritty atmosphere, whereas Creed did not draw me in much. The Philadelphia location work explains what little atmosphere there is to speak of. Bianca is a fairly interesting character, whose music is integral to her development, so I will leave it at that. Had Rocky been front and center more often, I would likely think more of the film.
Insofar as the ring remains a metaphor for the world at large, the indomitable Sylvester Stallone is still punching as a force in the industry. Although I am quite honestly dumbfounded by the degree of praise Creed has received, I am solaced to know that people remain invested in the Rocky Balboa character and that this adds to the staying power of his creator.