Familiar but fresh.

Rating: 8/10 (29 November 2015)

Creed is the latest film in the 'Rocky' film franchise. This marks the seventh installment so far. But unlike the other films 'Creed' is not about Balboa. It is instead about Apollo Creeds son, Adonis. A smart, driven kid that wants to be like his father. A world class boxer. But he doesn't want to have to ride his fathers coat tails to be great. He wants to create his own legacy. As I watched this film an interesting parallel started to develop between this plot line and the film itself. 'Creed' is, in many ways, a lot like the 'Rocky' films but it doesn't ride on their success. It develops its own story and motives outside of the other films. And, like its main character, it achieves this. This is what is so compelling about this film. While it does follow a very familiar formula, it doesn't ever seem like it's checking things off a list. It is its own movie. This is in large part thanks to the outstanding direction from Ryan Coogler. A (now) sophomore director previously known for 'Fruitvale Station'.
His knowledge of film is prominent. He understands that these types of films have been done to death. And if he is to make a successful film, it HAS to be different. So, he took a all to familiar plot and made it feel new with its fleshed out characters. Adonis isn't fighting his way off the streets or trying to make a miraculous comeback after a catastrophic failure. No, he a child of privilege that is tired of people treating him as such.
The film also gives Stallones character, Rocky, a face lift. It shows him as an old man just going through the motions of being retired. But once he decides to train Adonis, that is when these characters really get interesting. There isn't many scenes of boxing in this film so the dialogue has to be good. Thankfully the film has both great characters and great dialogue.
Which makes the slower pace not feel to slow. The conversations actually feel like they have meaning and aren't just trying to fill time. This is where the talented cast thrives. In these quiet, expression driven moments. While they may not be perfect, they are able to communicate what their character is feeling with a simple look or movement.
There is a lot to like about this film. A lot that I haven't even talked about. Like the stunning cinematography, or the impressively choreographed boxing scenes. But I am limited, so lets talk about the few flaws that cropped up amidst all this. One that I already mentioned was the formulaic story line. If you have seen any sports movie then you most likely know exactly how this film is going to play out. Since I have, predicting what would happen next was fairly easy. This made the two hour run time feel a bit stretched. Especially since the film was still unveiling plot points in the third act.
However, these are small errors in a film that, overall, exceeded my expectations. Cooglers tight script and direction really display his knowledge of film. This helps the film not just be another sports movie, but more. It is able to offer deep characters that, by the end of the film, you actually care about. And, as an added bonus, the fights in the film are awesome. 'Creed' is definitely worth your time.