We Got One Rock

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2015)

Just like it's counterpart, even this 7th installment to the franchise has proved the fact that the true story of the universe has just begun. Creed just like the original movie of the series has a strict focus on the characters, their struggles and eventual triumph, with only a role switch with the son of "The Apollo Creed " . This is one of the only few movies I loved watching this year, and I am pretty much thankful I did. In this review I shall justify the reason as to why this movie has received a rating as high as a 9/10.
1)Story :- The basic story is backed by a pretty good script and an engaging narrative that puts Adonis Johnson / Creed , son of Apollo creed in the centre of the fight this time. But unlike his father's story , this man is forced to battle his unfulfilled passion for fighting , unjustified emotions that cross him and a blockade that brands him as a man born from someone else's legacy. The story technically puts Adonis on the radar, while the people around believe him to be a man whose fame comes by his father's legacy. This is a story of how a man, with a will to create a mark in history for himself, steps into the ring, not only fighting the fight , but battling his priorities. The story sometimes is vague reminder of the first rocky, but the distinctive performances from both actors see to it that this movie rises beyond those insignificant questions.
2)Casting And Characters:- The casting and characterization of this cast is what makes this movie splendid. Though the script is more or less that of a generic boxing movie seen a million times before , it is the distinctive performances by the lead Michael B Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. This is one of those movies that solely concentrates it's screen time on only those characters that require screen space to ideologically progress the story. While the movie consists of other members like Bianca the love interest and Mary Creed , Adonis's mother , all these plot devices are only meant to build the tension during the final fight and are completely disposable , since they add little to nothing to the actual plot to be significant . But what is evident is that director Ryan Coogler, has done is absolute best to pull the best out of every cast member who was a part of this movie. But when all is done and said, I cannot be absolutely fair while I express my love for the man who started it all , and the man who almost overshadowed Creed's performance in this movie , The Rocky Balboa a.k.a Sylvester Stallone. This man has proved the fact with this movie that he is not just the broody, rough and tough man who does action movies but is an actor who has the potential to ACT. That's right, Sylvester Stallone after a million fails has proved that he is no more expendable. His performance swelled my eyes with tears and without spoiling anything, Ryan Coogler's decision to modify the characters life in the way he did so , was not just best for the plot , but best for the ultimately produced definitive performances too.
3)Direction :- When directing a movie for a franchise that has spanned for many generations it is a risky move for us audience when we witness a new chapter. The movie could either be a project made as a nostalgic cash grab or a passion project that respects it's previous entries but becomes different and distinct at the same time. And just like the Creed in the movie, Ryan Coogler has proved that this movie is not just made as a product of Rocky's legacy but a project that has the ability to stand on one's own foot to essentially act as a reinvigoration of what Rocky was originally imagined to be. Coogler has managed to build a completely new atmosphere for this franchise that gives a sense of difference and change but at the same time , affixes us to the city of Philadelphia that we have known and loved since the original Rocky with the perfectly cued original soundtracks that assures us that we are actually connected to the world we always loved. It is evident that the style of direction that Coogler used for this movie is something completely different from the previous Rocky movies. This one goes in the line of other dark boxing movies such as Warrior where colours of the world around are dumbed down to create this dark and gloomy environment and everything in the frame of perspective is saturated with detail to create an exact and realistic picture of the sport of boxing in the best way possible . What I was let down by , slightly , was Coogler's quick jump takes and cut-shots during the final fight , that actually put me out of the intensity that the shot had to have. Overall, Coogler's direction is brilliant in many ways and it was his vision that was desperately needed to create , progress and continue the now 6 movie franchise. If you have already watched the movie, the final scene of Rocky climbing the stairs followed by a focus shot of the city from the height explains exactly why I praise his direction so much.
On a whole it was an absolutely unexpected journey filled with the excitement, vigor and energy that every Rocky movie had. If you are a person who would step in a theatre or watch this movie just for the fights, let me warn you right away and tell you that you will be disappointed. This movie is a directorial and character driven drama whose ultimate underline of boxing gives the much needed progressive element for the plot. And is definitely one of the best movies of 2015.