It's Not "Rocky VII"...And That's Not A Bad Thing

Rating: 9/10 (26 February 2017)

In 2006, Sylvester Stallone seemingly put the final coda on the Rocky series with "Rocky Balboa", a very inspirational film that may have been the best of the entire franchise. As such, when the rumors began circulating about a project to quasi-revive that Rocky universe in a film about the son of Apollo Creed, they were met with laughter (at best) and downright derision (at worst). With the touching way that Stallone left the franchise in "Balboa", why did we need something else? Would anyone care about Apollo's son? Stallone would not be lending his writing talents to the project, and a young director (Ryan Coogler) would be stepping behind the camera.
To be completely honest, I had very little hopes for this film. I wondered why I would care, and I wondered if this was the right story to tell. Fortunately, I was proved wrong in pretty much every aspect, as this turns into a wonderful film that seemingly does the impossible: have Stallone's Rocky character in a movie that isn't primarily about him.
For a basic plot summary, "Creed" tells the story of Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed. Raised by Apollo's wife Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad), Adonis seems to be on the right track after a rough beginning in foster care. He has a comfortable job and even just got promoted. On the side, though, Adonis is boxing in some sketchy joints in Mexico, where his success convinces him to quit the day job and go professional like his father (a relationship which has been kept under wraps...Adonis goes by the last name Johnson). He quickly discovers, however, that he's going to need to get a lot tougher to compete in the professional ranks. As such, he leaves his California hometown and travels across the country to Philadelphia, where he seeks out Rocky (Stallone) to try and convince him to become his trainer.
The key thing to understand about this movie is that you can't look at it as "Rocky VII". During my first viewing in the theater, I kept waiting for that trumpet theme to kick in or maybe a training montage to "Gonna Fly Now". That's not the style of this movie, though. If anything, it is more of a modernized version of the original "Rocky", with Adonis as the hungry up-and-coming and Rocky as the Mick-like trainer figure. It is set in modern Philly and has a very urban feel to the proceedings. Originally, I was disappointed in this style, but the more I thought about it and read other opinions, the more I began to understand that this was the way that movie had to be made. Though I identify with the original "Rocky" more than this film, I'm sure "Creed" is a more modern inspiration to people in the same vein.
I think the hallmark of this film is probably it's incredible acting by all involved. Jordan is more than capable as the young Adonis (as I knew he would be from his work in other roles), while Stallone again proves that he understands the Rocky character more than any other role he's ever played. It must have been difficult for Sly to keep himself at a distance (not writing/directing) and let someone else "tell him how to be Rocky", but I think it pays off here in that both the classic and the modern come together almost perfectly. Had Stallone been more actively involved, the project may not have had that "modern grit" that it was going for.
The main reason I can't give this a full five stars is because for all the good things the film does, it struggles a bit in the early goings in developing the Adonis character. It seems like a few plot lines aren't followed up on as well as they should be (perhaps in favor of showcasing "Philly culture" a bit too much), and it took me longer than what I'm sure the film-makers would have intended in order for me to really start getting emotionally attached to the character. The scenes with Rocky had no trouble doing that (because of the history of the character), but it just takes a bit too long for Adonis.
Overall, though, I think one has to consider "Creed" a rousing success. Despite a few shortcomings in plotting and character development, it manages to tell a compelling story while inter-weaving it with the history of the Rocky Balboa character and its franchise. Stallone could easily be up for some hardware for his generational performance, while Jordan has now cemented himself on the fast track to Hollywood success. Whether you have seen all the Rocky films multiple times or haven't seen a single one once, "Creed" will have something to pull you in.