The best movie of in the Rocky franchise since the original

Rating: 9/10 (17 August 2016)

Creed is the seventh instalment in the Rocky franchise but this time focuses on Adonis Creed, Apollo Creed's son. Adonis Creed is spectacularly played by the perfectly cast Michael B. Jordan in what may be his best role and performance to date. The movie once again features Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa - Stallone's performance is surprisingly effective; he embodies the character perfectly after Rocky Balboa in 2006, ten years ago. His acting in this movie is far better than you might expect from him at this stage, but you will be pleasantly surprised - he won Best Supporting Acting at the Golden Globes for a reason. Tessa Thompson plays Bianca, Adonis' love interest, who gives a deceptively complex character that adds something great to the movie.
What the movie gives for the first half is familiar fare for these movies - displaying the well earned nostalgia that these movies have earned - but at the same time director Ryan Coogler manages to revivify the series, and through his strong and clearly talented directing makes the movie stand alone as a genuinely strong dramatic piece. For long time fans of the series, this movie will be particularly emotionally potent, but even to new time fans this is will still be a strong movie. Cinematographer Maryse Alberti does a great job shooting the movie and in his own right adds something excellent to the movie (an almost five minute boxing scene which is all shot in one take is particularly mesmerising).
In conclusion, Creed is an excellent movie - the best since the 1976 original, which can, in a large part, be put down to Ryan Coogler's fantastic directing. The characters are very strong, in particular Michael B. Jordan's, and the acting also great. It does justice to the previous movies while at the same time trying something new and effective.