CREED (2015) Review
You have probably have never seen the original Rocky movies. Rocky 1 came out in 1976 and starred Sylvester Stallone as a young boxer called Rocky Balboa who was fighting in the streets trying to make a name for himself and going nowhere, when suddenly the heavyweight champion of the world “Apollo Creed” chooses Rocky at random for a title fight. Rocky realizes he has a chance for fight for his self-respect – to prove he is worth something, and gives it the best shot.
Fast forward to 2015, we see the same Rocky Balboa – the SAME Sylvester Stallone as a much older Rocky Balboa – mentor a young man who turns out to be Creed’s illegitimate son, who in a similar twist of tale, fights to prove his legitimacy to the Creed legacy.
The younger creed is played by Michael B. Jordan, who plays a difficult role of showing a very aggressive fighter with a lot of humility and tenderness. Truly this was one of the best performances of any movie in 2015, especially by a young black actor. The old school Rocky story must have been so good for the Hollywood old geezers such that they voted Sylvester Stallone for best supporting actor, and forgot Michael B Jordan – the one actor who makes the movie worth seeing for modern audiences! Enough about #OscarsSoWhite
In the movie, we see Creed grow up knowing just one thing. How to fight. It comes out as a part of his character, yet the violent nature is mixed with a gentleman nature such that he gets promoted in a corporate job.
Something tinkers in his heart, and he realizes his lifelong dream has to come true – today. And he resigns his job and moves to a town where he maps out a plan to be the best boxer there is. And part of that strategy is to get the best trainer in town – the one who trained his dad – Rocky Balboa. Their relationship is timid at best, better than the dudes who share love for a girl in Aloha (2015), but worse than the dudes who share adventure in Lets Be Cops(2014).
What Creed doesn’t bank on is meeting the love of his life in his quest for boxing experience. But when he encounters Bianca, he goes about it the way normal people do – he gets blown away by her beauty, decides to chase, date and propose – very simple and practical – not the way Hollywood does it with loud bells and whistles and flowers and drama and tears! This very fact makes the movie feel real but on the other hand does that simplicity cost Jordan an Oscar nomination???
The tough upbringing, the strain in the relationship with his stepmom, the balanced mix of love between the two young lovers, Rocky’s oversight as a trainer and community growing support for the young Creed is a lot like Obama’s growing up story. Think about it. Reminds you of why the world loved Obama – enough for the US to vote him as president twice.
The bad thing about Creed is the antagonist. Playing a not so great role, the boxer does eventually give a convincing fight worth watching.
But we are left with some questions during the movie that almost negates it magic feel.
- Loose End No.1: Where did the no.2 boxer in the world disappear off to? i.e. Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler?? we love this guy – tough as nails! Creed should have redeemed himself after Stuntman knocked him down. Creed 2 should feature Stuntman 🙂
Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler - Loose End No.2: Did creed date before he met Bianca? Bianca is smart enough to ask him this question!
- Loose End No.3: When the film starts and Donnie hits a guy knockout punch, the referee counts in Portuguese! Yet we are told the fight was in Mexico! A Spanish speaking country.
- Loose End No. 4: Why aren’t there guns in this movie? The neighborhood looked rough, the clubs were not so great and the movie was very violent – without guns!
- Loose End No. 5: How do Bianca and Creed get so close? Just one date? Come on!
Creed (2015) - Loose End No. 6: How does Creed get chosen for the big fight? Random choice? The story could have been better! urgh!
- Loose End No. 7: What happens to the other fighter who wants to fight for the title? Get’s mentioned once and that’s it? Doesn’t even fight Creed!
- Loose End No. 8: Why don’t the motorbike riders talk or get a sub plot? And what do they actually do??
- Loose End no. 9. Does creed give up his car to Stuntman after getting beaten?? Fast and furious fans want to see him fight for his car back!!!!!!
- Loose End No. 10: Creed panics and rushes to the toilet just before the big fight. That’s OK except we don’t get to see what he is doing! We also don’t know how he sorts the panic attack out. He just comes out! What!?? Too normal for Hollywood.
We also loved a lot of things about this movie
- Bianca’s love for Creed. This girl loves her man, and stands by him supporting his crazy passion. Forget the girl in my favorite Maroon 5 song below 🙂
- The Champs soundtrack. Its actually AWESOME! What an intro – that’s a champ. Mayweather kaa kando!
- Creed’s stepmom – a woman with a lot of love – she adopts the son of her husbands affair – who does that except someone with a heart made of gold? A comparative example is The Blind Side (2009) – a movie that will touch your inner bone.
- The doctor who breaks the tough news. Some doctors in Kenya are so inhuman if you compare directly. The nurse is also fun. The hospital actually looks nice and allows a lot of freedom.
- The fight – you have to watch it!
- Creeds inner passion – when a man loves something, it comes out – you can’t hide who you are.
- Sylvester Stallone’s tolerance – he fought Creed’s dad as an adversary. Training his son must have been a really tough emotional decision.
- The fashion sense in this movie is on point
- Creed does not pretend to be who he is not…well…he tries to and it gets him into trouble with his very smart girlfriend Bianca.
Bianca - I love the way Creed re-invents himself in a new town, new environment, and new people.
>> Check out the trailer for Creed
Despite the lose ends, Rated 9 out of 10. Tell us what you think about Creed (2015).
