CREED

Posted by Manuela on January 30, 2016 in Film Reviews | Leave a comment

(Review by Becca)

There is nothing that this girl loves more than a sports film. Triumph over adversity, a plot forgiving of parent-brain, gorgeous training montages, and a message that, if you admit it, you knew all along.

As the seventh film in the Rocky franchise, one may be forgiven for wondering whether there’s actually anything more to be said on the subject, but that’s the point entirely. The story is universal: we struggle, we find a breakthrough. Two steps forward, one step back. We always progress, but not always how we think.

Adonis Johnson is an orphan, literally fighting his way through the foster system, until his father’s widow takes him in. His father? Oh, only Apollo Creed, the swagger-tastic (and apparently philandering) fighting machine brought down by the icy Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. Fast-forward seventeen years and Donnie Johnson excels at his white-collar job, but secretly sneaks off to Mexico to box on his days off. Despite his adoptive mother’s concerns, he quits his day-job and makes the journey to Philadelphia to ask his pa’s old friend, Rocky Balboa to train him.

The fight scenes are spectacular, engaging the artistry and the brutality of the sport with a pace that will keep you on your toes. Stallone didn’t write or direct this film, but young talent Ryan Coogler captures his no-nonsense voice, polishes it, and delivers something even better. Michael B Johnson exudes quiet intelligence, and Tessa Thompson is a muse with her own stuff thank-you-very-much.

Go see. It has heart, nostalgia, and just the right amount of freshness.