You know what’s crazy? I’ll tell you what’s crazy™
CREED.
It’s the 7th version of the classic fight film starring the indomitable pugilist Rocky Balboa.
Sylvester Stallone is brilliant in a role that he created, that he is synonymous with.
Yo Adriane!
But in Creed, his character has come full circle, from loan shark bum, to world champ, to father-figure-mentor.
The young stars are also vibrant, relevant, breathing life into a story that feels fresh.
Much of the film is set in the ring, where the action is hard and fast, as you would expect. Rocky films are most comfortable between the ropes, where the spit and blood are flying.
And in this regard, director and writer, Ryan Coogler, does not disappoint.
One Step. One Punch. One round at a time is the credo of Creed.
If the boxing ring is the back drop of this story, there is one scene in particular that provides cinematic brilliance.
In this scene, Director Coogler establishes Creed as a boxer the world must know.
What distinguishes this moment is how the director portrays the scene.
It’s a boxing match, Creed is fighting a qualified challenger. The boxing sequence is several minutes long, full of choreographed action and dialogue. Most directors would film this sequence using 100 quick edits, different camera angles. But Coogler does it in one take. He uses natural ring movement, swaying, bobbing and weaving and close up cinematography that puts the audience in the middle of the ring, in the thick of the battle.
We can feel the body blows, we can taste the sweat. The single camera, single take is extraordinary. It is so action packed, so natural, the genius of the scene is almost imperceptible. Though there are no CUTS, it appears as if there are multiple edits. And in between round 1 and round 2, Rocky talks to his young fighter encouraging him to engage. And then Ding, Creed stands and the scene continues for round two. No cuts. One take. Impressive.
But it’s the journey outside the ring that compels this story. The characters are rich, textured in a way that reveals nuances and reveals the story. It’s so much more than just boxing and the need to fight. The characters have dimension, arcs that are complex and well-defined. Creed, as a film, is symbolically rich
The young Creed needs to forgive his father for abandoning him. He must learn to step out of the shadow of his father’s greatness. But until then, he hides in the shadows, seeking the refuge of a father figure in a lonely Rocky Balboa.
Rocky is tired and done with fighting. He would just assume sweep the floor of his restaurant after a long night. But the young boxer energizes him, reminds him of the past, the passion that burned within him as a young man. And in the end, when he is found to have cancer, the young man, who is like a son, inspires him to battle life.
There are multiple sub plots that focus on family and love and generational respect.
Creed doesn’t ignore the Rocky franchise. It reintroduces old themes, bringing them to cinematic life in a new way.
The movie tells the story of the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed. The young man grows up in state juvenile facilities until he is taken in by Creed’s widow. He could have been a successful financial analyst, but he burns to box.
He fights in back rooms and bars in Tijuana.
No one will train the young boxer with the famous father in L.A. so he goes to Philadelphia.
He enlists the help of Rocky Balboa, Philly’s favorite son, who manages a restaurant and lives a very simple life.
Rocky doesn’t want to train the young man, but the persistence of the young fighter reminds Rocky of himself and his best friend, Apollo.
Michael B Jordan plays Adonis, the young Creed, desperate to forge his own future while not embarrassing the legacy of his famous dad.
The writing is sharp and clean. Ryan Coogler could have written the story into a predictable corner. Instead, he tells the story through the eyes of the young fighter who is witty, smart and driven.
The scent of the original is always in the background, whether it’s Mick’s gym, or Creed training in an alley trying to catch chickens to get greasy fast Italian speed.
But while the movie salutes the past, it forges forward leaving the audience guessing what might happen next.
The story cuts its own path through the celluloid waters, taking almost 2 hours before the audience hears the famous Rocky theme, made famous in 1976.
And when you hear that familiar anthem, you are hooked, you are emotionally connected to the kid, to the old fighter, to their quest to be champs of the world.
What happens?
No spoiler alert here.
But I will say that Creed is one of the best films you will see this year.
Life’s Crazy™