Creed Review

surprised this got such a good review and a score of 8, no more than a 6 really, every single aspect of it was covered in the rocky films, but done better, creed will be enjoyed more by the generation that never bothered to watch the first 3 rocky films, its not a bad film its just that its all been seen before.
 
Im looking forward to this one. Thanks for the review!
 
Got back from seeing it. Faaar better than it had any right to be. I remember hearing about it during the development stages and being like, 'oh, cool idea and hopefully it'll be entertaining but can see it being mediocre', but it actually somehow managed to succeed my expectations. After the extremely average Southpaw, I was thinking this would be a weakish film.

I've never been a fan of the Rocky franchise mostly because it seemed to represent Americana Dream bullshit and the boxing sequences left me with a bad taste in my mouth as they never seemed realistic to me, and they seem even less realistic having had in ring experience. But this film is a surprising step up. I like that they've a part of the story and made it into their own.

Building on the promise of Fruitvale Station, Coogler actually brings fresh life and an interesting perspective to the boxing drama, particularly with the boxing sequences. The first one is, in a word, very good. The only other boxing film I have felt to convey the intensity and adrenaline of being in the ring is Michael Mann's ambitious yet very flawed, Ali. It's still not perfect...too many unprotected shots to the face, but theres a sense of danger in here that was missing from those Rocky films. But yeah, the way the first fight is filmed makes absolute sense having seen the technique and it's a wonder there hasn't been a boxing film before that use the very same technique.

Performances are solid. Stallone has always played this character well, and this is no exception. To say more would be to spoil it a bit, but he's very good. Michael B Jordan (Wallace from The Wire) makes for an engaging lead, but I couldn't help wondering what his Wire co-star Wood Harris (who also pops up in this as a Creed relative) would have done with the role had he been 15 years younger as I think he might have been one of the most most exciting and underrated actors of that show.

Main issue I guess is the love interest. Just tacked on and very unnecessary, despite the bird being proper fit and all. But it feels obligatory and not in keeping with the Creed character.

But yeah, the film is never dull, Coogler seems incredibly balanced at pin pointing his themes with beautiful cinematic aesthetics. His music cues are on point, and he goes the extra mile to make sure each frame is near perfectly composed. This wasn't shot on film, but it's another one of those 'nearly fooled me digital negatives'.

Hopefully theres not a sequel because there really isn't anything else to explore, but this is definitely recommended and highly entertaining, whether you are a Rocky fan or not.

**** out of ***** so roughly 7/10 for me.
 
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Saw it today, definitely give it out of 8/10. OK it's fairly predictable and manipulative but gets the blood pumping and has some fantastic long takes. Stallone and Jordan are both excellent.
 
I think the Rocky films were pretty much cash machine corn playing by numbers after the first 2 or 3 ... this seems to be a whole new ball game though and has given life to a pretty tired franchise. Every review I have seen has given it great reviews where I would imagine the thought of this on paper would have had every negative reviewer reaching for their pens when it was announced ...
 
I look forward to this film
must say the last one Rocky Balboa was a great film, especially the Blu ray.
 
i love the way sly stallone has grown into his character..his acting has really improved and matured ..this is on my list i love rocky...
 
Watched this last night...my first Rocky film at the pics. The director has come up with a brilliant little story in which Stallone features but doesn't take over the screen when he appears. As most folk have mentioned, Stallone has gracefully grown into the senior Balboa character, and his chemistry with the lead also assists in helping make this film work. I enjoyed it..there's a scene early in the film where
Creed loses his Mustang in a bet and gets taught a bit of a lesson
im sure that's atleast one route a sequel could go.
 
stallone has already hinted at more on the way, i am really surprised at the positive reviews here for this,i just thought it covered no new ground, same old story type, boxing films done well are what i enjoy, first couple of rocky films,raging bull, the hurricane,cinderella man, etc, but just thought this was mrdiocre at its best
 
Outstanding. Loved it and thought it had outstanding performances from all. If you love the series you'll love it
 
I'm really not keen on a sequel. Sequels should be about expanding and progression - Aldonis reached the end of his ark at the end of the film, what does a sequel do that hasn't already been done? Really think about it, is a sequel to this necessary? It's a great film, no need to tarnish it.
 
Can't wait to watch this, getting good vibes from the reviews etc.

Found this funny

 
surprised this got such a good review and a score of 8, no more than a 6 really, every single aspect of it was covered in the rocky films, but done better, creed will be enjoyed more by the generation that never bothered to watch the first 3 rocky films, its not a bad film its just that its all been seen before.

were at saturation for new story-lines. the reason its an 8 is because its like the first, great story (done before sure but a good story is a good story) combined by great subtle acting and the obligatory montage and fight that really has you rooting for the underdog. No other films make you feel like a rocky film when there in the ring. 8 is a fair score in my eyes. lets not forget that rocky 1 is 40 years old. its a perfect place to reimagine the franchise and I for one am looking forward to more. Its been done before but only the first rocky did it as well as this film did.
 
Thought the directing in this was superb. It's what makes the movie. Everything else has been seen many times before. Michael B Jordan was great, as good as Sly who got the Golden Globe win. I loved the way they shot the fight scenes almost from a first person perspective. The sound was great. It was really immersive.
 
surprised this got such a good review and a score of 8, no more than a 6 really, every single aspect of it was covered in the rocky films, but done better, creed will be enjoyed more by the generation that never bothered to watch the first 3 rocky films, its not a bad film its just that its all been seen before.
Seems like recycle ideas from prequels are becoming a new trend.
 
Creed could have easily been titled Rocky 7 if Stallone would have pitched the idea first.

From the beginning you begin to feel goosebumps and there is enough verbal nods to the Rocky films and plenty of nostalgia.

Creed isn't just revisiting an old idea with a blend of new ingredients thrown into the mix to wet your appetite.
Creed stands on its own two feet. It's a stroke of genius from the director Ryan Coogler that he has breathed life back into the franchise without ruining or compromising the previous Rocky films.

Creed played by the up and coming Michael B Jordan slips into the role well.
Creed is a somewhat confused man with a natural talent for boxing.

This is where the film really takes shape and allows Creed to shine and standout as a boxing drama on its own without living in the shadow of the Rocky legacy.

The film really delves into the streets of Philadelphia as it never did before with Rocky. You sense and feel a raw intensity lurking on the streets and an air of nostalgia with the familiar locations too.

The score to Creed is a resounding success too. The new theme has enough subtle reminders of how great Bill Conti's original score was nearly 40 years ago.

The film is a true credit to how not only Rocky has stood the test of time but to how Creed can really shine and work as a genuine spinoff!
You will be taken down a few memory lanes and maybe get emotional at times.

Stallone manages to pull off a career best with a knockout performance not only worthy of the golden globe he won but does definitely earn an Oscar for the role that gave him so much as an actor.

The training montages are excellent and the main antagonist is not Creed's opponent but himself and carrying the burden of this name.

You can't help but be drawn into this new universe of Rocky and with all the bits we loved about the original.

I think audiences new and old will absolutely love this film and for fans like me who really admired the Rocky films and for a new generation of fans who can look at this with fresh eyes.

The plot is good but not original and there are a few surprises along the way before the final credits role.
The fight sequences are simply beautiful, using unique camera angles to get the viewer a ringside seat into the world of boxing.

There is enough character development in terms of Creed and with the new cast.
It also feels refreshing to see new and upcoming talent with new characters we haven't seen before.

The female lead Bianca may not be what Adrian was for Rocky but she does lend a very good supporting role as the romantic interest.

Will this be a classic just like the original Rocky?

Only time will tell but it does have a feel that this little film called Creed will age well with time.

Overall score 9/10
 
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Enjoyable movie. As a stand alone, I'd give it an 8, though comparing it to the series and rocky 1-3, maybe a 6.

Kind of a average remake of rocky 1, though this kid has an easy lifestyle, people are not going to relate to him like they did to rocky/sly.

Maybe I'm just very disappointed with Hollywood having no ideas and remaking everything , be it bond, Star Wars etc. Sadly is is another movie that is more of the same same, except the original was much much better.
 
Kind of a average remake of rocky 1, though this kid has an easy lifestyle, people are not going to relate to him like they did to rocky/sly.

.

So the opposite of Rocky then! :rolleyes:


Maybe I'm just very disappointed with Hollywood having no ideas and remaking everything , be it bond, Star Wars etc. Sadly is is another movie that is more of the same same, except the original was much much better.

How would you have wanted the story to unfold?

Not being funny, but its easy to say 'there's no originality anymore' when you only notice similarities and don't notice differences. You've listed three franchises (Rocky, Bond, Star Wars) when there are hundreds of films coming out every year. But franchise films have a formula to follow that makes them work, and while you can reshuffle the ideas, mix them around and spice them up, there are really only so many stories that you can make out of those franchises. If you stray too far from the formula, it would cease to be a Rocky movie.

I think the original Rocky story (Apollo's experiment giving an underdog the chance of a lifetime) is the best of the bunch. But this does a really good job of telling another story in that world from an entirely new perspective, and keeping a foot in the real world. Even the montages (the cheesiest element of a rocky movie) were done with class.

Great move too having Creed face a real-life boxer. Added an authenticity that none of the previous films had.
 
So the opposite of Rocky then! :rolleyes:




How would you have wanted the story to unfold?

Not being funny, but its easy to say 'there's no originality anymore' when you only notice similarities and don't notice differences. You've listed three franchises (Rocky, Bond, Star Wars) when there are hundreds of films coming out every year. But franchise films have a formula to follow that makes them work, and while you can reshuffle the ideas, mix them around and spice them up, there are really only so many stories that you can make out of those franchises. If you stray too far from the formula, it would cease to be a Rocky movie.

I think the original Rocky story (Apollo's experiment giving an underdog the chance of a lifetime) is the best of the bunch. But this does a really good job of telling another story in that world from an entirely new perspective, and keeping a foot in the real world. Even the montages (the cheesiest element of a rocky movie) were done with class.

Great move too having Creed face a real-life boxer. Added an authenticity that none of the previous films had.


Good points made, but the last sentence I disagree with. The last two Rocky films prior to this one featured bouts with real life boxers in Tommy Morrison and Antonio Tarver, the latter being one of the more decorated southpaw fighters of his generation.

And thinking about it, Stallone's performance in Creed, as good as it is, really isn't much better than his performance Rocky Balboa, which, if we are talking quality of acting, is as good as he's ever been. He gives a fairly moving performance in that film so it's confusing that people are acting like Creed brought the best out of him.
 


Possible Spoilers!
 
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So the opposite of Rocky then! :rolleyes:




How would you have wanted the story to unfold?

Not being funny, but its easy to say 'there's no originality anymore' when you only notice similarities and don't notice differences. You've listed three franchises (Rocky, Bond, Star Wars) when there are hundreds of films coming out every year. But franchise films have a formula to follow that makes them work, and while you can reshuffle the ideas, mix them around and spice them up, there are really only so many stories that you can make out of those franchises. If you stray too far from the formula, it would cease to be a Rocky movie.

I think the original Rocky story (Apollo's experiment giving an underdog the chance of a lifetime) is the best of the bunch. But this does a really good job of telling another story in that world from an entirely new perspective, and keeping a foot in the real world. Even the montages (the cheesiest element of a rocky movie) were done with class.

Great move too having Creed face a real-life boxer. Added an authenticity that none of the previous films had.

Okay. You missed the part that I said the story lines are based on each other but rocky and aldonis come from different backgrounds.

Let's focus on creed, so we do not get side tracked by the others, as this is the creed thread.

Both story lines have the same premise, give a nobody a shot at the title cause of the name, Creed chooses rocky purely based on his name and Italian background. Aldonis gets choosen purely based on his name. Both stories have the love interest, who happens to be "different" etc etc, its the same movie, with same main elements, with the same result.

That is not my issue with the remake. For a remake like casino Royal I really liked the new version, cause it's was gritty and realistic.

My issue with creed, is not the story line, it's aldonis the character, a well off rich kid, with arrogance and self entitlement, who happens to get rocky to coach him. What I like and dislike about the two movies , if I had to choose two scenes from rocky as not to give away any spoilers is when mickey comes to rocky and the amazing emotional exchange that results in them working together, and when rocky turns up to the the arena the night before the fight , makes reference to his image in the poster having wrong colours on the shorts and is later with adrian and confesses he cannot win, but he just wants to go the distance. That is rocky the movie, someone taking a once in a lifetime chance and still being realistic who he is fighting. Don't forget at the end, rocky says he does not want a rematch, all he cares about is Adrian, he achieved what he wanted, to go the distance, it's not about money, fame etc.

Creed in aldonis, is cocky , arrogant, and his biggest dilemma is that he wants people to respect him for being aldonis and not because the has the creed name. He wants the glory! Yeah.....first world problems.

Yup, I don't like the creed as a remake, cause I can't relate to aldonis as a character, as rocky says in the first movie when he goes on a date with Adrian, you would have to be an utter moron to want to be a boxer.

So if you like a remake of rocky with a new age arrogant rocky who believes the world owes him something and is entitled , great, I don't, hence for me the original rocky kills it.

You might want to notice how short the actual fight scene is in rocky . The movie is so much more about rocky the character and Italian culture at the time. Creed has none of that. Sorry don't relate to a rich kid getting his shot cause he has the name . Rocky all the way.

You might want to watch the other rocky movies later in the series, two actual fighters were used. As a fan of the franchise, the three actual fighters, while they bringing realism, have nothing on Creed, Clubber Lang and drako. As opponents they are boring and bad actors.

The first 4 movies that are the best in the series, are not about boxing technical merit, it's the storylines. Ill watch a boxing match if I want to see excellent defence.... The use of actual sporting stars in movies great for thier egos, but damn they cannot act......in a movie.
 
Aldonis & Drako lol
 

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