Creed

You know what I hate about boxing movies? They make me feel a little out of shape. Okay, a lot out of shape. Boxers have some of the most disciplined physical regimens of any athlete, and that’s part of the appeal. Seeing how far a person can push themselves physically in a sport where it is you and you alone who can deliver your fate. Fight, train, discipline. It’s a romantic notion, but one that is unrealistic for most of us. That’s why we pay to see others do it. For all intents and purposes, this film is Rocky 7. It’s the inevitable changing of the guard because, well, Sylvester Stallone will be seventy years old next summer. Wow. “Creed” is the new generation of the franchise, focusing in on Rocky’s late rival/friend’s illegitimate son, Adonis.

“Creed” is a new take on the dying sport of boxing; a sport tarnished by controversy and disappointment over the past couple of decades. A sport that has been supplanted by the more ADD-centric mixed martial arts movement. A sport that has a long and distinguished history, but it is seemingly fading from the public interest. Boxing is as pure a sport of man versus man as you can get. The physical and psychological demands of the gloved combat sport is machismo at its purest.

The film takes a slow burn approach, minimizing time spent in the ring in favor of character development and handing the baton from nostalgia and power to a new generation of fighter in a new era. Gone are the times of punching slabs of meat. The new boxer is more brains and less brawn. There is something emotional about seeing an aged Stallone, and maybe it is only going to be felt by those who grew up knowing Rocky Balboa and the cinematic magic that he brought to the underdog role, but Michael B. Jordan is appealing to any audience, new and old alike, and certainly fills Rocky’s shoes adequately.

Michael B. Jordan (“The Wire”, “Friday Night Lights”, and “Fruitvale Station”) plays the progeny, Adonis Creed, with a burning fury in his eyes. He is a bitter young man fighting to escape the shadow of his father. He excels at exuding his toughness, but there is a soft side to him that just doesn’t quite fit the mold. The grittiness and violence in his character isn’t as prevalent as a film like this year’s “Southpaw”, but he is physically imposing, in a more fine-tuned machine sort of way.

The softness bodes well for the development of the relationship with Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky. Their growing symbiotic relationship is really what the film is about. They need each other, on opposite ends of life’s journey, and the interactions bring out the best in both of them.

Stallone has rarely been better as an actor. He lets his guard down and shows a vulnerable side that is authentic and fitting for his final (most likely) film in the storied franchise that served as the foundation for his own legacy. His soap box speeches are like entries out of Yogi Berra’s diary, and it reminds us what endeared us to the character in the first place nearly forty years ago.

Director and screenwriter Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station”) reunites with Jordan for what is one of the best boxing films in recent memory (better than “The Fighter” and “Million Dollar Baby” for certain). He uses precision camerawork and choreography to enhance the attempt at realism. An impressive single-shot sequence in the middle of the film is testament to his vision and attention to detail. He captures the essence that the audience wants to experience, and does it without any unnecessary glitz or glamour. The on-screen ring-time is deliberately minimized to keep the focus on the characters, and it works. By the climax, there is a hunger for the fight that only grows stronger through the absence of much fighting to lead up to it.

“Creed” manages to accomplish what has been so difficult to duplicate since the early “Rocky” films, and going back further, to “Raging Bull”. A realistic approach to the emotions beneath the surface of the fighters. The real humans behind the fighters. “Creed” delivers a knockout performance for the holiday season, and I for one am thankful that it didn’t disappoint. Here’s hoping the “Creed” franchise is just beginning. 9/10.