How do you make a beloved movie character from the seventies and eighties and make him relevant again? Bring in a younger generation and put a completely different spin on it. Creed does that and more. Rocky is done with boxing and living a quiet life alone. He stays away from the sport until the son of his biggest rival and best friend begs him to train him.
Michael B Jordan is Adonis Johnson. The illegitimate son of the legendary Apollo Creed. As an up and coming boxer, he lives in his fathers shadow and gets no respect. After deciding he cannot make it in the L.A. boxing scene, he travels to Philadelphia. He finds Rocky Balboa and asks for help. Adonis sets out to create his own legacy while helping Rocky realize that there is still fight left in him.
The boxing scenes are fantastic. The best thing they could do was get real life boxers to play the movie fighters. The fights are intense and Jordan got in great shape. It holds on to a lot of the magic that the original Rocky had. I cannot say it is as emotional, but it certainly tries. Rocky is pretty much where we left him and the arc of the character feels right. Stallone still makes you love the character, even in his seventies. He is also smart enough to leave the boxing to the next generation.
The film does have a few plot holes, but not enough to make you dislike it. Apollo died in 1984 so Adonis would be a little past his prime, but it still works. Rocky's son is no where to be found and the sickness element plays too quickly. Creed is not Rocky 7. It is a step in a different direction and it works. It reminds us that life isn't about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. Creed is a new legacy that I hope we see continue.
