"Make your own legacy."
After 39 years and six films, Sylvester Stallone finally hands the Rocky franchise to a younger filmmaker and star. The choice wasn't obvious: Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan, late of the racial drama Fruitvale Station (2013). Coogler's urban grit and Stallone's crowd-pleasing instincts prove a potent combination, making Creed (2015) among the series' best.Troubled teen Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) is adopted by Apollo Creed's widow (Phylicia Rashad), learning that he's Apollo's illegitimate child. Adonis quits an office job to pursue fighting, recruiting Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) as his trainer. Adonis shuns Apollo's name, but gains the spotlight after fighting a contender (Gabriel Rosado) and is challenged by heavyweight champion Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew). He and Rocky form a strong bond, shaken when Rocky's diagnosed with cancer.
While Coogler makes repeated nods to the original film, Creed is definitely distinct. Coogler blends his hand-held long takes with artistic effects, from an impressive single-take match to Raging Bull-esque sprays of bloody sluice. The requisite training montages occasionally seem forced: watching Adonis race alongside motor bikes makes Rocky II's child-swarming scene seem like cinema verite. For the most part though, Coogler's indie aesthetics fit Rocky's world well.
Coogler and cowriter Aaron Covington make Adonis a compelling hero. Introduced as a tough kid in a group home, he tries living respectably while fighting underground. He resents Apollo's legacy and comparisons infuriate him, yet it's the only way to gain publicity. His romance with Bianca (Tessa Thompson), a musician slowly going deaf, humanizes Adonis immensely. Creed parallels the original, with Conlan, a hard-luck champ with anger issues, needing the fight as bad as Adonis. The outcome won't surprise anyone, but satisfies any way.
But Adonis's relationship with Rocky proves Creed's bedrock. Adonis latches onto Rocky, perhaps too quickly, as mentor and surrogate father; Rocky, lamenting Adrian and Paulie's death, estranged from his son, reciprocates. Rocky's illness and Adonis's temper throw spanners in the works, but their natural, unforced chemistry provides a heartwarming center. Having prepared Adonis, Rocky doesn't need to strap on the trunks himself. He (and the audience) are satisfied watching someone take up his mantle.
Michael B. Jordan effortlessly sells skeptical viewers. Tough, charismatic and engaging, he's a born star, carving his own niche in this long-running series. Sylvester Stallone's character performance fits like a glove; not having to box allows Stallone to stretch his acting talents, matching Jordan perfectly. The supporting cast is adequate: Tessa Thompson's likeability outweighs her thin character, while Phylicia Rashad's fierce charisma is wasted. Boxer Tony Bellew plays Conlan, Graham McTavish his trainer.
Like its hero, Creed pulls off a tough balancing act. It honors its predecessors while forging its own identity. We can anticipate the probable sequels with cautious optimism, so long as Adonis doesn't fight ten foot Russians and befriend robots. As for Stallone, if he never revisits Rocky it's a noble sendoff.