In 2013, short film director Ryan Coogler made his first feature length film FruitvaleStation—a wonderful, emotionally intense film starring Michael B. Jordan about the events leading up to the death of Oscar Grant by the hands of a BART station police officer. The film made the number one spot on my favorite films of 2013, the very first “best of the year” list made on Film Reviewer Jr. Creed, at the very least, confirms Fruitvale Station wasn’t just a fluke great film, and that Coogler’s director skills are as prodigious as they appear. Creed is undoubtedly the best Rocky sequel by a long shot, and rivals the original in terms of classic, effective storytelling and stunning cinematography. The film has the air of a pure sports story, and homages itself in many ways to the original Rocky; yet Creed transcends being a stale repetition with fleshed out characters, touching relationships, great performances, intense editing, and a subtleness rarely seen in the sports genre.
In a slightly confusing opening, the film introduces protagonist Adonis “Donnie” Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), a young boy serving time in a juvenile detention center. Donnie is the result of an affair between his mother Johnson (now deceased) and former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who was killed in-ring shortly after Donnie’s birth. Apollo’s widow Mary Ann (Phylicia Rashad) adopts Donnie and provides him with a more than comfortable life, even getting him a secure financial job when he becomes old enough. Donnie, however, is unsatisfied with such a mundane job and, after making enough money from underground fights in Mexico, leaves the firm in pursue of a professional boxing career (much to Mary Ann’s dismay). After failing to get into an elite boxing academy, Donnie travels to Philadelphia in hopes of convincing Apollo’s friend and rival Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) to train him. An elderly Rocky is reluctant at first, but is eventually persuaded by Donnie’s persistence and spunk. Donnie also begins a romantic relationship with a singer-songwriter named Bianca (Tessa Thompson), all the while training vigorously to become as good a fighter as his father before.
I feel obligated to start off writing about Creed’s remarkable cinematography, quite possibly the best in a sports film since Scorsese’s 1980 Raging Bull (which Creed pays homage too in one scene). The cinematography is subtly gorgeous and visually intense, working remarkably well to enhance already good scenes to new levels. There are three in-ring fights shown in Creed: the introduction fight to Donnie in Mexico, his first professional match with Rocky as his trainer, and the practically required final boxing match against his built-up rival. It’s the middle match that both impressed me the most, and established Creed wasn’t going to be an average sports film. From beginning to end, the scene is an amazing display of plot, character and cinematography coming together to create one hell of a lasting impression. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD:
The scene begins in Donnie’s waiting room, with the rookie fighter naturally very nervous about his first official match. The referee walks in to discuss the rules, and while it appears Donnie’s listening, the gradual zoom in and fading sound says otherwise. Suddenly Donnie demands Rocky take off his gloves (which have already been taped on for his match), frantically stating “I’m freaking out, I need to take a s#@t!” Donnie’s trainers cut off the tape, Rocky politely asks the ref to stall a few minutes, and Bianca leaves (in an understandably awkward way) while her boyfriend dashes to sit and do his business. Anyone who’s competed in a competitive sport before knows exactly how Donnie’s feeling: the overwhelming anxiety loosening your bowels—feeling if you don’t go remove such distracting waste the match will surely be lost (or worse, you’ll soil your pants). I’ve never seen such an incredibly relatable situation in a sports film before (particularly not from a Rocky film), most likely because it’s an embarrassing situation general audiences may not want to see. And yet the scene pays off immensely, making Donnie a more relatable boxer (at least for sport competitors), and the match more intensely engaging.
The fight itself is really, really impressive, done entirely in one very long take. A single camera zooming around capturing both the in-ring match and the outer-ring situation. While Donnie’s exchanging punches, the camera passes Rocky in the corner yelling advice, then to Bianca enthusiastically screaming motivation at the top of her lungs, then back to Donnie, face now slightly cut and bleeding (either the result of some practical effect or effective CGI). The camera captures the important shots while moving in a very fluent manner, never feeling shaky or nauseating. The scene successfully captures the chaotic franticness of fighter, trainer and spectator during a boxing match: the raw nerves, energy and pure adrenaline. There’s a wonderful little moment where an overjoyed Bianca pushes Donnie unintentionally hard after his victory, causing the boxer to stumble backwards as an energetic Bianca half-apologizes, half-giggles at her overzealous praise. I wonder whether the moment was intentional, or an accident caused by Thompson getting too in the moment (considering the scene’s single take and Thompson’s all too realistic reaction, my bet is on the latter)—either way, it’s a lovely addition that gives the scene an all the more realistic vibe. The scene concludes with an enthusiastic Donnie declaring the trio should go celebrate and “tear things up!” as the crowd cheers and the soundtrack blares with victory music; the scene then cuts to the trio sitting silently on Rocky’s couch, watching Skyfall on a small TV with Donnie passed out in the middle. The ending is icing on the cake for such an amazing scene, once again doing precisely what I’d expect from a realistic situation after an intensely tiring day.
While the middle match is the best example of Creed blending plot, character and cinematography effortlessly together, the entire film is chalk full of similar situations. The opening fight gives a subtle character mannerism showing Donnie taking off his gloves before his fallen opponent has been declared knocked out, while the final match has a moment where the crowd, noise and lighting fade away, leaving only the ring, Donnie and his opponent left to bout (allowing the audience to view from the two boxers’s intensely focused perspective). Another additional touch of introducing opposing boxers with statistic bars (each one getting more impressive as the film progresses) provides a great way to build upon tension for Donnie’s upcoming matches. In terms of plot, Creed effectively uses the lore of previous Rocky films without going into too much detail (i.e. the mention of Apollo being killed in the ring and Rocky failing to throw in the towel, yet the omissions of it being against a big, scary Russian with superhuman abilities and Apollo’s outlandish “Living in America” entrance)—a wise move that allows the film to retain continuity without bringing in the previous Rocky sequels’s silliness.
In terms of cast, Michael B. Jordan delivers effectively as Donnie, even if it’s not as emotionally satisfying as his performance in Fruitvale Station. Donnie is a contradictory character, trying to build his own boxing legacy while also accepting his genealogy as Apollo Creed’s son. Such clashing traits provide an inner conflict for Donnie—he gets mad when others refer to him as “Baby Creed”, yet is the one to initiate contact with Rocky, Apollo’s rival and close friend. Donnie wants to be like his father, yet doesn’t want to be well-known just for having Creed blood flow through him. By the film’s conclusion, Donnie’s character growth allows him to balance such conflicting ideals, shown symbolically with his boxing shorts displaying Johnson on the back and Creed on the front. Yet, while it’s Jordan who successfully stars in Creed, it’s Stallone who steals the show.
Creed gives us Sylvester Stallone’s finest performance in decades, possibly even his finest performance ever. Such praise seems quite fitting with Stallone playing his iconic character that rose him to fame nearly 40 years ago. Who knew Rocky could be such an effective secondary character, with his old school teaching methods, combined with his lack of knowledge towards modern day technology, giving the film its best scenes of lightheartedness and comedy. When Donnie rather persistently goes to Rocky for workout tips, Rocky caves and writes down an exercise routine, though he has trouble spelling shadow boxing:
Rocky: S H A D O…uhh
Donnie: W.
Rocky: W. Thanks.
Rather than take the paper, however, Donnie takes a picture with his phone, telling Rocky “it’s up in the Cloud.” The comment causes a puzzled Rocky to briefly ponder the statement, “Cloud?” before looking up at the sky, “What cloud?”
I would be insulting Stallone’s performance, however, by only writing about his effective comedy, as he is equally—though by far most surprisingly—as effective with Creed’s dramatic scenes. Rocky is far from his prime in Creed: he’s old now, actually old. Less ‘I can still box a heavyweight champion’, and more ‘I’m having trouble climbing up this gentle slope’. The once great boxer is now frail and alone: his trainer Mic died in III, his rival Apollo in IV, his wife Adrian in Balboa, and now his best friend/brother-in law Paulie in Creed. The only family left is Rocky’s son, who has moved away with his wife and—while calling from time to time—rarely interacts anymore. In one scene Rocky visits Adrian and Paulie’s graves for a casual discussion, reading a newspaper to them while sitting in a pre-positioned chair (which he’d placed in a small tree).
When Donnie comes to Philly, asking Rocky to be his trainer, a spark reignites within the former champ—seeing the passion he still has for boxing within the young man. Rocky trains Donnie hard, forming a close bond with the rookie, yet old age finally overcomes the Italian Stallion’s seeming invincibility. After suddenly collapsing and vomiting during training, Rocky is sent to the hospital where—in a beautifully melancholy scene (my only gripe being the music’s excessive sappiness)—he’s diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Stallone throughout the scene is effectively on-key and powerfully subtle--Rocky’s attitude being practically his usual collected, but with a noticeable undertone of somberness. Rocky politely declines chemotherapy, telling the doctor he’s seen the exhausting effects on his wife—which ended in a vain attempt at regressing the cancer—and that he’d rather not relive such process again. Donnie, however, refuses to let Rocky throw his chances away, striking a deal that he’ll only fight in the ring if Rocky fights for his life, “If I fight, you fight.”
In an incredibly touching development, the two boxers simultaneously assist with each other’s battle. Rocky becomes weak from the treatment, his hair deteriorating and body becoming feeble. Donnie tenderly cares for the sick man, carrying Rocky to the bathroom when he needs to throw up and staying by his side during chemo injections. During such, Rocky continues training Donnie for his upcoming match, giving him exercises to perform while in the hospital such as running up stairs and shadow boxing in the room. “Don’t hit the lady,” Rocky tells Donnie as a nurse comes in and jokingly pretends to box against him, “she’ll beat you up.” Never would I have expected Stallone and Jordan to be such a great duo in comedy, drama and poignancy—then again, never would I have expected present-day Stallone to be great in any of those three areas. I’m not sure if it’s thanks to Coogler’s directing, Stallone feeling motivated, or a mix of both that Stallone delivers such an impressive performance, but I do know the aging actor has, against all expectations, managed to once again wow viewers with his performance as Rocky Balboa. MAJOR SPOILERS END
