Checked out Creed, the new Rocky sequel/reboot starring Michael B. Jordan as Apollo Creed’s son and Stallone as, well, Rocky Balboa. Adonis Creed (hah) wants to prove something to himself and hiss dead dad by becoming a boxer and he wants Rocky to train him. Rocky is, of course, old and broken down and most of the people in his life are dead or moved on so this becomes a father/son type movie.

Jordan is a good actor and he’s fine here but his character has a slight flaw in that there’s nothing hungry about him. He’s not fighting for a better life but to prove something to himself and his dad which is a fine motivation…. I just don’t think they did a great job of really showing how living under the name Creed has really hurt him and his own identity. It’s there, but not as deep as it needed to be. Which means, sure, I want him to win because the protagonist… but that’s about it.

What surprised me most is that Stallone is not playing Rocky as a cameo in a passing-of-the-guard story. Instead, he’s a legit co-star and his story is far more interesting than Jordan’s character (though that’s partially because he can lean on a certain level of nostalgia… but he pulls off a great performance in a character he’s been playing most of his life).

The boxing… the first professional bout Jordan fights is done in what looks like one take and it’s pretty amazing film making. The final fight isn’t as compelling because Jordan’s opponent is only so-so as far as villains go… it’s really meant to show if Jordan can go the distance in what’s really his second professional bout. It reminds me of the first Rocky… which is completely intentional.

Now, I don’t have the affinity for the Rocky series some have but this movie is legitimately trying to find the spirit of the first movie without the bombast and cartoonishness of later movies (not counting Rocky Balboa). Which is kind of funny because references to Apollo Creed and how he died in the ring are all over this very somber and serious movie. Apollo Creed died by being hit by the Soviet Union and then Rocky has to win the Cold War by punching Ivan Drago so hard Communism breaks. That’s pretty silly and i’d have loved just one moment in this movie where someone acknowledges that. But, alas, no. This movie is not Rocky 4 (but that’s for the best).

So this is a good movie with great acting and a solid return to form from Stallone who could probably have just phoned it in. Michael B. Jordan is a great actor playing, in my estimation, a not-as-well written character. The boxing scenes (especially that first one) are very solid, the movie looks great, and it has a good feel for father/son type relationships. I enjoyed it.

Score: 87