I’m a huge fan of the Rocky films, silly villains aside, the story of a simple guy trying to take all the hits that life gives and still get up just speaks to me. So, when I first heard about Creed I had my doubts, after all Apollo Creed was kind of a jerk. However, after hearing that writer/director Ryan Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan would be teaming up again I became extremely excited. Their first collaboration, Fruitvale Station, was a beautiful film that stuck with me for quite a while. After finally seeing Creed, I can honestly say that it is right up there with the first Rocky film and is probably tied with Rocky Balboa (the sixth film in the series) for second place.

Creed is the story of a man named Adonis who is a gifted fighter, not just because his daddy Apollo Creed was one of the greatest boxers in history, but because he worked his butt off.  The film itself hits all the right notes that the original did, there is plenty of focus on life, hardships, relationships, and self-realization. A standout performance for me is Tessa Thompson, who is not only very hot, but also keeps proving she is leading actress material (check out Dear White People if you don’t believe me). Sylvester Stallone had me tearing up at times, he shows that the hardest battles are always outside the ring. Thinking about how he lost his own son and still managed to get back up on his feet is a testament to the kind of strength I wish I had.  On the more technical side of things, Coogler continues to use his signature visceral directing style especially during the fight scenes.

I can’t wait to see Coogler and Jordan’s next film, Wrong Answer, as these two seem to make magic. I consider Creed the feel good film of 2015, which is saying something because 2015 was filled with feel good films. As a side note, Coogler got the city of Philly down packed, from the moment Adonis enters the city accompanied by a song from the greatest hip-hop group of all time The Legendary Roots, I could tell that this film was special.  All in all, I can’t think of a single person I wouldn’t recommend this film to and it more than deserves all the accolades it has received.

My Rating: Full Price