SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: CREED (2015)

I'm not sure when I was introduced to the ROCKY franchise but I do know I was quite young. It was ROCKY IV and the film was making its television debut and my parents recorded the broadcast on VHS for me (wow, that dates me a little bit, doesn't it?). From the opening recap of Rocky III with "Eye of the Tiger" playing over it, multiple training montages set to energizing 80's music, and one helluva final fight sequence to the end I was hooked. For a kid of four or five years old Rocky IV was the perfect film in the franchise to be introduced to.

It has taken me quite a while but I have finally seen the new film CREED, the seventh entry in the Rocky franchise and the most critically acclaimed Rocky film since the original. The film has garnered Academy Award recognition too and landing Sylvester Stallone a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Financially the film is performing remarkably at the box office for a film of its kind. Needless to say everyone is heaping all sorts of praise and adulation upon the film. Is all the hoopla well founded? Yes. Yes it is. I loved this movie.

THE PLOT (spoiler alert)

Apollo Creed had an affair before he died in the ring fighting Russian boxer Ivan Drago. An illegitimate child was conceived and born after his death. The bastard child, named Adonis after his father, was shuffled around from group home to group home growing up. The child was prone to fighting and as a result had a troubled childhood until Apollo's widow found him and took him in. Upon seeing him fight with the other boys, there was no doubt in Mary Anne Creed's mind that this was a child of Apollo's.

Now Adonis is a full grown man in his twenties trying to find his place in the world. His heart is telling him he's a fighter, just like the father he never knew. Living in California though, he finds no support and no one willing to train him. He flies to Philadelphia to meet the one man who perhaps knew his father best as a fighter: Rocky Balboa. With a fair amount of persistence Adonis convinces Rocky to agree to train him. Word of Rocky Balboa training the son of Apollo Creed spreads fast and soon Adonis is given a once in a lifetime shot at the title.

THE GOOD

The Legacy. Despite being the seventh film in the franchise this movie acknowledges all the films in the series. Many franchises nowadays have been rebooted or restarted by the seventh film. Here not only do we see this film following directly after the events of the sixth film but also referencing and remarking on all the others. By embracing the films before it rather than ignoring them one feels gratified by having kept up with the series. It's a great feeling as an audience member when a character says one line and a flood of memories follow after it. Sometimes though a story-line in a franchise can become convoluted and hard to follow. After seven films this is unavoidable. Director Ryan Coogler handles it tactfully and respectfully.

The Acting. If there was ever any doubt about Sylvester Stallone's skills as an actor they are put to rest here. Stallone brings an incredible amount of emotion and authenticity to his performance. He had intended Rocky Balboa (the sixth film) to be Rocky's last stand, giving it his all. In Creed he shows new depths to the character and part of the character's life us fans never thought we'd see: his death. Rocky isn't a spring chicken anymore. Adrien died of cancer between films V & VI. Now Rocky has cancer. Relax, he survives. But, as a close friend and I were discussing, if the series continues to an eighth film we may well see a beloved hero and film icon die on screen. Honestly, I don't know if I could handle that.

THE BAD

Obvious Parallels. The film ultimately gives us another "once in a lifetime title shot" for our hero. Apparently it's a "three in a lifetime title shot" being as how this is what the first and sixth films have done. And, for a third time, our hero takes the champ to the distance and loses by split decision. This is the climax of the film. Other than that, the movie is its own. Rocky's character moves down a completely original path and the relationship forged between Rocky and Adonis is unique to what we've seen in the past Rocky films. Despite ending similarly the film feels like it's paying homage rather than being uninspired and feeling like bad writing. Ending the same way doesn't feel disappointing at all. So I guess this wasn't that bad at all.

THE VERDICT

After six films the seventh movie manages to feel fresh and revitalizing. Everyone making this film must've tried hard, giving it their best, and it shows on screen. You feel glad you watched the previous films and even want to go back and watch the others (even Rocky V which I feel is unjustly vilified). This film continues to build upon the story and respects the films that came before it. If the sixth film was made to give Rocky a positive final send off for audiences, Creed is that film for Apollo. If anyone felt that what happened to Apollo in Rocky IV left some unresolved issues and wasn't the appropriate send off for the character, this film strives to resolve those problems and succeeds.

Interesting to note, in 2015 both the Rocky franchise and the Star Wars franchise received their seventh installments. Also there has been at least one Rocky film and one Star Wars film released in every decade since the 1970's. Star Wars is definitely the box office champion of the two franchises, every film having grossed over $300 million domestically save Empire Strikes Back (which if it were adjusted for inflation would be well over $300 million). But which franchise has maintained it's integrity and faithfulness to both the fans and the story? I'll leave you to ponder that question.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10

Great! Everyone needs to experience this! The new standard.