Creed – Blu-Ray Movie Review

Apollo Creed’s illegitimate son Adonis is left to grow up in foster homes and juvenile detention centers. When Apollo’s widow Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) finds him, she offers him a home and raises him to adulthood. He starts climbing the corporate ladder but in his heart he is a fighter and he thirsts to prove himself in the ring. He quits his job and moves to Philadelphia hoping to train with retired champ Rocky Balboa. After a lot of convincing, Rocky trains him for an exhibition fight with a local star. After he becomes known, his true identity is revealed and an English promoter sets up a fight between him and bad-boy champion ‘Pretty’ Ricky Conlan. With the world watching, Creed steps into the ring for a fight that will either launch or destroy his career.

In this, the age of the Hollywood reboot, there is no reason why a successful franchise like Rocky shouldn’t be revisited. Despite its formulaic plot, it seems that moviegoers never tire of the underdog story and this is one of the classics. I was prepared to be bored by Creed but thanks to a terrific script, superlative acting and masterful direction, I was thoroughly entertained. Despite recycling much of the original’s storyline, the movie feels fresh and well-paced. Director Ryan Coogler focuses on the chemistry between characters and makes boxing the backdrop; only bringing it to the fore when absolutely necessary. Performances by Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone are sublime. And special kudos to Tessa Thompson who plays Creed’s love interest.

The style here is almost reality-like and many scenes have an un-scripted feel. The actors interact just the way you think they would if they just sat around talking and living their daily lives. There is no sensationalism until they step into the ring. There Hollywood takes over as the fighters engage in beautifully choreographed battles that will get your heart racing.

Creed is an excellent package of drama, character study and emotion seasoned with just a bit of humor. It exceeded my expectations and I would watch it again. Stallone was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar and deservedly so. He may not be mentioned in the same breath as Olivier but he has plenty of acting chops and can carry any scene without trouble. I’ll be adding this Blu-ray to my library and I think you should too.

The image almost achieves reference quality but a few scenes, mainly the ones shot outdoors, are a bit hazy and lacking in depth. Interiors are much cleaner with great contrast and bold colors. The real visual feast is saved for the final boxing match where things like boxer’s trunks and gloves (and blood) literally pop from the screen.

Audio is pretty much the same. The movie is dialog-driven and voices are handled with refinement and care. I missed ambient cues from the surround channels that would have made the experience more immersive. That isn’t true of the match sequences however. Crowd noise happens all around you and broadens the soundstage significantly. There are also a few songs that will test the lower limits of your subwoofer. Mine literally shook the windows in my theater even though they’re covered by thick curtains!

Bonus features total about 40 minutes and include a series of interviews with Stallone, Jordan, Coogler and others; a five-minute short on Jordan’s one year training regimen that transformed him into a boxer and about 20 minutes of deleted scenes.