Creed is rock solid. It doesn’t wish to reinvent the wheel, but rather, grease the ones that have been riding the track for years. Michael B. Jordan was thoroughly engaging in an extremely physical performance; I’ve liked him since Friday Night Lights and he showed in both Chronicle and Fruitvale Station that he’s got major screen presence. He more than holds his own with Sylvester Stallone, who drops a poignant bomb all over this movie, especially in the second half – you’d have to sort of have no heart not to be choked up or emotionally affected, even if your Rocky knowledge is cursory at best. The fight sequences are vigorously and creatively shot by the incredible French cinematographer Maryse Alberti (The Wrestler, Black Swan) who gave each bout its own distinct rhythm and personality, with lots of long stedicam shots and frequent use of medium and wide shots, thus showing the boxing matches in all their sweaty glory. In yet another ridiculously competitive year for cinematography choices, she made a strong case for a nomination, which regrettably didn’t happen. Ludwig Göransson’s musical score is appropriately triumphant, leaning on the old school flavor of Bill Conti’s rich and bold original theme, while still injecting its own distinct personality, and the ending is satisfying and pleasantly surprising, never going over the top or feeling forced. It’s a very good movie, extremely well told, and a fitting extension of one of the more storied franchises that Hollywood has created. Jordan probably should have gotten an Oscar nomination, as stepping into such an iconic series couldn’t have been easy, and as you watch him practically carry the entire film on his absurdly chieseled shoulders, you begin to wonder what the future has in store for him as an actor. The film makes excellent use of its hardscrabble Philadelphia locations, and the backstory that co-screenwriter/director Ryan Coogler cooked up for the offspring of Apollo Creed felt believable and just organic enough. Shrewdly packaged and very entertaining, Creed feels like it could be the start of a new series of films, or a sly farewell to one of cinema’s most popular series of movies.
Podcasting Them Softly 