Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Creed’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

‘One step at a time. One punch at a time. One round at a time.’
- Rocky Balboa

When we often think about, or talk about our legacy, we instantly worry about how others will view us when we are gone, and we ask ourselves plenty of questions regarding whether or not we have done enough to be remembered by others in this life before we pass on to whatever awaits in the great beyond.

Yet, we often forget that while our legacy and what we leave behind is indeed important in life, we need the experiences that go along with all of that to provide us with an incredible sense of satisfaction, the kind of feeling that leaves us whole and also reaffirms that we matter in this world and when it comes to the latest entry in the Rocky film franchise, Creed, that search for personal meaning takes the center stage for both Rocky Balboa, and a young man desperate to show the world that he is something special.

The film introduces us to Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed and well, suffice it to say Adonis is lost in this world. He knows he is the product of infidelity and despite the fact that he is well educated, employed at a good job, years after being taken in by Apollo's wife Mary Anne, Adonis is desperate for more in life. He's always had talent as a fighter and he wants to be as great as his father, but no one takes him seriously. It leads him to leave his life behind, quit his job and move to Philadelphia to find the only other man he can consider family... Rocky Balboa, who he hopes will train him and make him as great of a fighter as his father.  

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​So, when I heard another movie was coming to this storied franchise, that didn't revolve around Rocky, I raised an eyebrow. Not because I expected a bad product, far from it, of the now seven films in the franchise really only one hasn't been up to snuff. No instead, I was curious how the heck they were going to pull it off and moving to a new generation of fighter from Creed's bloodline was a stroke of genius and everything in this film works from beginning to end. Michael B. Jordan is simply phenomenal as Adonis, a man who you instantly understand feels lost in life and feels that he has something to prove and his journey in this film is extremely satisfying and powerful to say the least.

In fact I'd be lying if I told you I made it through this whole motion picture with perfectly dry eyes because there are some amazingly emotional moments in this film, many of them between Jordan and Sylvester Stallone who takes Rocky into a new stage in his story in unexpected fashion. This iteration of Rocky is well...timid and lost and settling into what he believes is the final stages of his life without Paulie, Adrian and his son by his side and it's downright tragic to see him in a place where he isn't constantly fighting and trying to do something special in his life. It makes what Adonis stands for all the more special, for in the process of trying to be something more in this world, he brings out the best in Rocky at the same time.

In the end, we are left with a wonderful entry in the franchise, one that clearly sets up a whole new series with a whole new man and in addition to the incredible story of Adonis Creed, we are also treated to a few technical marvels on film thanks to director Ryan Coogler who has managed to reinvent how boxing is portrayed on film. But perhaps what I loved about Creed the most, was the fascinating contrast between the lead characters in this series. While Rocky was a lovable loser who we could instantly relate to due to his strife, Adonis' journey is so vastly different. While he is a good man, at first glance all we see is his anger but we quickly find ourselves rooting for him as he faces great odds and the shadow of his father to get what he wants in this life and it serves as a fine reminder that while our paths may be different in this life, we all share in the desire and the drive to stand out in this world and find a way to live our dreams. 

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