Creed (2015)

"Your legacy is more than a name"

Directed by Ryan Coogler
Produced by Irwin Winkler, Robert Chartoff, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Kevin King-Templeton, Sylvester Stallone
Screenplay by Ryan Coogler, Aaron Covington
Story by Ryan Coogler
Based on "Characters" by Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Anthony Bellew
Music by Ludwig Göransson
Cinematography: Maryse Alberti
Edited by Michael P. Shawver, Claudia Castello
Production company: New Line Cinema, Chartoff Winkler Production
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: 25 November 2015 (United States)
Running time: 133 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $35 million
Box office: $171 million

"Creed" is a sport drama film, directed by Ryan Coogler and written by Coogler and Aaron Covington. It's a spin-off and sequel to the "Rocky film" series which follows the former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa, who serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.

Cast

• Michael B. Jordan as Adonis "Donnie" Johnson Creed, "Hollywood Donnie"
• Alex Henderson as young Adonis Johnson
• Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, "The Italian Stallion"
• Tessa Thompson as Bianca
• Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed
• Tony Bellew as "Pretty" Ricky Conlan
• Graham McTavish as Tommy Holiday
• Wood Harris as Tony "Little Duke" Evers
• Andre Ward as Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler
• Gabriel Rosado as Leo "The Lion" Sporino
• Ritchie Coster as Pete Sporino
• Jacob "Stitch" Duran as himself
• Ricardo "Padman" McGill as himself
• Malik Bazille as Amir
• Derrick Webster as Kevin "The Bank" Grier
• Hans Marrero as Flores
• Mauricio Ovalle as Flores's trainer
• Tone Trump as himself
• Brian Anthony Wilson as James

Well well, well, first of all, I have to say that I'm not "Rocky" fan as I haven't seen the whole film series yet, however, after watching "Creed" I'm going to improve it. Why? "Creed" turned out so good even in spite of the fact that it's a quite typical sport film: firstly, all is okay, then the character fights with himself and his fears and after that everything is alright again. However, the picture is shot incredibly - with feelings and emotions, without odd pathos. As for the cast, all actors coped with their roles, especially Sylvester Stallone as a dramatic character.

Advantages

• Michael B. Jordan as Adonis "Donnie" Johnson Creed
• Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa
• Tessa Thompson as Bianca

Disadvantages

• Quite typical

"Strangenesses"

• Too simple?

Clue Moments

• A Los Angeles youth facility 
• A securities firm 
• Ivan Drago 
• Rocky Balboa 
• Bianca 
• "Hollywood Donnie" 
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 
• The fight 
• "Conlan won the fight, but Creed won the night." 
• "Rocky Steps" at the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Soundtracks

1. Future - Last Breath
2. Meek Mill - Check
3. White Dave - Intolerant
4. The Roots - The Fire (Feat. John Legend)
5. Tessa Thompson - Grip
6. Meek Mill - Lord Knows (Feat. Tory Lanez)
7. Konan feat. Krept - Don't Waste My Time
8. White Dave - Let You Know (Feat. Clif Soulo And Legendvry)
9. Tessa Thompson - Breathe
10. Harold Melvin feat. The Blue Notes - Wake Up Everybody
11. Nas - Bridging The Gap (Feat. Olu Dara)
12. Vince Staples feat. Jhene Aiko feat. Donald Glover feat. Ludwig Goransson - Waiting For My Moment
13. 2Pac - Hail Mary
14. White Dave - In The Kitchen (Feat. Young T And K.E.L.L.S.)
15. Moses Sumney feat. Tessa Thompson - Shed You
16. Joey Bada$$ - Curry Chicken
17. Eearz - Work Ya Muscle
18. Meek Mill feat. Jhene Aiko feat. Ludwig Goransson - Lord Knows / Fighting Stronger

Quotations

* * *

Rocky Balboa: Time takes everybody out; time's undefeated.

* * *

Rocky Balboa: [pointing toward Adonis' reflection in the mirror] That's the toughest opponent you're ever going to have to face.

* * *

Rocky Balboa: One step at a time. One punch at a time. One round at a time.

* * *

Rocky Balboa: [Creed takes cell phone photo of boxing drills and walks off] Hey don't you want this?
Adonis Johnson: [Holds out cell phone] It's on this.
Rocky Balboa: What if you lose it?
Adonis Johnson: It's already in the cloud.
Rocky Balboa: [Looks in sky confused] What cloud?

* * *

Adonis Johnson: I can train at your house.
Rocky Balboa: No I don't know nobody's been to my house in a long time you might be uncomfortable there.
Adonis Johnson: What, do you walk around naked?

* * *

Rocky Balboa: Women weaken legs.

* * *

Rocky Balboa: [Talking about Ricky's trash talking] Now were going to shut his big mouth aren't we?

* * *

Adonis Johnson: [after finding one of Paulie's old porno magazines] Alright Paulie!

* * *

Rocky Balboa: Apollo? Yeah, he was great. Perfect fighter. Ain't nobody ever better.
Adonis Johnson: So how did you beat him?
Rocky Balboa: Time beat him. Time, you know, takes everybody out. It's undefeated.

* * *

Adonis Johnson: We got one Rock!

* * *

Rocky Balboa: You can't learn anything when you're talking.
Rocky Balboa: That's a fact of life.
Rocky Balboa: As long as you're talking, you're not listening.

* * *

Dr. Kathari: Heard you fell down. Was that the first time you fallen?
Rocky Balboa: Without being punched.

* * *

Adonis Johnson: Don't! I have to prove it!
Rocky Balboa: Prove what?
Adonis Johnson: That I'm not a mistake!

* * *

Bianca: Hey Donnie, you moving?
Adonis Johnson: Yeah I'm going to be living with my uncle for a little bit.
[Referring to Rocky]
Bianca: That's your uncle? He's white!

* * *

Bianca: [to Adonis sarcastically] You didn't tell me your uncle was Rocky Balboa.

* * *

You may see the trailer here.

Plot: 7/10

Entertainment: 7/10

Acting: 7/10

Originality: 7/10

Music and Sound: 7/10

7/10