Read Mixed User Reviews for Creed

6

Rebecca31Jan 30, 2016

So if anyone cares, you can still see this movie in the cinema, starring Rocky and a bunch of other people whose names really don't matter. "Original", "exhilarating" and "breath-taking" are just some of the words being used to describe thisSo if anyone cares, you can still see this movie in the cinema, starring Rocky and a bunch of other people whose names really don't matter. "Original", "exhilarating" and "breath-taking" are just some of the words being used to describe this movie, they're not the words I'd use but who am I to judge. Nostalgia comes to mind once this movie starts and remains the entire time, it's a movie that doesn't really bring anything new to boxing movies, you'll get your training montages, emotional moments, and your epic slow motion knock-out punch that seems like each scene is simply ticking the box on the "how to guide to boxing movies." Original? No but entertaining popcorn movie? Yes. Recommended if there's nothing else to watch.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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6

foxgroveJan 15, 2016

A late offshoot from the popular ‘Rocky’ series of the seventies and eighties. It has some nice touches in both the writing and directing departments, but otherwise it’s pretty much the tried and trusted formula from the better examples ofA late offshoot from the popular ‘Rocky’ series of the seventies and eighties. It has some nice touches in both the writing and directing departments, but otherwise it’s pretty much the tried and trusted formula from the better examples of the series. If you are not a fan then the lack of originality and the seen it all before feel won’t convert you. The screenplay draws from the perfunctory elements as before- the no one becoming someone; the training; the obligatory girlfriend; the rousing music and the climatic fight. It’s all here folks and if you like this sort of thing, then it’s the sort of thing you’ll like. Performances are adequate for the demands of the material, but none are Oscar worthy so don’t believe the hype. The climatic fight sequence packs more than a few punches and truly gets the adrenaline racing helped no end by some brilliant editing.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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6

FuturedirectorApr 9, 2016

Creed continues the Rocky Bakboa's saga with technological instruments, "modern" story-telling and a grand new plot, that doesn't work completely with the originals. Anyway, it has the same thriller, action and love of the predesesors,Creed continues the Rocky Bakboa's saga with technological instruments, "modern" story-telling and a grand new plot, that doesn't work completely with the originals. Anyway, it has the same thriller, action and love of the predesesors, despite the many differences that shows and kills the main original idea.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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5

YorkManDec 2, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Oh dear....
After the brilliant Rocky Balboa offered a very tidy bookend to the Rocky film franchise the world really didn't need Stallone to dust off the character for (hopefully) one last outing (although this film does leave the story open ended, which just feels like another throwback 'beat' to the original Rocky movie).
Michael B. Jordan is introduced as Apollo Creed's illegitimate son Adonis "Donnie" Creed (who was born after his father died in the ring, in order to make him just about young enough to 'be' an up and coming fighter) who decides to leave his pretty decent life behind in California and head to Philadelphia as a way to find out who he really is.
Rocky is now effectively alone, the characters introduced in Rocky Balboa who offered some emotional context have apparently disappeared, and Paulie has died in the interim too. Rocky and Donnie form a bond after Rocky, who is immediately dismissive of getting back into the training game, has a pretty impressive change of heart and begins to get Donnie into better shape.
Donnie's love interest, Bianca is shoe-horned in after they meet because she lives in the apartment below, and plays music too loudly... Cue awkwardness that blossoms into love/hate/love as the plot requires.
Donnie is offered the chance to fight the undefeated, undisputed, light-heavyweight champ because of extraneous circumstances that for some reason make an unknown 'Creed' a better money making prospect that the number one contender... (Yes, that made no sense to me either!) Culminating in a beat by beat cover version of Rocky's first fight with Apollo (and, sadly, does set up a potential sequel).
Along the way we discover a little about Donnie's motivations, Rocky's difficulties with being alone, and the parallel 'internal' fights of both men as they battle to overcome their fears (of different things, for different reasons).
All in all it's just highly derivative and a completely unnecessary film. As mentioned, the finale of Rocky Balboa was the perfect ending to what was then a 30 year franchise. Now, coming up on 40 years since we first saw Rocky climb out of the ring after beating 'Spider', lighting a cigarette, and heading home... We're left with a bad aftertaste with the final mouthful, despite some great acting on Stallone's part, because seeing this film only reminded me just how fresh and exciting the original Rocky film (that Creed desperately attempts to emulate) actually was.

Immensely disappointing.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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6

AliceofXJan 19, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In a time of bad remakes and reboots Creed manages to go into a new direction without falling on its face. It's a fresh start that's a logical continuation of the Rocky series.

By far the shining gem of this film was Sylvester Stallone. He delivers an unexpectedly good performance. Just for that alone I would recommend this film. Besides that you see a heartwarming relationship develop between Rocky and Adonis.

Creed is a film with both drama and comedy, all equally proportioned. I liked it very much, however there were several flaws that kept me from loving it.

Film's quality dropped during the second half. Final fight is not impressive as there were no real stakes to it. The film would have almost been better without it by just focusing on the two main characters and their friendship. But I guess they felt a boxing movie needs a climactic fight to end with even though it doesn't really add anything to the story.

There is too much name dropping. Yes, we know, he's Apollo Creed's son, you don't have to repeat it every ten seconds. And it's a bit too self-aware and trying too much to be meta.

Overall Creed is a good film and I can easily see why some people will love it a lot more than me.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

FilmPhonicJan 19, 2016

Up-and-coming writer/director Ryan Coogler reunites with his ‘Fruitvale Station’ star Jordan in trying to craft a new legacy from an iconic existing legacy, which portrays the central “Adonis Creed” character fighting for a new legacy, forgedUp-and-coming writer/director Ryan Coogler reunites with his ‘Fruitvale Station’ star Jordan in trying to craft a new legacy from an iconic existing legacy, which portrays the central “Adonis Creed” character fighting for a new legacy, forged by but moving beyond his legendary dad’s legacy.

Needless to say “Legacy” is a central theme of this part coming-of-age, and part relationship drama about never giving up the fight and finding your own place in the world, wherever you come from.

Despite being based in a “Rocky Universe”, ‘Creed’ lacks the camp charm of the early Stallone films and is crafted as a gritty 21st century boxing drama with solid performances from Stallone & Jordan, coupled with a reasonably plausible if predictable narrative, much like the recent ‘Southpaw’.

And like Jake Gyllenhaal in that film, Michael B. Jordan shows true commitment to the role through an impressive physical transformation and the developing of solid Boxing skills that contribute to a convincing portrayal of a modern Light-Heavyweight boxer, not to mention the well choreographed fight sequences featuring real pro boxers that hold up impressively, until the wheels come off for the final fight.

So what builds as a reasonably captivating but restrained homage-paying Boxing drama, then turns into an all out throwback fest with an inevitable nostalgia-dripping final fight and ending.

Director Ryan Coogler just can’t help himself as the legitimate drama and boxing technique are thrown out of the window and we’re left with a ludicrous “phone-booth fight” slugfest that’s completely out of place with the rest of the film, and which builds to a cheesy and disappointingly predictable conclusion.

The Bottom Line…
We might agree with some of the early reviews that praise ‘Creed’ for getting the balance right between paying homage and building a new legacy, had we not seen the rather ludicrous but expected conclusion. ‘Creed’ punches above its weight in the early rounds but ultimately throws in the towel, in other words it’s is an interesting and entertaining enough drama which leaves a slightly sour taste in the mouth.

The simple fact that we have another film which can start a discussion about getting the balance right between the old and new, shows the current insatiable industry appetite for the Nostalgia dollar, and illuminates a drying-up of fresh ideas coupled with an aversion to risk-taking in Hollywood.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

moviescriticnetJan 19, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The 7th (and hopefully last) movie of the Rocky franchise seems to be considered the best after the original by the critics but don't believe the hype cause it's merely disappointing.
The movie on the surface tries to go to a different direction exploiting all underground stereotypes. The hero is a young black that listens to hip hop. Rocky has retired and manages his wife's Italian restaurant. The biker gangs of Philadelphia support them. The young fellow is in war with his last name, Creed, and what that represents. The easily foreseen screenplay includes amped-up training sequences and climates to a title fight with an absurd number of punches landed in every round. Stallone's character suffers from (spoiler alert) cancer and there you have a golden globe for him as well an Oscar nomination (wtf?) for best performance in a supporting role. Stallone getting an Oscar sounds like the academy is trolling us. The movie is extremely overrated (8.0 in imdb, 94% in rotten tomatoes) but even for a Rocky fan (as I am) it's extremely predictable and completely lacks emotion.

Grade: C- (D if you are not a Rocky fan)… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

AxeTNov 28, 2015

Like the new Bond, though okay overall and fairly well made, unfortunately this spinoff is tired formula. Though it has some nice touches story wise that play authentic and the developments are about as much as can be expected at this stage,Like the new Bond, though okay overall and fairly well made, unfortunately this spinoff is tired formula. Though it has some nice touches story wise that play authentic and the developments are about as much as can be expected at this stage, the big problem is the lead actor/character has no personality. He's boring! What made "Rocky" the standout it was is the original one of a kind character that Sly created from what could have been a cliché. For that matter Carl Weathers/Apollo had ten times the personality his on screen son has here. And there is no new theme music to drive it as the original very famously had and Stallone wisely regularly updated throughout the series with hipper newer music. What an unbelievable oversight or just plain stupid choice. Even a new rap song could have sufficed, but instead the inexperienced director stays down for the count. You know there is a problem when you couldn't care less who wins the big fight. You have to give Sylvester credit for making each installment fresh and invigorating all the way through 6 movies. That's a bigger feat than most actor/auteurs take credit for for doing far less. Sadly, it's missing here showing his touch beyond acting is that special when it comes to this series.
How the other bouts match up in my ring: "Rocky" 10 "Rocky II" 9 "Rocky III" 9 "Rocky IV" 7 "Rocky V" 8 "Rocky Balboa" 10.… Expand

1 of 9 users found this helpful18

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6

MoviebuffreviewDec 29, 2015

Creed certainly has things going for it: the performances are mostly solid (though I don't think Stallone is Oscar worthy in this by any means), the cinematography is excellent, and the overall concept of the story is excellent. However,Creed certainly has things going for it: the performances are mostly solid (though I don't think Stallone is Oscar worthy in this by any means), the cinematography is excellent, and the overall concept of the story is excellent. However, Creed really suffers from its execution. And no, I am not going to criticize this movie for sharing similar elements to the original Rocky. That isn't the problem for me.

The problem lies in the fact that Creed's script feels filled with unfocused themes, unexplored plot lines, and new characters that aren't all that interesting. The movie seems to know what its main theme is by the end, but it seems so unsure of itself throughout the majority of its runtime that I found myself just not caring that much by the end. And ultimately, the movie didn't focus on the characters enough for me to really care. As a result, Creed left me incredibly disappointed.

It's by no means terrible, and there is certainly enjoyment to be had. But a great movie, Creed certainly is not.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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5

Brent_MarchantJan 21, 2016

Despite underappreciated performances by Michael B. Jordan and Phylicia Rashad and fine fight scene cinematography, these elements aren't enough to save this overlong, excessively padded exercise in trite predictability. The film offersDespite underappreciated performances by Michael B. Jordan and Phylicia Rashad and fine fight scene cinematography, these elements aren't enough to save this overlong, excessively padded exercise in trite predictability. The film offers precious little fresh material to this long-running franchise, ultimately falling back on the familiar to carry the picture. Its badly written script and dreadful performance by Tessa Thompson as the protagonist's love interest weigh the movie down even further. And, even though this offering incorporates some of the best work Sylvester Stallone has done in years, his portrayal is basically more of the same and falls far short of the numerous accolades being undeservedly heaped on it. Die-hard fans of the series will undoubtedly enjoy this release, but casual viewers who've seen other installments in the "Rocky" mythology are likely to come away unimpressed.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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5

TyranianApr 13, 2019

This felt really meh to me with fine acting and good boxing but a stupidly predictable and boring story. Creed is no Rocky.

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5

KolbzillaMar 14, 2016

Being a longtime Rocky fan I was eagerly waiting to see this film. I thought the spin off approach was a good way to get back into the Rocky universe without having to see Sylvester Stallone trod through another fight as the titular Balboa,Being a longtime Rocky fan I was eagerly waiting to see this film. I thought the spin off approach was a good way to get back into the Rocky universe without having to see Sylvester Stallone trod through another fight as the titular Balboa, however the nostalgia cannot carry one through this long, slow and dare I say "boring" film.

The acting from all involved is not great, not bad. The performance from Michael B. Jordan was solid as you could see his transformation into a somewhat believable boxer, but the slow pace of the movie and *SPOILER* the slow final fight, could not retain my attention.

When the movie did start hitting its stride, it would immediately cut away to another slow, exposition filled scene that didn't really move the film forward. Disappointing to say the least, taking the audience out of any momentum they had gathered. All in all, an OK movie worth watching if you are a Rocky fan, but don't expect the type of emotion and entertainment of its predecessors.… Expand

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5

BroyaxApr 22, 2018

Papy Sylvestre ne veut décidément pas lâcher l'affaire et remonte sur le ring, toujours en tant qu'entrâineur certes mais tout de même... mais que voulez-vous, un vieux faut bien que ça mange ! Même si ce n'est pas lui qui a réalisé, on sentPapy Sylvestre ne veut décidément pas lâcher l'affaire et remonte sur le ring, toujours en tant qu'entrâineur certes mais tout de même... mais que voulez-vous, un vieux faut bien que ça mange ! Même si ce n'est pas lui qui a réalisé, on sent bien sa grosse patte en coulisses sur la mise en scène en tout cas : c'est propre, classique, bien fait en somme.

Le scénario quant à lui n'est pas hélas au mieux de sa forme. On est allé chercher, inventer un rejeton à Apollo Creed... qui s'appelle Adonis... ben dis donc, ça va les chevilles ? un cas social, un fils abandonné mais une maman pleine de fric, oui tout ça en même temps. Même qu'il boxe au Mexique le petit Creed, carrément ! et s'en va trouver Papy Rocky parce que Papy il connaît la musique !

Ce personnage bancal est aggravé par l'acteur qui l'incarne, des plus médiocres à l'écran, des plus plats, d'une épaisseur inversement proportionnelle à la fonte qu'il soulève. C'est dire s'il est balèze... On lui a trouvé aussi une copine impromptue, chanteuse à la petite semaine en instance de surdité...

Oui, il faut vous dire que ce Rocky 7 envoit pas mal côté guimauve, tous azimuts ou presque... et encore je ne vous déballe pas tout, loin de là. Tout cela est donc excessif et nettement exagéré, un peu comme la bouffe chez les Amerloques en fait.

Dommage, car Stallone joue toujours le vieux boxeur avec sincérité, il sait toujours le rendre aussi attachant. Et si le film recycle les séquences d'entraînement, de progression et de combat (aucune surprise à cet égard) qu'on a maintes fois vues auparavant, il le fait encore avec une efficacité certaine.

Mais le psychodrame souvent outré commence à fatiguer et si on apprécie la baston, on se lasse de ce qu'il y a autour, car Rocky 7 repioche un peu trop dans les précédents films sans en restituer les impacts d'origine. Il est temps de tourner la page, champion !… Expand

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5

MelHowellMar 10, 2017

If you've seen Rocky before, nothing will surprise you here. What really disappointed me was the CGI fights, the hits were obviously fake. That was one of the things I enjoyed about the original Rocky movies is that they were actuallyIf you've seen Rocky before, nothing will surprise you here. What really disappointed me was the CGI fights, the hits were obviously fake. That was one of the things I enjoyed about the original Rocky movies is that they were actually hitting each other, maybe not as hard as real fighters, but they were real hits. This movie was just done with CGI, guess the pretty boys didn't want to hurt their face. lol… Expand

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6

amheretojudgeFeb 14, 2018

time takes everybody out..

Creed The choreography has definitely improved and the space and time has increased to allow the actors and the characters to sink in just to relive everything once more; the ring, the press conference, thetime takes everybody out..

Creed The choreography has definitely improved and the space and time has increased to allow the actors and the characters to sink in just to relive everything once more; the ring, the press conference, the training and even the chickens. Creed is executed like never any other Rocky franchise before but the material seems to be offered earlier too leading disappointment in the audience who came for the advanced version of it. Ryan Coogler's depiction of the Rocky through his eyes is interesting enough but his vision seemed too blurry or distracted to get a closer look at it. Sylvester Stallone after having played the same role seven times still breathes and looks out for the same old Rocky that we encountered in '76. Creed breaks out thin ice and walks boldly on new surface only to find out that it too was thin ice all along but having said that it never is dull to enter in that same old ring.… Expand

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6

LORDtroldemort1Aug 4, 2019

This film has some really great moments here and there, but the film in general needs more enthusiasm.

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6

liamexeMar 11, 2023

I want to begin by praising Sylvester Stallone for his portrayal of Rocky. In my opinion, he was the movie's standout performance. In spite of this, I felt that the entire movie was a bit sluggish and lacked many fresh concepts. Adonis wasI want to begin by praising Sylvester Stallone for his portrayal of Rocky. In my opinion, he was the movie's standout performance. In spite of this, I felt that the entire movie was a bit sluggish and lacked many fresh concepts. Adonis was essentially rocky, and Rocky practically plays Mickey. I doubt it was a nice addition to the heritage and, by the way, I was a great fan of the previous four. I wonder whether the money invested in it was truly worth it. To be honest, this movie accomplished one thing better: the boxing itself was better. It seemed much more plausible.… Expand

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