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It’s been a big week in the boxing world. For the first time in nine years, there’s finally a new heavyweight champion of the world as my local lad Tyson Fury defeated Wladimir Klitschko in Germany to secure a handful of the 400-plus versions of the crown.
And, just days earlier, the most famous fictional heavyweight champion of all time returned to our screens for his seventh outing.
This time, though, if it wasn’t obvious from the film’s title, things are a little different. Rocky Balboa (Stallone) has taken over from good ol’ Mickey Goldmill as the master, training his new apprentice Adonis Creed (Jordan) as he prepares to fight for the world light heavyweight title.
Yep, it turns out that Apollo Creed, last seen literally being punched to death by Dolph Lundgren during the height of the Cold War, has a secret son that coincidentally inherited his father’s boxing genes.
Even in this franchise famous for stretches of the imagination and logic, the idea of the Italian Stallion climbing back into the ring with aid of a zimmer frame would be ridiculous. Having him as the wise, experienced trainer who was once on the same road as his youthful, brash protégé is a nice change of angle and considerably freshens up a series that started out 40 years ago with some knockout performances but has unfortunately had some, err, rocky iterations more recently.
The rags-to-riches story is familiar to anyone who has seen the Rocky films before (which is probably everyone) and practically any other sports drama movie since that used the formula as inspiration.
Adonis has spent his youth bouncing between foster homes and juvenile detention centres without a purpose, and it’s not until Apollo’s widow tracks him down and puts him on the right path that he realises he wants to fulfil his potential and seeks out Rocky.
The narrative might not break the mould, but there’s a reason the mould exists in the first place and has remained strong for so long. It just works, especially in the hands of rookie director Ryan Coogler whose enthusiasm and lust for empathy heightens the drama throughout.
Stallone’s decision to finally hand over directorial duties is inspired, not just for giving a newcomer a shot at a major spectacle which ironically mirrors the subject matter itself, but because he can solely focus on his own acting and performance.
Let’s be frank, Stallone has always looked the part, but as for sounding it … not so much. His shift to the other side of the camera is rewarded with his strongest performance in decades, and the scenes between Rocky and Adonis are some of the highlights of the movie as they size each other up just like a pre-fight weigh-in and each try and find a way to help the other overcome their struggles.
Of course, this is still a boxing movie at heart and it would be a major disaster if the in-ring action wasn’t up to scratch. Luckily there’s no need to worry as the fighters slug it out with blood, sweat and tears being spilt onto the canvas in equal measure and shots land with a ferocity that looks entirely real.
The first of the movie’s two fights in particular is an outstanding spectacle as the camera swirls around the two combatants in a single take, almost as if the audience is the referee with a first-hand view of the fight. In fact, it’s so good that it leads to the movie’s biggest negative, which is that the finale feels lacklustre as the climactic duel for the championship just doesn’t match up to what has gone before.
Ultimately, Creed is a huge success. It manages to forge its own identity despite its intimidating parentage. The series staples are still here in the form of flashbacks, the perils of boxing, anachronistic music from the older films and, of course, what we all came to see … training montages! But, the confidence the film displays in its title (it doesn’t feel the need to style itself as Rocky VII: Creed or something similar) shines through the film itself via standout performances and energetic camerawork to deliver a stunning knockout blow.
As one champion stands down after a long reign at the top, one former icon returns to reclaim its crown after years in the wilderness.
-Showing Cineco, Seef II, Saar, Al Jazira, Novo Cinemas, Dana Cineplex
Rating: 5/5
