Creed (2015)

"Creed" stars Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, and Phylicia Rashad. Released on November 25, 2015, the film is about the son of Apollo Creed who heads to Philadelphia to have Rocky Balboa train him.

The film is directed by Ryan Coogler, who also directed Fruitvale Station, and serves as both a spin-off from the Rocky franchise and a sequel to the 2006 film, Rocky Balboa. I'm familiar with the franchise that launched Stallone to stardom for quite some time, but I've only seen bits and pieces of the films. When I heard that they were making a spin-off to the franchise and that Stallone was reprising his role as the iconic character, I was surprisingly curious on how it would work out. This is the second film that Coogler and Jordan worked on together after 2013's Fruitvale Station, but were they able to prevent this film from sequel-itis?

Pros:
Great performances throughout. Jordan was a crowd-pleaser as Adonis Creed while Stallone delivered his A-game as Rocky.

Good chemistry between Jordan and Stallone.

Solid screenplay and direction.

The cinematography and the boxing scenes were the big highlights of the film.

Consistent pacing.

Cons:
Formulaic storyline.

Not as deep as I thought it would be.
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Final thoughts: With some smart performances, a solid screenplay, and some riveting boxing scenes, "Creed" is a knockout from start to finish. It may not have a deeper storyline, but it is a solid addition to the Rocky franchise that will satisfy both old and new fans alike.

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B+