Creed

I don’t care what you call it, this movie is Rocky 7.

Michael B. Jordan stars as Adonis – the previously unknown illegitimate child of superstar boxer Apollo Creed (don’t try to do the math to figure out if this is plausible, it will only hurt your head and thrust you into reality). Adonis was raised by his mother, but she passed away, and he spent his life in orphanages until embraced by Apollo’s widow, Mary Anne (Phylicia “I need to work again now that my Cosby Show syndication money has dried up” Rashad).

Adonis, better known as Donnie Johnson, secretly lives to fight, so he has been picking up matches in Mexico. Feeling the undeniable urge to be a great boxer just like his father, even though he has a good job and privileged life, he sets off to Philadelphia to seek out the best trainer he can think of, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone).

Does Donnie have what it takes to become a champion?

Creed fits very snugly into the Rocky formula as we watch the underdog overcoming the odds, a worldly wise mentor handing out sage advice, plenty of training montages and THE BIG FIGHT! Writer/director Ryan Coogler and co-writer Aaron Covington even toss in a love story for those who felt Adrian was the compelling force in all of the Rocky movies. With so many similarities and allusions to the other Rocky movies, the only thing missing in Creed is an appearance by Hulk Hogan or Mr. T.

However, Creed doesn’t have the earnestness of Rocky or Rocky II or Rocky III or Rocky IV. While passable, everything in Creed feels calculated to exploit your nostalgia for those movies and the Rocky character. What’s truly unique about Donnie? Why is this story so compelling? I am still trying to figure that out.

You can’t blame Stallone and Jordan. The two share a nice chemistry together as we see the bond growing between Rocky and his young protégé. Sadly, Jordan proves time and again in Creed that he is too good for this movie. No matter how tired the plot twist or predictable the next scene, Jordan has a fire and intensity that almost overcomes it.

If you are a huge Rocky fan, you have seen worse movies in the series than this one.

We Are Your Friends is rated R for language throughout, drug use, sexual content and some nudity.