This latest film in the current cycle of sly if thinly-veiled reboots/remakes works extremely well. Writer/director Coogler's take on the earlier and more successful Rocky films is a smart side-step to the franchise that plays out its many and effective references to the past strongly yet also pushes forward and provides a more modern-feeling movie. Wisely eschewing the series' bombast and melodrama for the most part, this is a more grounded and honest film that enables the actors to convey credible characters and relationships. Michael B Jordan - one of the more intelligent current young screen performers - is excellent, and Stallone pleases with an enormously considered, wistful and charming performance, one of his career best. To the film's credit, the two significant female characters are also given material with which to impress, with quality work from Tessa Thompson as Creed's love interest and Phylicia Rashad as his estranged mother. The two main bouts work well: the first big match is conveyed with a bravura unbroken shot, and the tense and powerful finale bout actually drew a collective gasp from the cinema audience at a certain point. Coogler is to be commended for his clever development of the material both in writing (the developing relationships between Creed/Rocky and Creed/Bianca are very well handled) and effective directing which makes Creed a surprisingly fresh and entertaining take on familiar material.
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