Creed may be the best Rocky movie in the series

Now here me out; I have watched all of the Rocky movies at least three times each, and until now my favorite was a toss-up between Rocky IV and Rocky (a conversation that can be saved for another thread.) But I recently rewatched Creed for the first time since seeing it in theaters a year ago and just thought, "Damn, this is really good." Over the next couple weeks I went on a Rocky binge and rewatched them all (except V, because I'm sorry that movie doesn't deserve to be counted as part of the series), and ended by watching Creed again.

Story-wise, Creed is able to incorporate some of the best parts of the entire Rocky series. It starts with a boxer mid-career (Rocky fighting those basement matches, Donnie those underground Mexico fights) who teams up with an old grizzled trainer who doesn't know if this fighter can actually live up to his potential. The climactic final fight is far more about me-vs.-me than me-vs.-you, and both Rocky and Donnie fought their respective battles to prove they had something everyone else thought they didn't, not necessarily to win. They lose the battle but win their own internal war.

Turning now to the cinematic side of things, Creed takes the cake in a landslide. That fight against Leo Sporino, done in a single shot just panning around showing the fighters and the audience, was just a masterpiece of a decision; it actually made it feel like I was there watching a boxing match, not just a movie. As for the final fight, perfect idea to keep the HBO-style presentation for the big match that they used in Rocky Balboa, but then going back to the normal movie-style shots. Another small, but enjoyable part was how they put boxers' names and records on the screen for a couple seconds after they were introduced, complete with nickname (still trying to figure out how Danny Wheeler got the nickname "Stuntman.") Not to mention the music; I got chills all three times I watched Conlan's walk to the ring, and the music playing during both of Donnie's training montages is incredible, with the first maintaining the vibe of "alright time to get started!" and the second of "it's do-or-die time; no giving up."

In terms of nods to the original series, I loved that they kept it recognizable but not shoved down your throat as "THIS WAS IN ROCKY, REMEMBER THAT!?" First off is names: Adonis and Apollo, two men named after gods. Except that Donnie is more like Apollo in Rocky IV than in Rocky I, a fallen god who's trying to find a way to prove he has what it takes. Second is the significance of location: Rocky III had Rocky fly out to LA so that Apollo could rebuild him as a fighter (not just a boxer) and regain that "eye of the tiger." Creed has Donnie leaving LA for Philly, and what he needs from Rocky is control and mental discipline, something to counteract that wildness he has in abundance. Third is the relationship between characters: there's obviously a lot of respect between Donnie and Rocky, but that doesn't mean they're willing to turn a blind eye when they think the other is just being stubborn and stupid. Rocky wishes he could have stopped Apollo from fighting just for his own pride and stubbornness, while on the flipside Donnie refuses to let Rocky give up his fight (chemotherapy) just because he's stubborn and old. In terms of Donnie acting as a surrogate Apollo or surrogate Rocky, I think the movie does a great job of naturally blending the two into a character similar to both, but with his own distinct identity. While both Donnie and Rocky feel the need to go the distance, Donnie also has the need to prove "that I'm not a mistake!" This thirst for victory is reminiscent of Apollo in Rocky II, when he needs to prove to the world that he still is the unbeatable champion he's always been. On a smaller scale, Apollo's widow Mary Anne acts as Donnie's Adrian, trying to convince him that he's fighting without any regard to what it means to those who love him, but still being proud of him at the end and never taking her eyes off the fight.

Other small things include chasing the chicken, Creed interrupting before Rocky can say "women weaken legs," and of course the obligatory training montage that ends with a run through the streets (this time with wheelies!) Just little winks to the audience that I enjoyed, and they weren't so numerous as to feel forced.

Do not get me wrong. I am a diehard Rocky fan and I will go the whole fifteen rounds debating the merits of Rocky I-IV/Balboa, and why they deserve their spot in the boxing (or even sports) movie hall of fame. But I think that Creed was able to take the best parts of the series, add some of its own new and improved takes on them, and present a movie that merged a blast from the past with a shiny new adventure.

TL;DR (by request): Creed takes the best parts of Rocky I-IV/Balboa, adds its own new takes on things, and presents a modernized story while maintaining the nostalgic aspects we know and love. Rocky IV is a phenom, but I'm probably gonna choose to watch Creed slightly more often.

Submitted November 09, 2016 at 12:35PM by benkbloch https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/5bysra/creed_may_be_the_best_rocky_movie_in_the_series/?utm_source=ifttt