If “Creed” feels like it has a lot of weight on its muscular shoulders, it’s because it does.
Boxing films are an art unto themselves, from 1931’s Jackie Cooper vehicle “The Champ” to Martin Scorsese’s brutally accomplished “Raging Bull.” We can’t help but wince at the visceral hits, and finding ways to portray the external and internal struggle of a boxer remains endlessly fascinating to filmmakers.
“Creed,” which is either the next entry in the checkered “Rocky” franchise or a reboot, carries this weight effortlessly. Like a superhero origin story, it’s full of self-discovery and training but not much fighting.
That turns out to be a good thing with the magnetic, 28-year-old Michael B. Jordan in the lead role. Director Ryan Coogler, who worked with Jordan on 2013’s (still) painfully relevant “Fruitvale Station,” lends his deft touch to the story of Adonis Johnson Creed — the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) from the first four “Rocky” films.
Jordan, whom we last saw as the Human Torch in the ill-fated “Fantastic Four” reboot, is a bit too precise and fresh-faced to pull off the constant brooding that’s been written for the young Creed. But it’s impossible not to root for him as he sheds a life of comfort and the doting of his adopted mother, Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad, at her matronly best as Creed’s widow) for a journey of monastic self-discovery.
The setup is swift and not entirely airtight as Adonis decamps to Philadelphia to seek out the training of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), who now runs a modest Italian restaurant named Adrian’s. The city breathes in satisfying establishing shots, and Coogler plays with the series’ iconic imagery as Jordan jogs around in a hoodie, even visiting the real-life “Rocky” statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s famous steps.
A reluctant family dynamic takes shape as Adonis trains with Rocky in secret, never wanting to trade on his name but always desperate to prove that his father’s strength flows through him. Self-conscious jokes, conspicuous product placement and a perfunctory love story (featuring Tessa Thompson, saddled with the role of a brash, moody songwriter who’s going deaf) somehow never really ding the film’s momentum.
Boxing films challenge and engage every part of the lead actor, and during training montages — as well as a mid-film match that looks like a single, graceful take — Jordan oozes confidence in his abilities. Getting the rhythm and feel of an intense match is more art than sweet science, but audiences know when something feels off, even if they’re not experts on boxing’s technical aspects.
The coup is how Coogler and his team handle complicated themes without words: what’s the difference between luck and opportunity? The distinction between things cultivated and things that fall into your lap? Can we — and should we even want to — escape our past?
“Rocky” certainly wasn’t the first or best boxing film, but its influence can be felt in nearly every boxing film since, from its montages and urban setting to hard-won, bittersweet victories that involve personal sacrifice and tragedy. Against the odds, “Creed” is a proud successor to both 1976’s original “Rocky” and the genre in general, with a surprisingly powerful turn from Stallone as the character that made him famous.
Jordan’s portrayal, by necessity, doesn’t always have the same layers, but it does solve a problem endemic to many boxing movies. Recent films like “The Fighter” and “Southpaw” had an off-putting dourness that (while more realistic in their tone) didn’t always make for cheer-worthy entertainment.
But “Creed” stirs emotions with a strong yet artful hand. The origin-story undercurrent, in which everything comes together beautifully at the last moment, feels earned. Jordan’s clear-eyed starring role is the heart, but a muscular frame surrounds and carries it. The script, characters and legacy of this four-decade franchise cohere to land a convincing and emotional knockout at the end.
Cue the theme song.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642, jwenzel@denverpost.com or @johnwenzel
