“Creed” Caps off the Rocky Series in Style

Thirty-nine years after the original Rocky movie and nine years since “Rocky Balboa,” the last installment in the Rocky Series, Sylvester Stallone reprises his famous role in the new movie “Creed.” “Creed” brings fans together once again to follow the Italian Stallion in this new chapter of the epic series. The first time I saw “Rocky,” I loved it. It lit a fire in my stomach that no other film had…., until I saw “Creed.” This films makes you want to go out and do something big after leaving the theater, something that will create your own legacy. It’s exciting.

Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Johnson, the illegitimate child of the deceased boxing legend Apollo Creed. Adonis decides to follow in his father’s footsteps and pursue a career in boxing; so he goes to Philadelphia to meet Rocky Balboa, his father’s former rival and friend, in hopes that he will train him and help with his career. Along the way, Adonis meets Bianca, his love interest played by Tessa Thompson, and she introduces him to her career as a music performer.

While the subject of the movie is boxing, the central storyline is really about the interaction between Adonis and Rocky, and about the relationship they develop. Both characters need each other. Adonis needs more than a trainer; he needs a father figure. In Adonis, Rocky finds someone who is proud of him, unlike his own son who has distanced himself from his father.

For the backdrop of the film, Coogler effectively displays the city of Philadelphia, even replicating the famous scene from “Rocky” atop the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This scene depicts the city skyline and shows how much it has changed since the first shooting from the seventies, illustrating the message that everything changes, and that things improve and can be rebuilt. Another scene features Adonis and Rocky eating dinner. At this point, Adonis is preparing for the biggest fight in the film and Rocky is facing a battle of his own. The conversation leads to Adonis refusing to train because he feels that Rocky has stepped down from his own battle. In that poignant moment, Adonis proclaims, “I fight, you fight.” This is the point in the film where the audience realizes that the love between these characters is genuine and real.

“Creed” successfully carries on the message that has been a central theme in the Rocky series since it’s debut in 1979: that anyone can overcome the odds and go the distance. Rocky Balboa represents what is in all of us, the million-to-one shot, the chance to overcome all obstacles and achieve greatness. This message has brought fans together and had them cheering for the underdog for decades. Now “Creed” has done this yet again. It sparks that eye of the tiger that is in everyone and inspires the audience to take action to create their own legacy, while also accepting their ancestry and where they came from. For some, it teaches us to just appreciate family a little bit more. “Creed” lights that fire in the audience which focuses on love, strength and hope. It gives us an everyday hero to root for;  you just want to see Adonis succeed. “Creed” is a great film that gives fans of the Rocky series the epic conclusion that they deserve.