Creed

With the arrival of Creed, Rocky Balboa bid us farewell in quite dignified way. The movie did not come with anything new, so the only thing left is the endless moralizing of Sylvester Stallone, which I more or less enjoy, or the acting of Michael B. Jordan, which is something you have to get used to. He, as the child of the street, did not at first arouse too many emotions in me. Only Stallone’s upbringing made him somehow pleasant. However, simply by describing it, the pathos makes me sick. The story could not get more typical. Big fans will be probably satisfied with Creed and will nostalgically shed a tear. Rocky Balboa is enough for me, as it was able to make an original movie out of nostalgia, and I did not have to call it what I call this movie. Unlike the previous one, this movie is a completely routine job. (03.01.2016)

Ryan Coogler ist ein begabtes Kind. Man möchte sich über seine knisternde Naivität ja kaum ärgern, wenn man sieht, auf wie viel Geschick es (inbesondere) des Kameramanns alles beruht, doch Tatsache ist, dass Creed eher eine ungewollte infantile Komödie als ein Boxdrama ist. Die größte Hoffnung auf Emanzipation erweckt der Streifen, als die Hauptfigur ca. in der Mitte mit einem One-Take-Fight daherkommt, wobei die Pilgerreise anstelle mit dem Auffinden eines eigenen Vermächtnisses mit einem mühsamen Retro endet, wo Vaters Shorts angezogen werden. Sly stellt den einzigen Anker dar, ansonsten verfällt das alles, was Coogler betrifft, in eine mühsame Erzählung sowie eine puppenartige Hauptfigur, die schreien muss, um "ein Drama zu schaffen". Vielleicht das nächste Mal, yo. (07.01.2016)

The essence of the best of the old films: the precisely dosed drops of nostalgia and at the same time a fully adaptable product of our time, that is, to the parameters we want and expect from a film today, that's exactly what Creed is. This is what I expected from Star Wars and didn't get. I expected nothing from Creed and got basically everything. Peaking emotions and sympathy for the main characters, especially Stallone, who has changed. He has become a sensitive actor, full of charisma and life experience, who can impress not only with a machine gun in his hand, but surprisingly agile and brilliant even in intimate scenes, where he uses in the most distinctive way those wise words that we all know, but not everyone wants to hear. For hardcore fans of the original series and for movie nostalgics, it will be great, because it has that cold winter street feel (the iconic last scene) of the original episodes and fortunately it's not as modern as the last Rocky. It's a must-see experience, just like the first one. (02.01.2016)

I stand by my opinion that this series should have definitely ended ten years ago with the nostalgic "six", which managed to build on the formal and, above all, emotional tuning of the first four films with the help of old and familiar characters. Creed, unfortunately, doesn’t manage that. The story is not bad, on the contrary, it nicely brings together two boxing generations in the world of its famous plot marker and delights with its existential layers, which put the ring and the fight in the shadow of personal life and the excellently sketched relationship between Creed Jr. and the (now definitely) ageing Italian stallion. Yet, I see it as nothing more than a superfluous variation on a disgustingly stale story scheme that doesn't surprise with anything, and isn't saved either by the through-and-through mediocre directorial touch or the lovingly beating heart of Rocky Balboa, which makes us love and respect the whole franchise so much. As a motivational song about the willpower of an underdog, the first one was far more effective and moving; as a riveting, straightforward drama about a quest for satisfaction against a seemingly invincible foe, the fourth one was more emotional and physically more palpable. Creed probably wants to be both, but it succeeds on a completely different, more subtle front – behind closed doors, during the interactions between two characters that are really the only thing that has the power to save this film from the dust of oblivion. And thanks for that at least... (30.12.2015)

Terrible! I found the main "hero" totally unrelatable from start to finish. I still remember enjoying Rocky all those years ago. Back in the day, these films featured a charismatic main character and his evil counterpart. Creed lacks both. Plus, Rocky gets also attacked by cancer, which I take as a last-ditch attempt to stir at least some emotion in the viewer. And it worked – it stirred total disgust in me. Unfortunately, Rocky gets talked into treatment by the totally uncharismatic Adonis (WTF?), so maybe I'll get to see the next installment entitled Rocky: The Wheelchair. Yaaay!!! (23.06.2016)

This seems almost unbelievable to me. I didn't believe in this movie at all, but it turned out that Sly has what it takes to play amazingly. Thanks to giving up boxing and action, he is able to demonstrate how great of a character actor he is, and that simply Rocky is the best thing he has ever created. Unbelievable nostalgia, yet still a great modern film. I had a dry throat for a long time, even though it is a movie with a strong positive message. (10.01.2016)