He ceded that role to his co-writer Ryan Coogler, who impressed Stallone with his understanding of the Rocky character from growing up with the films.
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Yet, he was nominated for best actor and for best screenplay when the movie was released. Rocky has fallen into a hole and Apollo Creed takes him under his wing to help him find his fire again. All his friends and loved ones have moved on, either to the cemetery or elsewhere across the planet. Stallone says it has given him a deeper appreciation of what Burgess Meredith – who played HIS trainer Mick in the earlier films – pulled off with the role.
Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky” films have become iconic boxing films, and Stallone’s character Rocky Balboa has even become quite an inspirational figure particularly for Italians. For the former, it’s the present and future. “Creed” is crowd-pleasing in the way it illustrates the title character’s trajectory but there’s an unshakeable melancholy about the proceedings. With a deftly crafted blend of smarts and corn – of course there’s corn, people, this is Rocky! – it earns our trust: It’s gonna go right to the edge with the heartstring-tugging, but it won’t go over.
It’s has been a long road from obscurity to legend for Sylvester Stallone. How many mainstream franchises have dared something like this? It shows confidence and potential, even in the opening shot as the camera travels through a juvenile detention hall into the room where a young Adonis Creed learns that he is the son of the late Apollo, who was killed in a boxing match. At least until Apollo’s widow, Mary Anne, decides to rescue and adopt him despite knowing the truth. Once into adulthood, Adonis has all the options open to him of a college-educated man but the lure of boxing is too strong to resist.
On November 27, 1975, a “bum” of a Philadelphia boxer named Rocky Balboa defeated Spider Rico.
Along the way, Adonis meets his downstairs neighbor Bianca (Tessa Thompson), an aspiring DJ who keeps him up all night blasting hip-hop music.
This second feature by Ryan Coogler-his 2013 debut was the brilliant “Fruitvale Station”, also starring Mr. Jordan-doesn’t depend on nostalgia, though, or a memory bank of Hollywood lore, and it’s anything but a cynical spinoff. Stallone’s performance enriches the film, never overshadowing his co-star’s performance.
Aside from Coogler’s “Creed”, Stallone is also set to be part of Brad Furman’s crime drama “Scarpa”, Jericca Cleland and Kevin Munroe’s animated adventure film “Ratchet and Clank”, Tony Bancroft and Scott Christian Sava’s animated comedy film “Animal Crackers”, Dave Callaham’s action thriller film “The Expendables 4”. The fights are well-staged and the climactic bout pits the protagonist against a suitably nasty opponent. “He’d get fired up … this’ll give you the juice!” But there’s more to “Creed” and it is elevated by the quiet, subtle elements.
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Mayor Michael Nutter attended a screening and said the movie should win an Academy Award for best picture. This year has seen its share of sequels; perhaps surprisingly, “Creed” is among the best.
