Jack Goes Confidential: ‘Creed’ Scores Big for Stallone & Jordan

I’m going to be honest…

I almost skipped the critic’s screening of CREED a couple of weeks back.

Did I really need to see another ROCKY?

But I am here to tell you that missing that movie would have been a huge mistake.

CREED is definitely NOT the seventh installment in the Rocky series.

Instead it’s a smart spin-off, action-melodrama with twists and turns that take the storyline in an entirely new direction.

Here Adonis Johnson, illegitimate son of Rocky Balboa‘s former rival Apollo Creed, is pursuing the fight game in a small way on the west coast and south of the border.

It’s not enough for him to follow in the footsteps of his famous father.

But then again he wants to make it on his own—out of dad’s shadow.

That’s why Adonis heads to Philadelphia and searches out the aging Rocky who spends his days and evenings running his Italian restaurant.

Adonis seeks Rocky’s help. He wants him to become his trainer and mentor. But Rocky is not interested, spending any free time he has visiting Adrian’s grave.

Well, you guessed it, young Adonis finally convinces Rocky to be in his corner. But not before the story takes some unexpected turns.

Make no m mistake, this is good, entertaining filmmaking by BOTH Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan as Adonis.

Jordan, of course, had his breakthrough a couple of years ago with FRUITVALE STATION.

Now with CREED  he’s destined to move up a notch on Hollywood’s popularity list of hot new talent.

So can this kid fight as good as his old man did? And most importantly does the movie work?

The answer is YES to both questions.

CREED, co-starring Phylicia Rashad and Tessa Thompson, opens in preview engagements this Tuesday evening—then everywhere on Wednesday.

MY score: B+

(Reviewed at Legends 14 Theatre, KCK)