‘Creed’ is a worthy successor to ‘Rocky,’ reviews say

“Creed” has done right by “Rocky.”

Sylvester Stallone, who reprises his iconic Rocky Balboa role in “Creed,” passed the baton to writer-director Ryan Coogler for this seventh installment of the boxing franchise, and critics are raving at the result.

The movie, which stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis “Donny” Johnson (the illegitimate son of Rocky’s rival-turned-best-friend Apollo Creed), has so far earned a 92% fresh rating on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. According to critics, “Creed” has revitalized the franchise while staying true to its origins.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >>

The Times’ Kenneth Turan writes “‘Creed’ rescues the Rocky series from the bombast of the later films and reclaims the overlay of emotion that was its birthright way back when.”

Turan explains that “Creed” is more than just a sequel or a spinoff film, but rather “a spiritual remake of the 1976 film that retells the original story in the kind of involving way one would not have thought possible.”

In addition to finding its emotional footing, “when it finally comes down to what happens in the ring, ‘Creed’ knows what it’s doing,” says Turan.

“Within the inevitable boundaries of a venerable franchise (this is a ‘Rocky’ film, after all), Coogler and company do fine work convincing us against our better judgment that nothing we see is preordained, that anything can happen within the four corners of the ring,” Turan says. “You can’t ask a ‘Rocky’ film to do more than that.”

×

A.O. Scott of the New York Times agrees that its portrayal of the events within the ring is also among “Creed’s” strengths.

“‘Creed,’ which writes another chapter in the saga of Rocky Balboa ... is something that Italian Stallion’s devotees have not seen in a long time, perhaps since the original ‘Rocky’ way back in 1976: a terrific boxing movie,” writes Scott.

But “Creed” is more than just a boxing movie.

“One of the most surprising things about ‘Creed’ is how gentle and easygoing it is, notwithstanding the effective brutality of the fight scenes,” says Scott.

Above all, “Creed” is “self-aware” about its legacy “without being cute about it” and Coogler “looks at the Rocky story and the tradition of Hollywood pugilism through a fresh prism,” he says.

Scott also notes that “Sylvester Stallone, while happy to steal a scene every now and then, cedes the limelight to Michael B. Jordan.”

Similarly, the Washington Post’s Michael O’Sullivan writes that in “Creed,” “Jordan is the star, not Stallone” and that “Donny ... is every bit a worthy successor to Rocky.”

“[‘Creed’] is a touching, affectionate and undeniably thrilling continuation of the almost 40-year-old saga,” O’Sullivan says. But “in some ways, it’s not really a ‘Rocky’ movie at all; it’s the first of the series not written by Stallone. In other ways, it’s quintessentially one.”

“There are some viscerally powerful boxing scenes, but ultimately the flesh of ‘Creed’ has almost as much to do with relationships as it does with the sweet science,” he says.

But of course, O’Sullivan couldn’t resist taking a jab himself at Jordan (while complimenting him) by noting that “[Jordan’s] performance in ‘Creed’ is rich and rewarding enough to wash the taste of ‘Fantastic Four’ out of the mouth.”

Jocelyn Noveck of the Associated Press does the same, saying that “Jordan deserved a good movie after the terrible ‘Fantastic Four,’ and he gets one here” with “Creed.”

In addition to Jordan’s performance, Noveck commends “Stallone [who] gives a moving turn as a fading legend with one last big fight in him” and that “together with director Coogler, you could say this trio knocks it outta the ring.”

For Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle Stallone is “the one people will be talking about for days afterward. His portrayal of Rocky Balboa as an old, tired man, who has been beaten into some true wisdom, is heartfelt but in no way corny.”

“Stallone benefits, and deserves to benefit, from the audience’s long association with him and the character,” writes LaSalle. “Rocky might not be the brightest guy ... but he is, in his own way, extraordinary, and when we look at his/Stallone’s face, we can have no doubt that Rocky has gone through life and learned things ... With no exaggeration, this is a beautiful and moving thing to see.”

“‘Creed’ revitalizes the ‘Rocky’ franchise, but doesn’t transform it,” he says, and “Coogler ... gives the series a transfusion of energy that lifts it into the 21st century.”

Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald calls “Creed” “the best ‘Rocky’ movie since ‘Rocky.’”

Rodriguez notes that “the ‘Rocky’ hardcore will appreciate the plentiful shout-outs to the previous pictures.”

“Although Stallone plays a major role in ‘Creed,’ the movie belongs to Jordan, ... [who] is handed the baton to one of the most iconic movie franchises of all time, and he runs off with it, rekindling its fire,” Rodriguez writes.

And while “‘Creed’ is formulaic and predictable ... it’s also joyful and wise and tinged with lament, and it lands on the sweet spot between heartfelt art and mainstream entertainment too many Hollywood studios don’t even try to hit,” Rodriguez says.

Twitter: @tracycbrown