Creed

Writer-director Ryan Coogler not only revives Rocky nostalgia here but also introduces a new character: Adonis “Donnie” Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), son of legendary boxing champion Apollo Creed. Born out of wedlock to a mother who died, Donnie is shuffled through foster care and juvenile detention until being adopted as an adolescent by Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), who knows that Donnie is her late husband's illegitimate son. Raised and educated in L.A.'s posh Baldwin Hills, Donnie lands a cushy corporate job but spends weekends prizefighting in Tijuana, eventually tracking down his father's fabled nemesis/friend, Rocky Balboa (Oscar nominee Sylvester Stallone) in Philadelphia. Rocky is reluctant to help at first but soon relents, patiently teaching and training Donnie. Donnie is determined to use his own name, but that turns off ambitious promoters. “Every move that I make, every punch that I throw, everybody's gonna compare me to him,” he admits. Meanwhile, Donnie hooks up with Bianca (Tessa Thompson), a singer/songwriter, as the plot shuttles toward a major match with Britain's cocky Ricky Conlan (ABA former heavyweight champion Tony Bellew). What stands out here are the skillfully subtle storytelling choices as Creed delves into the lengths a man will go to in order to connect with a father he never knew. A very satisfying, redemptive crowd-pleaser, this is highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes (20 min.), a “Know the Past, Own the Future” featurette on the franchise (15 min.), a “Becoming Adonis” behind-the-scenes segment (6 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this fine sports drama.] (S. Granger)