Creed Blu-ray Review

By: Lynn Barker

In Creed, famous retired boxer Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is a depressed retiree mourning the loss of his beloved wife Adrian. The son of Rocky’s rival/friend Apollo Creed wants to box professionally despite objections of his “mom”, Apollo’s widow. Can Rocky and Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan) team up for a mutual win?

Rocky and Adonis plan his training schedule

A Rough Start

In a flashback we meet Adonis Johnson (Alex Henderson), a teen in a Los Angeles juvenile detention center. He is regularly busted for fighting. He’s an orphan who’s been in several group homes. One day Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad), visits and tells him that he’s the illegitimate son of her late husband, former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. Would he want to come live with her?

Mom Mary Anne sees that Adonis has been fighting

Flash Forward

In the present, 20-something Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), called Donnie, still lives with Mary Anne in the high class mansion that Apollo Creed’s boxing success bought. Creed passed away long ago. Donnie never met him. Donnie tries to work a posh office job but keeps going down to Mexico for underground weekend prize fights. He’s a good boxer but could be better.

Adonis Creed in an early match

Off to Meet Rocky

Against Mary Anne’s wishes (she doesn’t want him to die of boxing injuries) Donnie goes to Philadelphia, hoping to train with Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) the man his dad finally beat in the ring and who knew his dad’s fighting moves the best. Can he convince the retired Rocky to coach him?

Rocky trains Adonis on punching

Training and Friendship

Retired Rocky is still keeping his long-dead wife Adrian’s restaurant open and visiting her grave. He’s living a kind of sad “old guy” life. Donnie has a hard time convincing Rocky to train him but, slowly the two form a sort of tentative dad/son bond during training. Donnie also meets his hot downstairs neighbor an R&B singer called Bianca (Tessa Thompson) who rebuffs him right and left but eventually is into him and a romance develops.

Adonis Creed with love Bianca

New Battles to Fight

Adonis doesn’t tell anyone whose son he is but after he wins his first big fight, the info is out and, because of the interesting publicity the son of Apollo Creed garners, he is offered a shot at the light-heavyweight title against British champ Pretty Ricky Conlan (Anthony Bellew). Meanwhile, Rocky faces a serious health threat and only Adonis can talk him into fighting his own battle. Will both men win?

Rocky gives Adonis a pep talk

Special Extra Features

• Know the Past Own the Future – This is a featurette focusing on the past Rocky films and why they are so popular. Young Writer/Director Ryan Coogler says he and his dad used to watch them together and Michael B. Jordan loved them. We see some training scenes and Sly talks of Rocky’s friendship with Apollo Creed. We get the origin of the Creed story as well.  An informative and enjoyable feature.
• Becoming Adonis gives us info on the intense training lead Michael B. Jordan did to get in shape and learn the intricacies of boxing. Sly Stallone says “He was in better shape than I was. This kid is tough”. We see fight choreography and stunts and are told that Michael held his own against real-life boxers. Hey these guys look hot. Good extra!

Running through the hood

• Deleted Scenes – There are a ton! Many are very good, adding a lot to the story. Well worth a watch. Among them are:
  • Adonis looks over his dad Apollo’s trophies and history
  • Adonis rents his new apartment
  • Rocky comes out of his home in the snow and looks lonely, digs through old videos and watches a fight with Apollo, looks at old photo albums, etc.  Sad but a great scene.
  • Adonis flirts with Bianca as she shows him around.
  • Bianca and Adonis have their first kisses (kinda hot)
  • Rocky and Adonis talk about Apollo cheating on his wife. Adonis doesn’t want to be compared to his dad – nice scene.
  • Adonis calls his “mom” Mary Anne who is angry at him for fighting.. This is a wonderful scene, especially for Phylicia Rashad.
  • Rocky at the cemetery telling Adrian about his cancer – great scene for Sly

Creed Trailer

Wrapping Up

The Creed Blu-ray with DVD looks and sounds great. It is a very well-done film and a wonderful Sly Stallone was nominated for an Oscar for his role. Michael B. Jordan and all other cast members do a really believable job in their roles.

Sly Stallone with Michael at the Creed premiere

The movie has lots of hot boxing action, Michael B. Jordan looks really cut and buff and certainly sells himself as a real boxer. There are also plenty of cute, funny moments as well.

I always want a blooper reel and maybe a voice commentary by Sly and Michael would have been great but the story of two battered guys from two different generations really “saving” each other is a wonderful and heart-warming so we go 4 stars.

Creed Blu-ray Rating:

Creed Blu-ray cover

Creed is now out on Blu-ray and DVD!

Have Your Say 

Will you want to take home or gift the Creed Blu-ray or DVD? Drop a comment below.