Director: Ryan Coogler
Writers: Ryan Coogler, Aaron Covington
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Tony Bellew
Runtime: 133 mins.
2015
As the Hunger Games saga goes out with a whimper, franchise filmmaking is feeling as tired as ever. We have godawful projects like a Die Hard prequel and a Memento remake to look forward to. We've gotten to the point where Marvel isn't the only intellectual property with a shared cinematic universe; on the horizon are the DC Universe, the Ghostbustersverse, the Universal Monsterverse, the Transformerverse, and the Fast and Furiverse. Even Pixar is hitting us with Finding Dory, Cars 3, Toy Story 4, and The Incredibles 2. We've apparently decided that we cannot let go of our favorite characters from yesteryear. We cling to them, drag them kicking and screaming into contemporaneity, and then either forgive them of their mediocrity because they are familiar, or decry their originality because they are not familiar enough.
Fortunately, as is the case with every regrettable cinematic trend, there are exceptions to the rule. There will always be good filmmakers, after all. We've already seen one long dead franchise revived to stupendous effect this year in Mad Max: Fury Road, and we're hoping for another such rousing success from the impending Star Wars VII. To do that, lightning will have to strike thrice, because Ryan Coogler has already made the second breakout franchise revival of the year: Creed.
A great deal of that has to do with Creed's lack of pandering. Everyone's favorite boxer is back, sure, but not with a wink and a nod. Rocky has no badass moments, and at no point does he even remotely attempt to punch anybody. His heroic journey is quiet, understated, emotional, and personal. Perhaps most importantly, this is not yet another "passing the torch" sequel in which the aging hero takes center stage while beneficently priming the young upstart for his own entry in the future. One of the most crucial story choices Coogler made with Creed was to give Adonis complete agency in his own story. He never denies the call, and he is never propped up by the generosity of others. He seeks Rocky out deliberately, in part because of the old champ's connection with his late great father Apollo--but Rocky doesn't agree easily. He needs to be talked into it, just as Ryan Coogler had to coerce Stallone into coming back for a seventh entry that he originally wanted no part of.
So once again, this is not another stab at diversity that sees the new blood taking a backseat to the old familiar white guy. Both Coogler and Adonis are young, black, immensely talented, and succeeding against all odds. For Adonis, his success is surprising because of his lack of formal training. For Coogler, his success is surprising because frankly, any young person of color's success as a director in the Hollywood system is still astonishing at this point. That's part of what makes Coogler one of the most exciting new voices in film, period.
