Creed Movie Review (2024)

Parents Say: age 12+ 12 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Positive Messages

some

Loyalty has its rewards, especially when it comes to friends who've become like family. And hard work and perseverance will pay off if they come from the right place and with the best intentions. Self-control is an additional theme, though even those who don't demonstrate it are still rewarded.
Positive Role Models

some

Rocky may no longer be an unrelenting fighter in the ring, but he's still the same generous, big-hearted, and humble guy that he was in the previous movies. Adonis has a chip on his shoulder about being Apollo's son and has demons to silence, but he's well-intentioned, kind, and determined to succeed -- and to work hard to get there.
Diverse Representations

a lot

Directed and co-written by Black filmmaker Ryan Coogler, the film features Black (Adonis) and White (Rocky) main characters. Supporting characters of color include Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and Adonis' adoptive mother, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad), along with several other Black minor characters (trainers and boxers, Philly residents, etc.). But non-Black depictions can fall into cliches: Early fights in Tijuana look lowbrow and gritty, using the type of yellow color filter that's been overused in Hollywood to convey Mexico as rundown, and there's a glimpse of East Asian tourists who snap photos by the Rocky statue. Women assume stereotypical roles as emotional anchors, sometimes to their own detriment (e.g., Adonis jeopardizes a high-profile gig for performer Bianca by starting a fight), though they do have their own backstories. Bianca has progressive hearing loss and wears a hearing aid -- the narrative is written respectfully.

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Violence & Scariness

some

Pummeling action in the ring (body blows, face punches, sounds of cracking bones) can get quite bloody and is painful to watch. One character is shown as a young child dealing with stressful situations with his fists. Lots of trash talk between boxers. A character deals with cancer treatment (sad moments).

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Sex, Romance & Nudity

a little

One scene shows a couple presumably having sex; viewers see some skin, the back strap of a bra, and kissing. A character briefly picks up a p*rnographic magazine (naked woman visible but nothing sensitive is shown).

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Language

some

Language includes one "f--k," plus "ass," "s--t," "son of a bitch," the "N" word used by a Black character while fighting, "damn," "hell," "oh my God," and "Jesus" (as an exclamation).

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Products & Purchases

a little

Labels/brands seen include Nike, Dell, Samsung. There's brief Hershey's and Tecate signage, and Breyers ice cream and Oreos sit on a table.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

very little
See Also
‘Creed III’ Star Tessa Thompson on the Word She Refused to Say and the Future of the Franchise 'Creed III' Is a Big F*ck You to Rocky Creed 4: Release, News and Everything We Know Creed 3 Deleted Scenes Might Tease An Alternate (& Better) Ending

One character leaves a bottle of liquor to salute a hard-drinking friend who passed away long ago.

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Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Creed is the first movie in the Rocky saga to feature Michael B. Jordan as Apollo Creed's son, Adonis "Donnie" Johnson. With boxing at the story's center, you can expect plenty of scenes with often-brutal fights (body blows, face punches, blood everywhere), plus sad moments when a main character is diagnosed with cancer. The story is driven forward by a traditional hero's journey, which will likely appeal to teens. There's a romance that includes some kissing and groping (nothing graphic), and you can expect strong language (including "s--t," "oh my God," the "N" word used by a Black character during a fight, and one "f--k"). Directed by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), the film has complex Black characters, though women play a secondary role as emotional supports to male leads. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.

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Parents say (12)
Kids say (34)

age 12+

Based on 12 parent reviews

doctora Parent of 7-year-old

February 23, 2024

age 13+

I cried Rocky tears...

I have seen the first Rocky film and Rocky Balboa (2006) and this is a film that I did not think we needed, but just like Rocky Balboa...it is surprisingly good. When these films work the best is when you are invested in the character developments and Jordan, Thompson, Stallone, and Rashaad all sell their character's investments and conflicts. It is wonderful to be in their presence and Coogler does an exceptional job in making these stories relevant and compelling. I did not think we would ever see Stallone again as Rocky Balboa, but this film truly makes a great case for his return and for me wanting to watch all of it unfold. I cried Rocky tears at the end.

Creed is a Solid Story in Starting a New Legacy and Continuing an Old One!

For not being a big boxing fan in general and not into these kind of sport movies, this one captivated my interest kind of from the beginning! I wanted to see Creed III in theaters this weekend, but I knew I couldn’t just hop into that movie without seeing the other Creed movies. I could have started from the very beginning of it with the Rocky series and work my way up, but to be honest, there’s too many Rocky movies to tackle I thought I would rather watch the two Creed movies.Although I didn’t know Rocky’s past very well, I somehow got the gist of his life (also, I read some of the plots for the movie), and I liked how in this movie Rocky still had thinking of the past, and to an extent, haunted by it. I feel like when he took on Adonis, it first felt like it was more like out of duty for his long, lost friend than what he actually wanted. But then throughout the movie, Rocky comes to terms that Adonis has potential and he’s going to train him not out of duty but out of . . . I guess you could say out of love. It doesn’t feel like a chore anymore for Rocky but more of an honor to train his long, lost friend’s son! Another great part of this movie is now Adonis doesn’t want to take on his original last name of Creed. I love how he doesn’t want to because he doesn’t want to dishonor his father’s last name, Creed. But throughout the movie you see that Adonis learns that it isn’t the last name that makes someone great, it’s just you. Adonis realizes that he can take on his father’s last name of Creed with honor, but yet be the boxer not under his father’s name but under his own! I really loved how this movie reflects on the hardship Adonis and Rocky had. You know, it if was all perfect, it would have felt more forced if a movie. But Ryan Coogler knows how to tell a good story with added pains to it. He knows how to balance them out, and not feel like it’s one pity story but yet not feel like one big hurrah movie! We get to see both Adonis and Rocky go through their own hardship whether that’s still struggling with the past or not wanting to ruin a legacy (last name). It’s a beautiful touch this already well-made boxing film! I feel like this movie was drawn out. In more than one scene it lost my interest, and I felt like there were some unnecessary moments to could have been cut out. I mean, yes, plenty of things added to the final moment and the story/character arc, but without a doubt it felt slow and even boring at times. It felt a bit longer than it needed it to be. It overall, cut that out and we get a beautiful boxing film about the Creed legacy. This movie uses about the same formula from the first Rocky film, but yet Ryan Coogler knew how to keep true to the sticky legacy while adding it’s own style it it. I mean, like I said: I’ve never seen any of the Rocky movies (I plan to though), but this just gives me the Rocky vibes. Without a doubt, it’s has a lot of familiar themes from the Rocky movies, and so if I liked this one (which I did more than I was expecting), then I’m sure most of the Rocky movies are going to be fun to sit down and watch. A beautiful, somewhat underdog story is told through not only the hurrahs of it but tue pains of it. It knows how to deliver a drama movie that never loses track of the real purpose it was made. It’s a movie sure I could see myself watch in the near time future, but it’s one that I need to digest on everything I saw. It’s delivers strong themes, storylines, and above all: beautifully written story arcs for Adonis and Rocky!

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What's the Story?

Adonis "Donnie" Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his father, boxing legend Apollo CREED; Apollo died before Adonis was born (the boy was the product of an affair). After Donnie bounces around from one group home to another, Apollo's widow (Phylicia Rashad) takes him in, providing him with a loving family and the education to pursue what she hopes is a journey different from his father's, who died because of a difficult fight. But Adonis is Apollo's son through and through, and soon the young man, who's boxing under the radar in Mexico, feels called to the ring. He quits his investment banking job and moves to Philadelphia, where he hopes to make a name for himself outside of the Creed legacy and under the tutelage of Apollo's former foe and later friend, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). But earning his stripes means facing not just other established fighters, but his own demons.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:

Parents say (12):

Kids say (34):

This movie has elements that are terrific, no question, but it disappoints, too. Still, it's well worth seeing, if only to witness how Rocky's cinematic and boxing legacy continues. First, the good stuff: Decades after the first Rocky hit the big screen, the pull of the franchise endures. When Stallone makes his first appearance, it's hard not to root for him. We've known this character for years, and there's something fundamentally appealing about him.

Adonis, meanwhile, is much more complicated -- though perhaps not as complicated as he deserves. We don't get to know him as deeply as we did Rocky, and therefore we aren't as invested in him as we should be. He comes alive when he's in the ring, as the star of a Rocky movie should (though nostalgia buffs might wish they'd hear more of the iconic theme song), thanks to fight choreography that taps into both the balletic and brutal elements of the punishing sport. But Adonis also needs to be compelling away from the ropes. A hero's journey deserves a hero who's mesmerizing; through no fault of the talented Jordan, Adonis still stands in the shadow of Rocky Balboa.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Creed fits into the Rocky legacy. What themes of the previous movies does it also address? How does it depart from its predecessors?
Does the movie glamorize the sport of boxing (and the violence inherent in it) or provide an even-handed view of it? How does this kind of violence compare to what you might see in an action movie? Which has more impact, and why?
Do you consider Rocky a role model? What do Rocky and Adonis bring to each other's lives?
How do the characters in Creed demonstrate perseverance and self-control? Why are these important character strengths?

Movie Details

In theaters: November 25, 2015
On DVD or streaming: March 1, 2016
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Sylvester Stallone
Director: Ryan Coogler
Inclusion Information: Black directors, Black actors, Female actors, Latino actors, Black writers
Studio: Warner Bros.
Genre: Drama
Topics: Sports and Martial Arts
Character Strengths: Perseverance, Self-control
Run time: 95 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: violence, language and some sensuality
Award: Golden Globe
Last updated: March 25, 2024

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Creed

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