"Creed III" Review: The Message in The Whisper
In 1 Kings YHWH speaks to Elijah in a whisper after an earthquake and a fire. Now, Creed III is not a Biblical epic nor am I putting it on that level. I’m only using that example to illustrate how it speaks in a whisper if you can see past the boxing action and grudge match rivalry, and the film did speak to my soul. It lands on a poignant character drama with themes of overcoming trauma, being emotionally vulnerable, letting go of grudges and of course, the underdog story we’ve come to love.
The film picks up at a time where Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) has decided to step away from the sport while he’s on top. No sooner does he do that than an old friend, Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors) comes back into his life. Damian has been locked up for the past eighteen years. He’s watched Adonis’s meteoric rise to a position he feels should have been his. How their history is intertwined is a major key to the story.
This is a by-the-numbers Creed movie, infused with intimacy and originality that makes the film stand out. You get what you would expect but it continually strives to slip the predictable as well. From a technical perspective, Jordan (in his directorial debut) finds a way to show boxing visually from a fresh point of view. He uses the camera, sound and fight choreography to allow us to see the fight but step into the mentality of the fighter in the present moment of it. This is seen throughout the film but is beautifully executed in the final act.
Jonathan Majors is showing that he is a force to be reckoned with on screen. His physicality of Dame in the film is like a character choice from a Kurosawa picture. He has certain ticks that he repeats throughout the film that embody his raw rage. He’s carrying eighteen years of baggage internally and it comes out in his voice, movement and how he makes eye contact. He’s constantly studying. Jordan is serviceable as Adonis and gives a nuanced nod to being an aged fighter. Tessa Thompson gives Bianca a soul. Many times, the “wife” can be lost in the film as a side character, but here she is a present, integral part of Adonis’s life. Mila Davis-Kent is a welcomed addition as Amara Creed. Amara uses ASL to communicate and the relationship with her parents is beautiful.
Some may note the lack of a certain figure in this film. However, I think it’s intentional. Sylvester Stallone and the shadow of Rocky has been in the first two films. This installment allows Adonis Creed to make a name for himself. Ties have not been cut, and while Rocky’s absence is noticed it certainly doesn’t hinder the movie in anyway.
Whether you are looking for entertainment at the theater or dealing with middle aged thoughts and issues, this movie delivers on all levels. We’re reminded that at the heart of every Creed film, there is an intimate, dramatic story that is universally understood. You just might have to catch the message in the whisper!
Rating: A
"Creed II" Review: A Sequel 30 Years in The Making
With eight films under its belt, the Rocky franchise has seen its share of recycled story with a new twist. Creed II knows its legacy and the pressure to get it right had to have been high on writers Juel Taylor and Sylvester Stallone. Director Steven Caple Jr. gives us a film that doesn’t live up to the power of Ryan Coogler’s Creed, but still goes the distance.
The film opens with Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) rising to the height of boxing. Simultaneously, in the Ukraine, Viktor Drago (Florain Munteanu), lives a hard life as a blue collar worker while training with his father, Ivan (Dolph Lundgren). The inevitable fight is brokered by promoter Buddy Marcelle (Russell Hornsby), who tells Adonis his father understood he needed a legacy story that would “stick to the ribs”. Thus, the central concept of Creed II.
The film understands the dramatic weight it carries and plays off of the hype, although at times feeling undercooked. Yet, much like a fighter, it discerns that it has to shake up the story to keep its audience entertained and engaged. It does that in the form of building character backstory. We learn just what we need to about life for Ivan after the infamous showdown and the affect it had on his son. We see Adonis and Bianca’s relationship bloom as their family grows. With key placements like Phylicia Rashad’s Mary Anne Creed and Brigitte Nielsen’s Ludmilla Drago giving just the right touch of nostalgia and added spectacle, the film manages to make it out of the ring in one piece.
The original Rocky was a little engine that could film. It was a character drama Trojan Horsed inside of a boxing film. It’s the man vs. man, man vs. self storytelling that Creed II hones in on and creates a decent installment in the franchise. After all, seeing Adonis fight Viktor isn’t really what we are going to the movie for. Instead it’s to answer the deep rooted question of what would you do if you could avenge your father’s death in the ring? Will you get back up when you get knocked down? It’s in this space that the the franchise lives and Creed II delivers. It doesn’t quite pack the same punch as Creed, but certainly a solid entry and sure to please fans that never knew this purported sequel to Rocky IV was the film we’ve been waiting over thirty years for.
Rating: B
"Black Panther" Review: Why Representation Is Key!
Any thoughtful critic would tell you that there are some films that you just don’t know where to start in writing your review. You may need to see the film more than once. You may need the time to live with the film in your mind to find the words to describe it eloquently in written form. Black Panther is one of those movies for me. It’s a cinematic experience that, having seen it twice before penning this, is equally powerful on repeat viewings.
Following T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) after the events of Captain America: Civil War, the film picks up with him returning to Wakanda as king. So in short, the film is about a young man ascending to the throne and dealing with the weight of that. Yet, writers Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, give us something more. It’s a movie that analyzes what a person is made of. What really makes a king, a leader, or a person great? Similarly, what makes us bad, evil, or the villain?
Wakanda is the most technologically advanced nation on Earth. Hidden in plain sight, it’s main resource, vibranium, has allowed the nation to evolve leap years ahead of the rest of society. Yet, there are those who want to get their hands on the precious metal. As an old and new enemy comes on the Wakandan radar, T’Challa fights to make the best decision for his people and the world as a whole.
The casting in this film is absolutely perfect. Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue is a man you wouldn’t even let your kids say hello to. Danai Gurira’s General Okoye is fierce, intelligent, strong, and has a beautiful spirit that pops out at just the right times between upholding her duties to the throne that she takes seriously. Lupita Nyong’o is another stand out as Nakia, T’Challa’s love interest and friend. Nakia is not diminished to just a romantic interest in this film. She’s a fighter for justice who would prefer to live outside of Wakanda, making a difference with people who are impoverished, over enjoying the spoils of her royal bloodline. Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger is the first villain we’ve seen that we could get behind, at least understand and earnestly believe his motives. His calm, intellect and patience in execution of the long game is what makes him so dangerous. It creates an equally powerful enemy that T’Challa has to go up against and sets the stage for serious stakes! But is he really a villain? The Martin versus Malcolm of T'Challa versus Killmonger metaphor is there. T’Challa’s sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), brings the humor in some scene stealing moments. The chemistry between Boseman and Wright is totally believable as a family unit!
That was just the main characters in the film. You’ll certainly enjoy Winston Duke’s M’Baku as the funny but beast of a leader of the Jabari tribe. Everywhere you look, there’s black star power in Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Sterling K. Brown, John Kani and more. Writer/director Ryan Coogler was the right person for the job. His use of the camera is masterful. His angles stress the magnitude of the environment when necessary, and singles in on intimate moments appropriately. Knowing what to put in the frame and equally what not to show is a skill not all directors have. Watching his set ups and reveals after an additional viewing proves that he’s one of the great directors working today! (I may have to write a separate analysis review as to avoid spoilers here, but Coogler doesn’t play.)
The score of this film is absolutely beautiful. Ludwig Goransson blends in tribal shouts and African drums in such a way that it very subtly pays homage to Africa, while accenting and supplementing the action or drama on screen. The combination only helps you sink further into the world of Wakanda.
The costume design from Ruth Carter is exquisite! Black Panther is a film in which it’s costume and wardrobe is like wallpaper, done well you won’t notice it but tacky wallpaper sticks out like a sore thumb. The colors, designs for different tribes, and materials are incredible. The production design is a beautiful imagining of an advanced civilization in Africa. Everyone came to WORK on Marvel’s first black superhero film in the MCU.
Black Panther represents Marvel’s showcasing of a lesser known character, who after this film will be a global favorite (for those who didn’t know the comic character). It also represents the showcasing of a predominately black cast and afro-futuristic story. It represents! In some ways, the importance of this film with the cinematic representation of a black superhero is on par with Barack Obama becoming president. Whoa! Did I say that? I did. Until this film, we haven’t had a black superhero who is as intelligent, rich, and powerful as his white counterparts. We haven’t seen a King and a hero like this. We haven’t seen black women who are equally elegant, poised, and intelligent as they are strong, skilled in combat, independent yet team players. Can movie characters be role models? They may not be the type you can talk to in the flesh, but they certainly are displayed as examples that little black boys and girls can be inspired by.
Who are you? It’s a question that is asked multiple times throughout the film and in various ways. Knowing yourself and who you are is huge. This film subtly pushes the importance of knowing who you are, where you come from, and charting your path to greatness. Sometimes that takes seeing someone like you do something that you want to do but never thought possible. (Don’t read this next portion if you don’t want a spoiler, but this example doesn’t have any importance to the overall plot of the film.) Those possibilities and the beauty of sparking a young mind is encapsulated in the closing scene of the film when a young inner city kid is exposed to a Wakandan aircraft. As he looks at the aircraft he takes a moment and connects the dots of T’Challa being its owner. For anyone who doesn’t understand why this film is so important from a cultural level, that’s why. When a barrier can be broken, or a glass ceiling shattered, that means everything to the person who has been held back. Everyone should have the opportunity to dream and strive to see their dreams realized!
There is no wasted space in this film...except maybe the ubiquitous Stan Lee appearance. The film hits a perfect pace and tone, and has a great balance of suspense, humor and action. It’s Marvel’s best at-bat in my opinion, and how it represents is just icing on that cake. Ok. You’re finished reading, get to the theater ASAP! Talk to me in the comments section if you’ve seen it!
Rating: A
"Creed" Review: Embracing the Legacy while Charting New Territory
When I was a kid I used to watch Rocky on VHS over and over until the tape wore out. I would work out with Rocky during the training montages in Rocky IV, and I could probably still quote not just the dialogue, but the sound effects in the fights and montages as well. So when it comes to Creed, I know that I’m not alone in thinking that the new film has to stand on it’s own, while honoring the past. Folks, the torch has been passed, and Creed goes the distance!
Michael B. Jordan is Adonis “Donny” Johnson, son of the late champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). While he never met his father, fighting is in his blood. Whether fighting other kids in foster homes, juvenile detention, or fighting the feeling of illegitimacy, Donny’s life starts out on a fast track to nowhere. His father’s widow, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad), steps in and helps save him from the system.
While his new life trajectory puts him in a more affluent position, his thirst to fight is still unquenched. Fighting underground in Mexico on occasional weekends, Donny wants to take a real stab at professional boxing in the States but no one will train him. He turns to Philadelphia, to find Rocky (Sylvester Stallone), hoping to find not just a trainer but perhaps answers to questions about his father from the Italian Stallion as well.
From there, the story writes itself, following the underdog layout of films before with themes of determination, romance, struggle, and the will to overcome against odds. This new story is told beautifully however, and performed by a skilled cast. Sylvester Stallone has lived with the character he penned for over three decades now and it shows in his performance. The history of Rocky is on his face, and the relationships he’s had and lost (Apollo, Adrian (Talia Shire), Paulie (Burt Young)) can be heard in his speech. Michael B. Jordan gives an absolutely stellar show as Adonis. Both his physical transformation and his internal struggle as Donny, blend together to create a genuine character that the audience can get behind.
Coming off of Fruitvale Station, co-writer/director Ryan Coogler understands how to boil down a big story to an intimate character drama. With the weight of the Rocky franchise, Creed could have been an epic story that’s all pomp and no heart. Instead, Coogler finds the root of the underdog theme of the franchise and creates beautiful character moments in an ultimately well crafted story.
Creed is a love letter to both the films of the past, and more importantly the essence of what has made the franchise endure in the hearts of fans globally for years! It won’t disappoint. So after you finish eating turkey and all the fixings, wake up and make sure you head out to the local theater for the main event!
Rating: A
"Fantastic Four" Review
“Fantastic Four” is simply the Tin Man. It’s got the same old cinematic structure we’ve come to expect in a super hero film, but it has no heart. In fact, the actors look pretty soulless as they get their lines out to fulfill their contracts. Even the film’s villain is cheated out of being seen for at least half of the movie. (He gets 30 minutes, if that.) It’s sad, because this movie could have finally gotten the Fantastic Four franchise on track. While it dug into new territory with a new approach, it still dug itself into a hole that we should all hope it won’t return from.
Reed Richards (Miles Teller) has been a genius since he was a child. He was able to teleport a toy car between dimensions with his friend Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) in middle school. After being brought into some kind of an off the grid super science college (??? it’s never really clear as to what the place is) ran by Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey), Richards teams up with Sue Storm (Kate Mara), Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan), and Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbell) to create a stable inter-dimensional teleportation device.
After teleporting a monkey safely, the boys are looking for glory with their discovery. They decide to teleport themselves, only to return infected by the other world’s energy. Of course, the U.S. government steps in to try and weaponize the group, and for some reason a guy who can turn into flames and fly, a woman who can make herself invisible and create force fields, a guy super strong and made of rocks, and a genius who can stretch his body, all decide that they can’t fight the government and will do whatever they say.
It makes no sense. Much of the movie makes no sense. What are all the design schematics that they pull up on computers, monitors and displays throughout the movie? We’ll assume it’s something real for the movie. As Sue Storm quickly presses keys almost violently in a particular scene, we’ll assume she’s really getting somewhere for the movie. When the Earth has yet another portal beam sucking its contents through it, we’ll assume...wait, no we won’t. This doesn’t make sense, and we’ve seen this stuff before! Any super hero film asks you to believe what you’re seeing is real, but this one goes to far.
I had high hopes for “Fantastic Four”. The Fantastic Four cast (Teller, Mara, Jordan, & Bell) are all stellar young actors and have individually done much better work, but together the chemistry in this film didn’t work. The rote story and dialogue will make you regret that you paid for admission and think to yourself “could I walk out and sneak into Mission Impossible?” Save your money folks! Don’t even get it on Red Box. Just wait until it’s on cable.
Rating: F