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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Creed -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

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Creed will work a bit better as a film for those who have never heard of Rocky. For those who have, once you get passed the concept that it's basically a remake, you'll be fine, as the performances are excellent.

As one of Warner's 4k UHD releases, it's far better looking than those that preceded it, possibly with the exception of In the Heart of the Sea, which also works nicely in HDR, if not quite as well as Creed.

The plus for Creed is that the HDR isn't color / contrast boosted, as seems to have become the style for the majority of the early releases. It's almost as if there's a need to hit the consumer over the head with color, contrast, and baked in teals, oranges and dark blues, to prove that their HDR function is actually on.

As I've said in the past, there is no necessary relationship between 4k and HDR, and especially with 4k, HDR, and boosted attributes.

Shot as data, and finished as a 2k DI, Warner's 4k up-rez works nicely.

For that reason, Creed allows a gorgeous 4k image, with delicate HDR. It's an overall superb disc.

For those who haven't yet stuck a toe in the muddy waters of 4k, I continue to recommend the purchase of the 4k releases, to future-proof your library.

Image - 5

Audio - 5

4k - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended

RAH
 

Mark VH

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Creed will work a bit better as a film for those who have never heard of Rocky. For those who have, once you get passed the concept that it's basically a remake, you'll be fine, as the performances are excellent.

Recommended

RAH

Respectfully disagree with this take. I actually think the film itself works slightly better for those who are familiar with the tropes of the Rocky films, as Coogler is clearly paying homage to the formula while using said formula to create something fresh for a new generation (the references to all of the series' films throughout the film are clearly meant for fans). You can make the case that it leans too heavily on the structure of the original Rocky, but to dismiss it as simply a remake does a disservice to what Coogler achieves, something I feel he accomplishes with much greater aplomb than a certain other 2015 reboot.

As one commenter put it on Twitter (accurately, I think): "Creed is having a conversation with Rocky. The Force Awakens is just repeating what A New Hope already said."

For me, as someone who watched the Rocky movies a lot in my younger days without ever really worshiping them the way some do, I was absolutely (sorry) knocked out by what Coogler managed with this movie in finding a story not only worth telling, but one that felt like it needed to be told. I particularly love how the film embraces the entire Rocky legacy, not just the one or two good films in the series, and weaves in references to all the films in a way that feels organic to the story rather than simple fan service. In short, this was the Rocky movie I didn't know I wanted, and ranked high on my list of favorite movies of 2015.
 

Robert Harris

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Respectfully disagree with this take. I actually think the film itself works slightly better for those who are familiar with the tropes of the Rocky films, as Coogler is clearly paying homage to the formula while using said formula to create something fresh for a new generation (the references to all of the series' films throughout the film are clearly meant for fans). You can make the case that it leans too heavily on the structure of the original Rocky, but to dismiss it as simply a remake does a disservice to what Coogler achieves, something I feel he accomplishes with much greater aplomb than a certain other 2015 reboot.

As one commenter put it on Twitter (accurately, I think): "Creed is having a conversation with Rocky. The Force Awakens is just repeating what A New Hope already said."

For me, as someone who watched the Rocky movies a lot in my younger days without ever really worshiping them the way some do, I was absolutely (sorry) knocked out by what Coogler managed with this movie in finding a story not only worth telling, but one that felt like it needed to be told. I particularly love how the film embraces the entire Rocky legacy, not just the one or two good films in the series, and weaves in references to all the films in a way that feels organic to the story rather than simple fan service. In short, this was the Rocky movie I didn't know I wanted, and ranked high on my list of favorite movies of 2015.

Well said!
 
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Adam Lenhardt

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The original Rocky was about a great white hope who, having been handed a huge opportunity by Apollo Creed, lives out a Horatio Alger story arc of a self-made man who achieves success through grit, hard work and determination -- a living embodiment of the American Dream.

Creed is about legacy, which is an inherently more complex foundation. Adonis achieves success through hard work and determination, yes, but the movie is very cognizant of the importance of his support system. The movie opens with Apollo's widow rescuing him from the school-to-prison pipeline and providing him with all of the resources he needs to succeed in a white collar career. When he gets to Philadelphia, Rocky only takes Adonis under his wing because of the mingled feelings of guilt, respect and gratitude he feels for Apollo. Without a similar mentor to guide her up the ranks of the music industry, Bianca's career is stuck in neutral as her window for success slowly slips through her grasp. Some of my favorite scenes are the quiet ones with Adonis, Bianca and Rocky in Rocky's house. You feel both the sizable chasms between their experiences, and the bridges of affection that keep them together.
 

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