Ralph Potts reviews this all new chapter in the iconic Rocky story that tells of young Adonis Johnson, son of deceased world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who has boxing in his blood but must first develop the heart of a true fighter.
The Review at a Glance:
(max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/UHD Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
86
Details:
Studio and Year: Warner – 2015
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 133 minutes
Genre: Drama
Disc Format: BD-66
Encoding: HEVC
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 2160p/24
Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio, English/French/Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Anthony Bellew
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Music by: Ludwig Goransson
Written by: Ryan Coogler & Aaron Covington
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: June 7, 2016
“Your Legacy is More than a Name”
My Take:
Adonis Johnson (Jordan) never knew his famous father, world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born. Still, there’s no denying that boxing is in his blood, so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with a tough upstart named Rocky Balboa. Once in the City of Brotherly Love, Adonis tracks Rocky (Stallone) down and asks him to be his trainer. Despite his insistence that he is out of the fight game for good, Rocky sees in Adonis the strength and determination he had known in Apollo—the fierce rival who became his closest friend. Agreeing to take him on, Rocky trains the young fighter, even as the former champ is battling an opponent more deadly than any he faced in the ring.
With Rocky in his corner, it isn’t long before Adonis gets his own shot at the title…but can he develop not only the drive but also the heart of a true fighter, in time to get into the ring?
Before offering my comments on Creed I wanted to share my thoughts on Rocky:
Rocky holds a very special place in my heart. I have been a fan since 1976 when my mother took me (at the age of 12) to see it in the theater. I have seen every sequel theatrically since. Before home video I watched them every chance I got when they were broadcast on television. For me Rocky is the most complete of them and could easily have stood on its own as a masterful cinematic work. Then again, what fun would that have been? The original film is multifaceted with an intrinsically engaging and heartwarming story that remains as powerful today as it did 30 plus years ago.
Rocky, the underdog, uneducated, local boy whose name was drawn for a title shot and simply wants to go the distance against the heavyweight champion of the world. The establishment of his relationship with Mickey, Adrienne, and Paulie is cemented into place and builds the foundation that will carry on throughout the series. It also connects us with them in a personal way through the wonderfully crafted script. This film introduces us to the first of Rocky’s “opponents” in Apollo Creed, the training montage, and the use of stirring, thematic music that conjoin the dramatic build up/fight sequences and encapsulates the tone of each of the films.
I recall having very mixed feelings when I initially heard about Creed. I mean it seemed like a stretch to make yet another “Rocky” film, despite the idea of contemporizing it with a plot involving the son of Apollo Creed. I went to see it with my family after the film began causing quite a bit of buzz online and among friends that had seen it. As I watched all of my concerns were assuaged as I found myself caught up in the story, characters and familiar tone. It was immediately obviously to me that co-writer/director Ryan Coogler loved Rocky and wanted to build upon its foundation in a meaningful AND contemporary way. He succeeded.
I really enjoyed the flow of the film and how the narrative’s arc stayed true to the thematic essence of the original Rocky. By that I mean it’s about a young man facing internal and external struggles that only he can overcome. He comes to realize that he can’t do it alone and has to put his faith/trust in someone other than himself. It’s an emotionally rich plot that is capably supported by drama, light romance and several rousing set pieces/training montages derived in the spirit of the type of melodramatic boxing competition we have come to expect and enjoy from Rocky films. Michael B. Jordan gave a terrific performance, one which should have garnered him an Oscar nomination. Sylvester Stallone was easily as good, providing what I considered to be his best performance since Rocky. He received an Oscar nomination and won several awards, including a Golden Globe. How appropriate that this would come in connection with a character that he created which has become so deeply ingrained in out pop culture.
I thoroughly enjoyed Creed. As a Rocky fan I found its refreshing take and homage to the character and earlier films to be spot on and very entertaining. ‘Nuff said…
Parental Guide:
The rating is for violence, language, some sensuality and thematic material.
AUDIO/VIDEO – By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100/EXCELLENT = 83-91/GOOD = 74-82/AVERAGE = 65-73/BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
Audio: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Dynamics:
Low frequency effects:
Surround Sound presentation:
Clarity/Detail:
Dialog Reproduction:
DSU/DTS Neural:X Rating * (non-rated element):
UHD Presentation: 80
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
HDR: Dark Highlights:
HDR: Bright Highlights:
HDR: Expanded Color & WCG:
Resolution:
Visual Impact:
Ultra HD Blu-ray has finally been released and eager enthusiasts are ready and willing to see what it has to offer. For those not familiar with the details regarding Ultra HD Blu-ray you can refer to my article that includes some pertinent data on the subject. Here is the link:
Ultra HD Blu-ray Has Come to AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
For those not willing to refer to the article linked above, I have included some comments here. The implementation of high dynamic range as it stands currently, doesn’t appear to have exacting standards and no calibration tools to allow for a foundational threshold for setting up a visual system. This leaves us to do the best we can to determine what appears to be accurate, at least for the time being. With that in mind, my approach to reviewing Ultra HD Blu-ray will be to assess the elements observed which I find to generate the most significant visual impact when compared to standard high definition Blu-ray.
For me, high dynamic range, with its broader spectrum of colors and emboldened highlights in the areas of contrast and brightness, is where the potential lies in the format. The increase in resolution, while an important component, isn’t going to be definitive in every case, especially given that currently many of the Ultra HD Blu-ray releases are derived from 2K Digital Intermediates that are up-converted to 4K. This shouldn’t be strictly construed to mean that such up-converted images won’t look noticeably better than their 1080p counterparts. Conversely, a release finished on a 4K Digital Intermediate isn’t a guarantee that it will be heads and shoulders above the rest. So, what can you expect to hear from me when discussing what I observed from Ultra HD Blu-ray? I will hit upon the things that struck me, the impact, or lack of impact, of HDR and the improvement, if any, in resolution when compared to 1080p Blu-ray. The outcome will be a rating as seen above.
Front projection for home theater is just stepping through the door with respect to the reproduction of HDR. My goal is to present readers with a reasonable expectation of what they can expect when viewing the same content that I have. There may be variables that differ slightly however I believe that in general the outcome will be close. As we are exposed to more and more content and calibration tools come onboard we will have better perspectives from which to gauge. Thanks for reading!
Creed comes to Ultra HD Blu-ray from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment featuring 2160pHEVC encoded video and lossless DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4.6 Mbps.
Creed garnered a solid report from me on its video quality in 1080p. Its use of color grading intentionally left some sequences appearing less visually engaging than others and that trend continues with its presentation in Ultra HD which was rendered from a 2K DI and up-converted to 4K. Color reproduction is consistent, with primaries like blue and red appearing richer, even a bit more delineated. Secondary hues look great, although not appreciably better. The increase in resolution isn’t always on display, especially in wide angle shots, although I believe that this is innate to the photography. Close-ups tend to offer better refinement and deeper resolvable texture on surfaces and physical features compared to the Blu-ray. The improvements are subtle but present.
The same is true when comparing the video’s dynamic range. Exterior sequences offer the slightest hint of added punch where the sun reflects off of objects etc. Where the presentation really shines is during the fight sequences as the contrast of the ring lighting against the darkened/shadowy areas of the arena looks terrific. The darkened highlights in the low lit city streets, Rocky’s house and nightclub have excellent dimension and resolvable detail. Fleshtones were a bit warm but retained a natural and pleasing tonality. Viewing Creed in Ultra HD wasn’t an eye opening experience however I found it to be a complimentary improvement over the 1080p Blu-ray presentation.
The is a sneaky good DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 channel soundtrack that features crystal clear dialogue, robust dynamics and a subtly aggressive and involving surround sound mix. I was impressed with the implementation of both spacial dimension and discrete directional sounds that created a realistic and occasionally immersive listening environment. This worked hand in hand with film’s music, and thematic elements to build tension and help drive the story. The low frequency rumble of synth bass and resonating punch that underscored the dramatic points sounded great. Be sure to turn this one up, sit back and take it in. It’s a lot of fun!
Blu-ray Video:
Video: 92
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Resolution/Clarity:
Black Level/Shadow Detail:
Color Reproduction:
Fleshtones:
Compression:
Creed comes to Blu-ray Disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 23 Mbps.
Lighting schemes are effectively used in this film to help set the tone/setting based upon the mood of the scene and characters within it. The chroma range isn’t diverse but hues can vary from being sullen and inanimate to warm and inviting. Skin tones are appropriately bland with natural highlights and descriptive variation. Images onscreen are exquisitely detailed and sharp with superb depth of field and visible texture during wide angle shots. Contrast is spot on and blacks are deep with revealing delineation that provides excellent perceptibility during scenes shot at night or in lower lighting. The video has a clean, pristine quality that enhanced dimensionality and provided a looking through a window effect.
Bonus Features:
Disc 1: Creed Ultra HD Blu-ray
Disc 2: Creed Blu-ray
(HD) Know the Past, Own the Future – 14 minute featurette
(HD) Becoming Adonis – 5 minute featurette
(HD) Deleted Scenes – 19 minutes
Digital HD Copy
Final Thoughts:
Creed successfully captures the essence and freshness of the original Rocky, paying a rousing homage to the character and films that have become near and dear to its devoted fans. It comes to Blu-ray from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment in this Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack featuring fair Ultra HD video quality, solid high definition audio/video, and a diminutive but worthwhile supplemental set. I thoroughly enjoyed Creed and highly recommend that you give it a spin on the highest quality format supported by your home theater system.
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Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS500 3D/4K Ready High Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Calman 5 & C6-HDR Meter from Spectracal)
Stewart Filmscreen – Studiotek 130 G3 100” 16×9 Screen
Carada Masquerade Horizontal Masking System
Marantz AV8802A 13.2 Channel Audio/Video Processor
Sherbourn Technologies – 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier
B&K Reference 200.7 Series 2 Seven Channel Amplifier
Oppo BDP-103D Universal Disc/3D capable Blu-ray Player
Samsung UBD-K8500 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Sony Playstation 3 Blu-ray disc Player
System Controller: Apple iPad/iRule Pro HD Universal Remote Control
Canton “Ergo” and In-Ceiling series speakers
Axiom Audio QS8 Quadpolar speakers
SVS PB-13 Ultra (Rosenut finish)
SVS PC12-NSD
Panamax M5400-PM Power Conditioner/Surge Protector
Wireworld, Better Cables (Silver Serpent) – Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
Cool Components – CP-CP102 cooling package
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