September 17, 2025

The release of Creed 4 (2025) feels like both a continuation and a culmination of the legacy that began decades ago with the original Rocky. Directed with intensity and surprising restraint, the film finds a way to honor the boxing saga’s iconic roots while still carving out fresh thematic ground for Adonis Creed’s journey. From the very first frame, the movie throws you into a world where glory and responsibility collide; Michael B. Jordan once again delivers a commanding performance as Adonis, now more mature, battle-tested, and burdened by the weight of his choices. The cinematography is breathtaking, capturing both the electric chaos of the ring and the quiet loneliness of preparation. Every punch feels amplified by the haunting silence of sacrifice, making the fight sequences not just spectacles but reflections of character. What struck me most was how the film doesn’t simply glorify physical endurance but instead dissects the fragile humanity beneath the gloves.

Narratively, Creed 4 expands the scope beyond the familiar training montages and rivalries. This time, the emotional stakes are higher than ever, because the film is just as much about family and identity as it is about boxing. The script wisely acknowledges that Adonis can’t outrun his past; ghosts of both Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa loom heavily over him. Without spoiling too much, the introduction of a new rival—played with ferocious charisma by a breakout actor—shifts the tone of the movie from one of redemption to one of reckoning. This opponent isn’t just another man in the ring; he represents an entire philosophy of what boxing, survival, and legacy mean. Their clash becomes something larger than a championship bout; it’s a symbolic confrontation about pride, honor, and the inevitable cycle of violence that fuels the sport.

The supporting cast shines as well, ensuring that Creed 4 never feels like a one-man show. Tessa Thompson once again brings grounding emotional weight as Bianca, whose own personal struggles intertwine with Adonis’s arc in surprisingly heartbreaking ways. Their dynamic isn’t sugarcoated—there are moments of raw conflict and painful honesty that remind you the cost of ambition doesn’t just fall on the fighter. New characters breathe life into the story, from young protégés eyeing Adonis’s footsteps to figures from his father’s past who cast unsettling shadows over the present. Even though Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa is absent from the screen this time, his presence lingers like a silent mentor in spirit, a constant reminder of the road paved by sacrifice and stubborn will.

Technically, the film is a triumph. The choreography of the boxing matches is unlike anything in the previous entries—brutal, lyrical, and deeply psychological. One particular fight sequence, shot in a continuous take, feels less like a sporting event and more like a surreal dreamscape where sweat, blood, and desperation merge into pure cinematic poetry. The score, blending contemporary beats with echoes of Bill Conti’s classic themes, elevates the tension to near operatic levels. It’s a reminder that Creed has always been about more than boxing—it’s about rhythm, heartbeat, and the primal sound of fists meeting flesh. The editing choices slow down key moments, stretching out seconds into eternities, making the viewer feel every hit, every gasp, every glance exchanged between opponents who understand that one mistake could end not just the fight but everything they’ve built.

Ultimately, Creed 4 (2025) is a film about legacies: how they’re inherited, how they’re reshaped, and how they sometimes weigh too heavily to carry alone. It is an emotionally exhausting, visually striking, and thematically resonant entry that solidifies Adonis Creed as a figure worthy of standing alongside Rocky Balboa in the pantheon of cinematic sports heroes. The movie is not without its flaws—some pacing issues in the second act, and perhaps an overindulgence in melodrama—but its heart beats so powerfully that these imperfections almost fade away. By the final bell, you’re left with a sense of closure and continuation all at once: closure for a chapter in Adonis’s life, continuation of the idea that strength is not defined by victory but by resilience. In a landscape where sequels often feel like recycled products, Creed 4 rises above, delivering not just another fight but a story that matters.