It’s finally here and Creed III packs a punch. While I can’t promise that that’ll be the last pun of this review, I can promise that I thoroughly enjoyed this flick. I don’t want to be a prisoner of the moment but this film not only holds up to the high quality of the Creed franchise, it might be my favorite.
We’re taken back to the world of Rocky Balboa… wait, there’s no Rocky. Where’s Rocky? Was he missed? I had a couple of fleeting thoughts about him in the film but Michael B Jordan reprising his roles as Adonis Creed did a more than adequate job filling in the gap. On top of that, this is Michael B Jordan’s directorial debut.
The movie begins with a retiring Adonis Creed… that’s right, he’s no longer the young fighter with a chip on his shoulder. Now he’s a slightly older fighter with some chips in his trophy case. When you’ve become filthy rich by getting punched in the face, retirement looks all too good… especially when your the former “sexiest man alive” and your wife is a multi-platinum-selling singer and producer.
Adonis becomes a stay-at-home father, supporting his wife Bianca (played by Tessa Thompson), and happily attends tea parties with his daughter, Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). This series has faithfully prioritized representation and continues to do so in this third installment. Because Bianca’s hearing is declining and Amara is deaf, there is plenty of ASL in this film. I found it beautiful that the entire Creed family knows sign language and there are some sweet signing moments between Adonis and Amara.
As Adonis steps away from the ring, Creed turns his attention to mentoring young fighters including his shining star: a young Latino champion named Felix Chávez. Any relation to Julio César? Unclear.
But a ghost from Creed’s former life won’t let him forget the past. And that ghost is Damian Anderson, played by Jonathan Majors, who might have stolen the show.
Like it’s predecessors, Creed’s biggest opponent is himself. Following some of the familiar beats from previous Rocky films, Creed will have to face his conflict in the world of boxing before he can face it in life.
It reminds of the great words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3. “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Like Paul, one thing is certain for Adonis Creed, the past will remain with him till he confront it… of course, not without a good obligatory Rocky-style montage.
While the acting in this film is captivating, I thought Michael B Jordan’s direction was impressive. While there a few scenes that I thought ended awkwardly, I found him to be more than capable in the director’s chair. Aesthetically, the dark tones communicated the burden that Adonis carried as well displayed the gravitas of the story. His use of the first-person perspective in the boxing ring gives us the disorienting feeling that we’ve been stunned. Also, after 6 Rocky movies and 2 Creed films, we’ve seen a fair share of fights. While Michael B captures some intense and emotional boxing matches, he also takes artistic license to give us a fresh new take on the fights that adds both depth and emotion to the already weighty match.
This movie does not drag at all. The story is credited to Ryan Coogler and penned by Zach Baylin and Ryan’s brother, Keenan Coogler. (By the way, for more on Ryan Coogler, listen to Season 1, Episode 6 of our podcast). Every moment of this story draws us in and moves the plot toward the climactic fight that will remembered amongst the greats of this franchise.
If you’re a lover, you’ll love this movie. If you’re a fighter, you’ll love this movie. If you’re a father you’ll love this movie. If you just appreciate a compelling story, you’ll love this movie.
I loved this movie and can’t wait to go a few more rounds with it. Hey, I kept the puns to a minimum. You’re welcome.
Go, and see Creed III immediately.
Episode Credits:
Writer and Host: Robert Rivera
Music by Rich Hurtado of Deep Blue Sounds, LLC
Producer: Robert Rivera, Rich Hurtado
Executive Producer: Emanuel Padilla
About robert Rivera
He is the co-host of Mixed Take, a World Outspoken podcast exploring the relationship between entertainment and culture through a biblical lens. You can connect with him on Twitter @robriv.
Brothers turn enemies. Watch the final trailer for #Creed3 now, starring Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, and Tessa Thompson. See the film only in theaters March 3.
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CREED III
Directed By: Michael B. Jordan
Screenplay By: Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin
Story By: Ryan Coogler, Keenan Coogler, and Zach Baylin
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Florian Munteanu
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CREED III | Final Trailer
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