Creed 3 Review
Theatrical review
Most of us love a good underdog story. We want to believe that the people with the most fame, the most power, the most wealth won’t always be the ones to come out on top. We cling to the hope that maybe we can find some success even if we aren’t the ones favored to find it. So when a movie comes out where the seemingly weaker person prevails, we all cheer. Sports movies tend to do this really well, and the “Rocky” franchise has one of the most enduring underdog stories. In his directorial debut, Michael B. Jordan brings us another entry in that franchise with “Creed III.”
Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) has done it. He is the heavyweight champion of the world. He has retired from boxing and is spending time with his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and his daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). His days consist of managing his gym and having tea parties until his old friend Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors) shows up after almost two decades in prison, asking for help to get back into boxing. Despite his concerns, Adonis helps his old friend, but the more success that Dame gains, the more it drives these men apart.
This is an incredibly powerful movie. It speaks well to both the desire to run from your past, and also to try to relive your past, and how neither of these are a healthy practice for dealing with past mistakes or successes. Both Majors and Jordan give phenomenal performances. We have two men here at the top of their acting game, and it shows. Every interaction between them is filled with passion. They are both masterful in this.
The supporting cast does precisely that, giving a rich tapestry for them to work with. Davis-Kent, a young deaf actor, does an amazing job as the young Creed, giving her so much personality in the brief time she has on screen. And Thompson is lovely, creating a character who both challenges and supports her partner. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a character who doesn’t add something to the story.
Technically, this is also a phenomenal movie. The fight choreography is fast paced and looks authentic, but it is balanced with some heartfelt character driven moments as well. And even in the midst of the matches, we learn about the characters and their motivations. The final fight between Creed and Anderson is artfully done while never taking away from the action that is right in front of us. Jordan clearly understands Creed as a character and his direction in this is a thing of beauty.
It is incredibly hard to do a spin-off well. It is also difficult to pull off a successful sequel, let alone two. One might even call this movie an underdog. And yet here we are with “Creed III,” rising above the challenges to deliver an absolute knock-out.
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on March 5, 2023.