‘Creed III’ Review: Round three proves Michael B. Jordan can stand on his own two feet
Ever since the third film in the Creed film series was announced, there has been a certain level of scepticism surrounding Sylvester Stallone’s absence and whether Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut can go the distance without having the strength of Rocky Balboa fighting in his corner. Well, we can now thankfully confirm that Creed III indeed stands on its own two feet as a contender in its own right.
The film opens with things going terrifically well for Adonis ‘Donny’ Creed; he has recently retired from his excellent boxing career and is training the next generation of talent to challenge for world titles. His family life is in good health, too, being surrounded by those he loves dearest, his mother, his wife Bianca, and his daughter Amara.
Even when his old friend Damian ‘Dame’ Anderson (played by utter beefcake Jonathan Majors) shows up, having been released from a two-decade sentence in prison, wanting a shot at the heavyweight boxing title (a privilege Donny was previously afforded), he sees it as an opportunity to further his status as a trainer, boxing promoter and an all-around good person. However, when Dame’s shot at the title came within the first 45 minutes of the film, one couldn’t help but think that it had arrived too early, sucking the tension out of the plot somewhat. It was at that point, though, that we realise that there is more to Donny and Dame’s relationship than first meets the eye and the real narrative of the film is revealed – one of jealousy and betrayal that goes way back to their childhoods.
Creed III possesses all the hallmarks of an excellent boxing movie. The boxing itself is tight and controlled, the slow-motion connections hit the audience with full force, and in each fight, we genuinely don’t know in which way things will swing. The training montages (an absolute necessity) are some of the best in recent memory and show the sheer physical commitment of both Jordan and Majors. There is also the family and friend-orientated motif of loyalty at play, which brings weight and meaning to the proceedings, showing that we can only fight if we have something worth putting our bodies on the line for.
A boxing film is pretty much always an enjoyable experience, from the internal violence of Raging Bull to the exploration of drug abuse in The Fighter. Creed III is no different and provides a solid bout of training, fighting and emotional tension in equal measure. There is a layer of reality to the production, from the fictional promotional material to the behind-the-scenes glimpse at the lavish lifestyle that success in the sport affords.
The third Rocky film was an utter disappointment, looking to cash in by bringing in Mr T as Stallone’s rival, leaving doubt as to where the series might be heading – although this subsequently led to one of the franchise’s best efforts in Rocky IV. Creed III suffers no such fate, although one might be concerned as to whether the writing and directing team can muster up yet another winner. At some point, one must simply lay down on the mat, be counted out, and hang up their gloves one final time with admonishing respect.
At one point in Creed III, Donny notes that people are still talking about Rocky Balboa and his extraordinary career (as indeed we are), yet if the third iteration of the Creed franchise – and its two predecessors – are anything to go by, then boxing cinema fans will be uttering Creed’s name in the same breath for generations to come.
