‘Creed III’ Review: Highly Predictable Film Still Entertaining Thanks To Jonathan Majors’ Acting & Michael B. Jordan’s Directing
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We’re back for a third round of Adonis Creed’s life with Creed III. Making his directorial debut, Michael B. Jordan executes his vision for the future of the films in this franchise, which is something to appreciate as each of the movies has a different director who frames Creed with their own style. In this installment, Adonis faces a new challenge: the past. Alongside Jordan, the movie stars Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris and Phylicia Rashad. Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin wrote the screenplay.
A young Adonis (Thaddeus J. Mixon) sneaks out of the house on a school night to hang with friend Damien Anderson (Spence Moore II) so he can attend a boxing match. The young man is in his homie’s corner and watches his friend win the amateur fight. After the bout, the two stop at the store, where the young man sees someone from his past and things go left. Smash cut to adult Adonis (Jordan) hanging with his daughter and relaxing at home. He’s retired and has his own fight studio where he trains other boxers, including the current heavyweight champion Felix Chavez (Jose Benavidez).
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Coming out of the studio after a meeting with Chavez and his mother Laura (Selenis Leyva), he sees Damien (Majors) after nearly 20 years. They have lunch together, and Damien relays he’s tried to contact him with letters, but Adonis never received them. He boxed and continued to train while in prison and laments that Adonis has the life he was supposed to, which prompts him to ask for a heavyweight title fight against Chavez. Of course, the answer was no at first. However, a chance opportunity comes, and Adonis has to decide if his friend is ready, or will this be a choice he regrets.
Creed III is less about physical act of boxing and action and more about teaching the audience about what boxing is and what it isn’t. It’s a sport that requires a certain level of training and skill that takes years to master; it isn’t just a brawl in the middle of the ring. For Adonis to really understand this, he must tap into his past and begin to heal before he can move on to being the husband and father he wants to be. Years of plunging himself into his work has distracted him from addressing real issues. This film definitely sees Adonis mature as a character.
As for the directing, Jordan knocks it out of the park. There was some hesitance on my part based on his inexperience with a mainstream movie (which most first-timers normally to stay away from). The visuals are full of action and energy, with the boxing sequences being a series of long cuts that catch every maneuver and every punch with uncanny precision. There is a lot of risk taking here in combining action and drama, which he balances visually. You can tell Jordan has been in the business for a long time and has been paying attention on set and shadowing directors whenever he could get a chance.
Majors elevates any project he’s a part of. Having seen the same characters from Creed and Creed II and what they can deliver for the past two films, he’s a breath of fresh air. Although Damien’s journey is rather unrealistic, even as a flawed underdog the viewer roots for him. Jordan seems a bit more disconnected from the narrative, maybe that’s because he has to juggle both acting and directing. Hopefully, that balance will come with more experience and directing opportunities.
As a story, Creed III isn’t as interesting. There is a lot of sameness, and the audience can see the conclusion coming a mile away. The emotional beats that peek into Adonis’ past are the most engaging because it gives Creed more humanity.
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