Creed doesn’t need Rocky to succeed.
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Five years after the first sequel, the Creed franchise returns with Creed III, an astonishing directorial debut of star Michael B. Jordan. The film also stars Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Florian Munteanu, and Phylicia Rashad.
Creed III follows the events of its 2018 predecessor. We see Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Jordan) thriving in both his boxing career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian "Dame” Anderson (Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Donnie must put his future on the line to battle Dame – a fighter who has nothing to lose.
The film takes its time building up to the fight scenes and in those quiet moments, it plays on emotion and explores the family dynamic between Donnie, his mother (Rashad), his wife Bianca (Thompson) and daughter Amara. It retains the heart of the franchise and proves to be more than just a sports film about boxing. There may not be anything fresh about the plot but Creed III's display of confronting one's past and learning to make peace with it is strong.
Since the release of the first Creed film back in 2015, Jordan and Thompson have established a powerful connection on screen that it’s phonemenal to see how more in tune they are reuniting for the third time. Their chemistry is crucial in moulding the familial plot of the film to fall into place so naturally.
Following in the great footsteps of past films in both the Rocky and Creed franchises, this installment achieves to bring something new to the table and that’s largely in part due to director/star Jordan’s clear vision and deep understanding of his character. The slow burn of the film makes every fight scene a satisfying watch, especially in the third act. The final fight sequence is the best indication of how this film sets itself apart from anything we’ve seen from the franchises. It’s a fresh and bold execution of boxing in film and apparently we have anime to thank for that.
The pinnacle of Creed III, however, is rising star Majors. The actor has proven to be one of the most exciting talents to date and his work on the film further cements that notion. Only a powerful force such as Majors is capable of being both endearing and terrifying on screen, bringing to life an antagonist viewers would root for, making the final showdown between his Dame and Jordan’s Donnie all the more exhilarating. There’s a beautiful balance of power play between the two characters and it’s a testament to both actors playing off each other’s talents. Majors is a definite scene-stealer every time he’s on screen, giving Jordan a run for his money from almost stealing the whole show from under his nose but the latter perseveres with his own talent and charisma. It is a Creed film after all.
Creed III proves that this spin-off franchise is more than capable to hold its own without Rocky Balboa’s involvement. Its final showdown was made for the big screens and nothing more.
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