Creed III, is the third installment of the Creed series. With Michael B. Jordan, (Black Panther, Just Mercy), returning as Adonis Creed as well as showcasing his directorial debut.
As opposed to the previous Creed films where Adonis has to confront the past of his father’s life, Apollo Creed, this film focuses solely on the past of Adonis himself.
Adonis is at the top of the boxing world and has decided to retire. He’s learning to adjust to being a family man with his wife Bianca, played by Tessa Thompson (Thor: Love and Thunder, MIB: International), and deaf daughter Amara, played by Mila-Davis Kent.
However, his simple life of retirement is short lived as his childhood best friend/brother, Damian Anderson played by Jonathon Majors (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantanium, The Harder They Fall), reconnects with Adonis after being locked up for 18 years. With hopes to continue their friendship, it falls apart as they both cannot let go of the past and come at odds with one another.
The film does a great job of balancing the struggle that Adonis is facing throughout the movie. He is having to confront his past while being the father and husband that his family needs.
Meanwhile Damian serves to show how Adonis is brash and still does not know how to properly cope with his own internal struggles. Which in turn seeps into how he interacts with Bianca as well as when he is having his daughter tough but important life lessons.
For starters, Michael B. Jordan is once again fantastic in this role. Adonis is a physical force. He is strong and monstrous when he steps into the ring. Michael B. Jordan is able to capture that ferocity while also being emotionally vulnerable in times when he is conflicted or having to face trauma.
Then across the ring with him is Jonathon Majors as Damien. He is another physical force to be reckoned with. He is really able to capture the resentment that Damien holds over Adonis. At times he is able to be charismatic while holding this sense of unease throughout scenes that helps you to see that he clearly holds something against Adonis.
Jordan and Majors bounce off each other so well and you truly buy into this journey of friend turn to foe.
The fights within the films are very well choreographed. You can hear and feel the impact of the swings fighters throw at one another. When they throw a punch it's like a gun being fired and the impact is no different. Jordan also does a fantastic job in being able to tell a story throughout the fights as you really get the personalities and history of the fighters within the ring.
The only real complaint is the quick pacing towards the middle of the film.
The conflict of the two men becomes apparent and quickly escalates. It is not horrible by any means. Just that when the two are in scenes together you want more of that. They bounce off so well that I wish there were more scenes or moments you get of the two interacting. Especially when it comes to their relationship. Just setting aside some extra time to watch the motivations of each build up would serve a little bit better in the grand scheme of the film.
Overall though if you have not seen the Creed series I recommend going to watch the last two films. Then rush to the theaters to watch Creed III as it caps off a very strong entry into the trilogy.