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 these films in the franchise, which is something to appreciate as each of the movies has a different director who frames each Creed in their own style. In this new installment, Adonis faces a new challenge: the past. Alongside Jordan, the movie stars Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris and Phylicia Rashad.
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 his 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).
Coming out of the studio after a meeting with Chavez and his mother Laura (Selenis Leyva), he sees Damien (Majors) again 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 his younger friend 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 get in the ring and face his biggest fear. Years of plunging himself into his work his gym is family has distracted him from addressing some real issues — this is where we see the growth of the character.
As his first film, Jordan knocks the directing out of the park. There was some hesitance on my part based on his inexperience, especially because this is a mainstream film which most first-timers stay away from. The visuals are full of action and energy. The boxing sequences are a series of long cuts that catches every maneuver, and every punch with uncanny precision. There is a lot of risk taking here as combining action and drama. He’s really 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 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 peak into Adonis’ past are the most engaging because it gives Creed more humanity.