Creed III Movie Review

Since it first hit the masses in 2015, the Creed franchise has picked up the torch and delivered a great follow-up to an iconic set of films. Without Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky and only passing remarks to films past, is Creed III able to stand on its own two feet? Just like the star at its centre, this entry is always up to the challenge.

Having climbed his way to the top of the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Michael Jordan) has retired from the sport and now trains the next generation at his local gym in highly publicised bouts. Outside of the spotlight, Bianca Taylor (Tessa Thompson) continues her work in music production while raising their daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). Damien Anderson (Jonathan Majors), an old friend from Creed’s past, is released from prison and asks for a kickback on the years of fame he lost. The chip on Damien’s shoulder starts to cause trouble both in and out of the ring and Adonis struggles to rein in his violent tendencies. This time around Creed is on his own and the production firmly embraces this focus; there are no franchise connections to keep track of and no past grudges to settle. As a result, Creed III feels both immediate and highly engaging with its combination of boxing matches and behind-the-scenes drama; at times it can resemble the story beats of 1990’s Rocky V, but it never goes too over-the-top. The family interactions are very well done, though one small gap does emerge with Amara. Early on, she has some trouble at school but this thread isn’t raised again for the rest of the film. It’s the one chink in the story’s armour.

The glue that holds the characters together stems from an incident in 2002; by slowly revealing the details of Damien’s arrest, the film’s dramatic elements flow effortlessly. Adonis wrestles with the mistakes he made as a teenager while Damien feels he is owed the highest spot on the podium, fuelling his rage when taking on opponents. In turn, the stress starts to weigh on Bianca and Amara and the tough conversations they have with Adonis (both verbal and sign language) feel authentic and well-realised. Just like previous entries, the film never forgets about the emotional core, especially with Creed’s mother Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) who delivers some difficult details on the way through. Even the side characters are memorable with the personal trainers warning Creed about taking Damien on with little build-up or training.

Michael Jordan also makes his directorial debut in Creed III and the continuing collaboration with cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau creates a sleek and precise picture. For the fight scenes we have a hefty focus on weak points and visceral impacts, making the audience feel every blow. Things get especially creative in the climax with a visual washout that leaves only Adonis and Damian on-screen, emphasising their personal conflict. Of course the training montage feels rugged and weighty, intercutting between the two characters as they ready themselves for battle. For a film about boxing and physical adversity, you’ll be surprised at how serene and tender it can be. The soundtrack relies heavily on ambience outside of the arenas and the overhead lighting only adds to the atmosphere; the music also removes the common cues from the Rocky series, emphasising the intent to move away from past releases. Like all of its predecessors, Creed III fully immerses the audience into the action, presenting the fights and emotions with the same level of detail.

Breaking off from its legacy roots, Creed III is another knockout success that retains its place among the finest modern sport dramas. The story is committed and personal, its characters likeable and the talent behind the camera remains at the peak of the genre. This is one franchise that deserves your continued attention.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Brilliant)