Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
It’s not very often that the ninth film in a franchise still manages to land a punch (I promise I’ll go easy on the boxing metaphors), but the Rocky, and now Creed, movies are often surprising. The sustainability of a series about the rise and fall and rise and fall and rise of a boxer seems repetitive on paper, but the franchise has been in a state of constant re-invention for years now, something that Creed III, the latest to hit theaters, shows like no other.
The beginning of this now-trilogy, 2015’s Creed, was an unlikely success. The franchise had its conclusion in Rocky Balboa and to reignite it with a spin-off series following the previously unestablished son of Apollo Creed seemed risky at best, but the vision of Ryan Coogler and the affability of Michael B. Jordan, combined with having Sly Stallone in your corner (sorry!) made for an excellent feature. The second entry gave us everything we could have wanted and more — the bout between Adonis and Viktor Drago, the son of the man (Ivan Drago) who killed his father. It was a straight-from-the-shoulder (sorry!) direct hit.
For many, expectations were high for this third entry.
It delivers.
Creed III is a one-two punch (sorry!) of drama and action that’s a doozy all the way through the 12th round (sorry!).
In this latest entry, Adonis (Jordan) has retired on top of the world. He leaves the sport of heavyweight boxing as its undisputed champion with an eye on training and promoting the next generation. His beautiful family (with a supporting performance from Tessa Thompson, whose talents are being wasted away in the MCU) is ready for him to be home more and ready to watch the new phase of his life from their ringside seats (sorry!).
But when a childhood friend (Jonathan Majors, whose immeasurable talents look to be wasted by the MCU for years to come) gets out of prison and calls in an old favor, sucker-punching (sorry!) Adonis, he has to show that he’s still the champ.
It’s a movie riddled with cliché, melodrama, and, of course, high expectations. Combine that with the fact that this is the ninth. movie. in. this. franchise. and this could almost play as self-parody if in the wrong hands.
Plus, where the hell is Rocky? It’s the first movie in the series to not feature the Italian Stallion in some way — and that’s exactly why the movie works so well. Reinvention. New direction. Fresh takes and fresh voices are what’s kept this franchise off the ropes (sorry!) as it entered the 21st century.
Take the absence of Stallone, for example. If this trilogy is about Adonis, not Rocky, how long can Stallone be the elephant in the room? How long can you do the ‘Rocky comes out of retirement one last time to train Creed’ thing? Well, according to the folks behind the camera for this one, the answer is twice. You can do it in Creed and Creed II, but it’s exhausted by the third one and it’s time to tag-in (that’s a wrestling reference, but sorry anyway!) Adonis and make it his story and his story only.
The same is true behind the camera as Michael B. Jordan makes his directorial debut with a franchise he has been tasked with shepherding. At times, he over-directs the movie with some lingering dramatic pauses, some over-compensating shot composition, and the franchise’s first foray into magical realism. He’s leading with his chin (sorry!) and the directing part of his directing could probably use a step back. However, he finds most of his success in taking over the franchise and leading it solo. Without the strong direction of Ryan Coogler or Steven Caple Jr., or the stability of Stallone, Jordan’s strongest work is in making this franchise his own. Leading by example and taking it in a new direction.
It helps that he surrounds himself with talent. Coogler returns for some story ideas as he continues to help steer the franchise. Composer Joseph Shirley uses the Rocky motifs to find new dramatic tension in the underscoring. Thompson and Phylicia Rashad play the women in his life, giving Adonis direction both inside and outside of the ring.
But despite Jordan’s strong efforts guiding the cast and crew (and the excellent work they put forth), Jonathan Majors steals the show. He is a real heavy-hitter (sorry!) and if you don’t know him well, he won’t be on the undercard for long (sorry – I promise I am actually done now). He’s shown his toughness in the black western The Harder They Fall and his sensitive side in the powerful drama The Last Black Man in San Francisco. He gets to do both in Creed III as the over-the-hill ex-con finding redemption and/or revenge in boxing — on its biggest stages. It’s a difficult line to ride, the one of power and sensitivity, and one that has been done with success throughout the franchise by the likes of Stallone, Burgess Meredith, Dolph Lundgren, and, of course, Jordan. Aside from Stallone’s deeply personal performance in the original film, Majors rivals them all. He’s commanding, stubborn, booming, vengeful — all of the things you want your villain to be. He’s also charismatic, thoughtful, and endearing — all of the things that make villains interesting. In a long line of memorable and love-to-hate-’em Rocky bad guys, he’s one of the best.
It would be so easy for this film to fall flat, leaning back on old tropes and nostalgia bait — the disappointments of most long-running franchises. But with the leadership of Michael B. Jordan, the best of sparring partners (I just can’t help myself!) in Jonathan Majors, and a cast and crew that always strives for the best, Creed III is just as good as the most loyal fans want it to be.
Creed III has a run time of 1 hour 56 minutes, and is rated PG-13 for intense sports action, violence and some strong language.
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