Review: 'Creed 3' Is A Strong Directorial Debut For Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan stars as Adonis Creed and Jonathan Majors as Damian Anderson in Creed III, A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Photo credit: Eli Ade. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved. CREED is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Can the Creed/Rocky franchise continue successfully without Sylvester Stallone? That’s the thing on the minds of many viewers when approaching the third film in the Creed trilogy, and something that the film does a fantastic job of avoiding. The film picks up after the previous entry, which had Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) facing off against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). Adonis, now retired, oversees a franchise of fighters and his own gym while prioritizing fatherhood and his corporation. It’s when his old friend Damien Anderson (Jonathan Majors) returns that the plot is able to get moving by creating new dynamics between the characters and something else.
If Creed III had to be defined in one (or two) word(s), it would be Jonathan Majors. Majors’ presence is electric, as he’s been all year, playing a villain that is just as easy to root for as the protagonist. Credit must also be given to the writers, who ensure that Dame’s motivations are fleshed out and make sense, making him an easier character to identify with and support. That’s not said to put down co-lead (and first-time director) Michael B. Jordan, who’s felt on both sides of the camera and can naturally be rallied behind as a protagonist. Speaking of Jordan, Creed III marks his first time helming a film, and he does a stellar job of it. His understanding of the genre and the intricacies seen in the ever-iconic fight scenes is evident, bringing new energy to the well-earned fights and creatively elevating them above past films while feeling nostalgic all the same. Jordan’s anime influences are clear, with the unique camera work and shots being reminiscent of some of the most famous anime battles of all time. That said, there are visuals and shots introduced in the opening of the film that could be used again but seemingly disappear, even though they could contribute to the immersion and narrative by helping us get in Adonis’ head and back. Nonetheless, the fight scenes in this film can’t be described as anything less than electric, as we’re unable to look away from the screen, fully drawn into the (expanded aspect ratio) fights.
Jonathan Majors stars as Damian Anderson in director Michael B. Jordan’s Creed III, A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Photo credit: Eli Ade © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved. CREED is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Unfortunately, the emotional beats and stakes throughout the second and third acts of the film fail to land effectively as the pacing begins to drag, possibly due to my lack of connection to the franchise or because of the abruptness and slight imbalance of exposition in those sections of the runtime. That said, there is a strong balance of show and tell throughout the film when discussing these characters’ pasts, leaving enough up to our imaginations to keep us engaged while laying down the groundwork for us. Ultimately, there are sections of the film that, because of the way it’s structured, feels formulaic. Even though the second act could’ve been paced up with certain plot points altered or removed entirely, Creed III makes up for it with an explosive third act, one of the best in the franchise and in the history of sports films.
Creed III is now in theaters.
