Creed III (2023)
The third Creed movie delivers as a gripping family drama that sports some intense boxing sequences.
But to be fair, it also follows a fairly predictable storyline that is reminiscent of some of the later Rocky-sequels.
Creed III is the first movie directed by Michael B. Jordan, who also returns in the starring role as Adonis Creed.
The champ may be retired from the ring, he now runs a glamorous gym and is also a Don King-style (‘minus the hair’) organizer of lucrative boxing events.
Adonis gets sidetracked when he is approached by his childhood friend Damian (Jonathan Majors), who just spent 18 years in jail for an incident in which young Donnie was also involved.
Damian is a former Golden Gloves champion and he now looks to Adonis for a shot at the heavy weight title.
But are they still the same people they once were? You don’t have to be a genius to figure out quite early on that the former best buds ‘are heading for a showdown,’ as Jeff Lynne (E.L.O.) once so eloquently put it.
Thanks to Jordan, Creed III is very well-acted with Majors delivering a killer role that’s much better than his part (as Kang) in the last Ant-Man movie.
The cinematography is also great: dark and moody on the one hand, while other parts are very well-lit, all in all a wonderful look.
There is also some high quality drama, involving Adonis’s musician wife Bianca (the luminous Tessa Thompson) and their deaf daughter Amara (the lovely Mila Davis-Kent).
Creed III is not perfect, but it’s still an above average blockbuster sequel.