Creed III Movie Review: Michael B Jordans Brilliant Boxing Blockbuster Hits Home With Power And Urgency
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Technically, this boxing drama is the ninth Rocky movie, but for the first time in the series, Philadelphia boxer Sylvester Stallone is nowhere to be found. Hurrah! The franchise needs fresh blood and that's exactly what new director Michael B. Jordan and new cast member Jonathan Majors are doing.
A little background, for those unfamiliar with every branch of the Rocky family tree. In 2015, attention turned to Adonis 'Donnie' Johnson, the illegitimate son of Rocky's nemesis Apollo Creed.
Creed made director Ryan Coogler and his star, Jordan, legitimate household names, and even in Coogler's absence, the sequel (in which Donnie Jordan comes face to face with Victor, the son of Rocky's Russian enemy Ivan Rocky's Drago IV) left . it managed to please punters and critics alike.
This action fighting series has been and always will be. But the urgency and power of the latest version remains a surprise.
As mentioned, for the third round, Jordan got behind the camera (surprisingly, given his slick acting, this is the first film he's directed). He starred in The Majors as Damien "Dam" Anderson, an ex-con Donny has known since they were kids.
Donnie is a crazy happy rich retiree (funny that he's a quiet home cook who keeps cutting the family line). His wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson, charming as always in 3D), their deaf daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent, irresistible) and adoptive mother Mary Ann Creed (Phylicia Rashad, scene stealer) are looking forward to meeting Victor Drago (Florian Munteanu). and Donny Brut from Mexico, Felix Chavez (José Benavidez).
© Evening Standard Contributor Michael B. Jordan, from left, Mila Kent and Tessa Thompson (Associated Press)guess what? It was the woman who ended up in the ring. And soon she and Donnie cross paths (always with me?).
The film delves into his childhood trauma, but the script (co-written by Ryan Coogler's younger brother, Keenan) doesn't devour his politics or wallow in misery for cheap pleasures. If you enjoyed the early works of Jordan and the mayor (Fruitvale Station, San Francisco's The Last Black Man), you'll enjoy this harrowing tale of crushed California dreams.
The performance of the Majors was sensational. He is too big and gives his character a wandering, goofy charm and a cold stare. There's nothing quite like Dame when she's angry, but her character is at her most charismatic when her tired eyes ache. I loved Major as Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. But what he's doing here is in a different league.
As a director, Jordan chose beautiful close-ups, as well as gorgeous shots that emphasize the psychological side of the sport (at one point, fans disappear into the ring). If the two big fights aren't as sleek and polished as the original Raging Bull or Creed, they're both so compelling it doesn't matter.
© Provided by Evening Standard Jonathan Majors (AP)And let's not forget OTT rides, as this series is known. Donnie crashes through the trees as a heavenly chorus excites him. What are the trees doing to me? Nothing, but everything is for a good reason.
Fast and Furious, Creed III is every bit as tongue-in-cheek and moving as the first Rocky movie and one of the best movies of 2023. There's no way the series is going to count right now. But if so, how?
116 minutes, certified 12a
In theaters from March 3
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