Creed III is a sports drama directed by Michael B. Jordan (in his directorial debut) from a screenplay by Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin. It is the sequel to Creed II (2018), the third in the Creed series, and the ninth overall in the Rocky film series. Creed III is about a thriving boxer who faces off against a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy. Creed I and Creed II were outstanding films, so I expected Creed III to follow suit. I wasn’t disappointed.
In 2002 Los Angeles, a young Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Thaddeus J. Mixon) sneaks out with his best friend, Golden Gloves champion Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson (Spence Moore II), to watch him compete in an underground boxing match. After Dame’s victory, the two friends drive to the liquor store where Donnie runs into an older man named Leon who had assaulted them repeatedly when they were even younger. Donnie attacks Leon and Damian draws a gun. The altercation causes Damian, who got caught, to go to jail for 18 years. When Damian (Jonathan Majors) gets out he visits Donnie (Michael B. Jordan) who has prospered and runs Delphi Boxing Academy along with his partner Tony “Little Duke” Evers Jr. (Wood Harris). Donnie is also married to Bianca-Taylor Creed (Tessa Thompson) and has a daughter Amara Creed (Mila Davis-Kent). Donnie is also promoting his protégé, world champion Felix “El Guerrero” Chavez (José Benavidez Jr.) in a match against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) for the Heavyweight championship. Dame expresses to Donnie, his desire to resume his boxing career.
Damian’s intentions are exposed as the film takes flight. Donnie comes out of retirement to save all that he has worked for over the years. In full Rocky fashion, the exasperating training is revealed and family problems come to the surface. Creed III is exciting, fun, intense, entertaining, and action-packed. The drama will keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved how Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson learned sign languish in order to communicate with their daughter Amara. I also noted that Michael and Jonathan’s muscle mass was matched up for some real eye candy moments. Overall, I loved the movie and think they could go on with many sequels for some time. Creed III has a great ending, showing tact, humanity, and how to lose graciously. BTW: Mila Davis-Kent, who plays Creed’s daughter is the first Black deaf Actress to be featured in a major film. It seems like the film is setting up a future installment where Amara will follow her father’s trajectory and perhaps even become a boxer herself in Creed 4.
The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for Jordan’s direction and Majors’ performance. As of March 13, 2023, Creed III has grossed $104.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $78.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $182.5 million, making it the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2023. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 295 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website’s consensus reads, “Stepping out from Rocky Balboa’s iconic shadow at last, the Creed franchise reasserts its champion status thanks to star Michael B. Jordan’s punchy direction and a nuanced heel turn by Jonathan Majors.” Creed III was definitely worth the watch and is playing in theaters — Check It Out!
CAROL's WORLDS 