The most fascinating thing about the Creed movies is how they’ve continued the Rocky franchise while being their own set of movies. The first one set in 2015, directed and co-written by Ryan Coogler, was perfect at showcasing the talented Michael B. Jordan and acting as coda to the Rocky franchise showing an aging Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) training Adonis Creed, the son of his one-time rival and late friend, Apollo Creed.
Following the disappointing Rocky V, Stallone returned to the ring with 2006’s Rocky Balboa which seemed a fitting end to the franchise. Despite initial criticism, Stallone (who also wrote and directed) showed it wasn’t a joke and the movie was a box-office hit with critical acclaim. There’s been a little bit of controversy that Stallone isn’t in Creed III, which Jordan himself in the director’s chair. But I think including Stallone, even in a non-sensical cameo, would be too much.
After I, which had Adonis taking on Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), the son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) who killed Apollo in the ring from the brutality of his punches, it seemed everything was wrapped up between the Balboas, the Creeds and the Dragos. In Creed III, Adonis is now heavyweight champoion doing his final bout before retiring and focuing on managing so he can focus more time on his family.
However, the past comes back to haunt Adonis. A prologue shows a younger Adonis in 2002 sneaking out to see his best friend, Damian Anderson (Spence Moore II), a Golden Gloves champion, to watch Damian compete in underground match which he wins. Afterwards, they stop at a convenience store where Adonis he encounters a man named Leon who was an abusive caregiver in a group home before Apollo’s wife, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) adopted him.
Authorities responded to the scene and Damian (played as an adult by Jonathan Majors) took the fall while Adonis escaped. Because he was brandishing a gun at the time, Damian and spent years in prison, getting tougher, meaner and bitter toward Adonis as well as others because he feels he’s been cheated. He approaches Adonis and the two reconnect but Damian makes it known that he wants a shot at the title. But Adonis has already arranged a bout in which Viktor is competing with current champ Felix Chavez (Jose Benavidez Jr.) That changes when Viktor is attacked at a party and his hand his injured.
So, now Adonis and Felix have a decision to make. Do they wait for Viktor to make a full recovery or do they roll the dice and have Felix give Damian a shot? Adonis entices Felix and his people by explaining how his father, Apollo, got a lot of attention with the shot they gave Rocky back in 1975.
Of course, if you’ve seen any sports movie, you know what happens next. But there’s a twist I’m not going to reveal, because it leads more to the story. In the end, Adonis comes out of retirement to train and eventually box Damian in the ring. I mean, it’s on the movie posters, so it’s not like I’m giving much away. But at the same time, Jordan, in his directorial debut, puts together a good story that balances the brutality of boxing with the raw emotion of a man trying to do what’s best for his family. Just what Coogler, Stallone and the late John G. Avildsen did with the previous movies, this isn’t a boxing movie as much as it is a movie about a boxer.
At the heart, Adonis is trying to move forward as a businessman, husband to Bianca Taylor-Creed (Tessa Thompson), a famous singer who’s stepping away following hearing problems, and their daughter, Amara (Mila Davis-Kent), who is deaf. But the question is what’s the difference between keeping your past a secret or just moving on and leaving it all? Also, what is the true measure of friendship and when do you have to cut some people loose?
The movie was released prior to Majors’ arrest in a domestic dispute on March 25. In hindsight it’s easier to accept him as an antagonistic character. Yet, I don’t think it’s likely he’ll come back for the inevitable sequel. However, this movie is still a fitting end to the Creed franchise even though Jordan has expressed interest for a fourth movie. And the fourth Rocky movie was the highest grossing in that franchise. Yet, Creed III has made close to $275 million worldwide, so I wouldn’t blame everyone who can returning for the fourth movie. At 36, Jordan is in good shape and is still got a few more fights in him.
What do you think? Pleast comment.
Zane Says 