2.3.23
Creed III totally delivers as a big-ticket franchise sequel, and then some. It has style, emotional heft and a leaner script than Creed II. Although it may lack the intelligence and pathos of the first film, it makes up for with the addition of Jonathan Majors, and his starring role as the film’s scheming antagonist.
Although Ryan Coogler’s fingers are felt all over the script, this time it’s down to Michael B Jordan to both lead the film as the titular character and to direct it. He frankly does a brilliant job, adding a fresh sense of millionaire stardom and a tight family dynamic to the overall tone. There may be fewer fights here than in previous films, but when they come, Jordan’s persona and physicality in them is exhilarating, besting his performance from Black Panther (which honestly, is a very similar film to this).
But as good as he is in it, Majors nearly runs away with the film. In Dame Anderson, we see a character that is both mysterious and at the same time, understandable. I’ve always enjoyed movie villains who appear nice at first, and slowly become more devious as the film progresses. When you add to that Dame’s charisma and his ‘nothing to lose’ attitude, he’s a sheer force. It’s one of the best ‘baddie’ roles of recent times I can think of (although I did like Idris Elba in The Harder They Fall, also starring Majors).
The plot does feel familiar at times, with some of the family moments being played very straight and resolved too quickly, but the duality and manifested conflict between Adonis and Dame is what the film is all about. No sentimentality, product placement or sports drama trappings could make me lose my focus over that. I haven’t enjoyed many offerings of 2023 so far, but Creed III was the welcome gut punch that I was after.