Review - Creed III (2023)

         Hey guys, Chuck here, and I just got home from seeing the new movie Creed III , directed by Michael B. Jordan in his directorial debut. This movie is the third film of the Creed series and stars a Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Phylicia Rashad, Florian Munteanu, Tony Bellew, and Jonathan Majors. 

       So, the movie actually opens with a prologue of Donnie's childhood, where he spends time with his close friend Damian "Diamond Dame" Anderson, who is an up and coming boxer in his own right, until an incident involving Leon, an abusive man who ran a group home Donnie and Dame lived together in, lands Dame in prison. Eighteen years later, Donnie is having his final boxing match against "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, his main opponent from the first Creed. And I was definitely glad to see Tony Bellew come back to the series, if only for this one segment early on. After his victory over Conlan, Donnie is done in the ring, spending more time with his wife Bianca and their daughter Amara, while also training the next generation of boxing legends at Delphi Academy alongside "Little Duke" Evers. 

       Unfortunately, Dame has been released from prison and reentered Donnie's life, seeking one thing: a shot at the boxing championship. So, how does Donnie handle a spectre from the past with a chip on his shoulder and nothing to lose? You'll have to see the movie to find out. 

       Okay, so a lot of people have praised this movie for Michael B. Jordan's directing, and I agree. As a debuting director, Michael B. Jordan definitely hits the ground running. Every shot is framed very well, and the color pallette is just breathtaking and stunning. And, of course, the boxing matches are well done, with every pulse pounding punch and hit being felt by the audience. It was really good. 

       Michael B. Jordan's acting is also fantastic. Once again, he brings his A-game to the role of Donnie, and definitely shows some fantastic boxing skills. But, easily my favorite scenes are the quieter moments where it's just Donnie and his family. And big props to both Tessa Thompson and Mila Davis-Kent for their performances as Bianca and Amara. Honestly, it's the little things that really make this movie for me. 

       Now, if you guys remember my review of Quantumania last month, you probably already know my thoughts on Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. However, as much as I enjoyed him as Kang, I thought he was much better in this movie as Damian. And you definitely feel the raw emotion in his performance as a man with nothing to lose and everything in his sights. I'm serious, this guy is definitely going to go far in Hollywood. And, of course I enjoyed the returns of Wood Harris as Little Duke and Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne. Both are definitely welcome returns to the series. But, another highlight for me was seeing the return of Florian Munteanu as Viktor Drago. It was definitely a nice addition, and he was definitely a fantastic thread in tying this movie to the previous one. 

          Now, obviously, Sylvester Stallone did not return as Rocky Balboa in this movie. But, you know what? He wasn't needed. Just like Donnie himself needed to grow out from the shadow of Rocky, so did the Creed movies need to grow out from the shadow of the Rocky franchise. And, I think it succeeded in that. I definitely look forward to seeing where Michael B. Jordan takes the series going forward. And much like the first two movies, I'm giving Creed III a rating of 5/5. 

       Thanks for checking out my review. And, be sure to tune in this evening for my thoughts on the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. This is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys later.