Creed III - A Review (Two Titans Meet for a Contest of Wills) WDM’s No. 3 Top Film of 2023
Written & Edited by: Lee Fenton
I was down for ‘Creed III’ from the get-go.
Unlike some that had reservations about a Rocky property that’s ‘sans Sylvester Stallone’, I found myself intrigued with a film that was allowed to grow from the initial concept that spawned the franchise, a full forty-seven years ago. In other words, Rocky’s story has been told many times before, now it’s Creed’s moment to shine.
The fight scenes are all on-point, eliciting that intense feeling of watching a ‘Rocky’ movie - hyper-realism is utilized to make the boxing visceral and immersive, an essential ingredient and hallmark of the series.
When punches are thrown on-screen, the shot sequence and sound editing is meant to jar, so the impact is nearly felt by the viewers at home. Rapid shots are shown in quick succession, and the camera is almost always pressed in, giving the illusion of close proximity to the fighters. Stallone perfected this visual style in the 80s, and no one will soon forget that the ‘Creed’ trilogy owes a tremendous amount to its predecessor(s).
As for the drama…. there’s plenty.
A quick synopsis of the plot:
Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is living the dream. His career is at its high point; he’s the heavyweight champion of the world, he has a happy wife and daughter, and resides in a multi-million dollar mansion in Beverly Hills. After winning a title bout in South Africa he decides to spend time with his family, taking a break from the ring to enjoy the fruits of his labour.
The only obstacle in his way?
Damien Anderson (Jonothan Majors) - a childhood friend; who has returned after twenty years in the penitentiary. He contacts Adonis with hopes of getting back into the ring, seeing as he used to be a professional fighter with a lot of potential - before he was locked up. Adonis apparently owes this man something, and as the film unfolds we learn that ‘what’ he owes Damien - is no small thing.
In fact, from a certain perspective - Adonis owes him his life.
It isn’t long before ‘Donnie’ Creed agrees to train this ageing fighter, in the hope that he can give him the chance needed to succeed in the ring, which Damien has been so brutally denied. There’s tension present between the two men from the beginning of their reunion, and as Damien begins to envy the life that Adonis has built for himself, that tension swiftly grows into a fountainhead of hate and capriciousness. Both men begin to act vicious towards each other, their friendship quickly turning into rivalry.
Without spoiling too much, their final showdown is conveyed as a contest of wills, rather than just raw physicality.
It’s a nice touch.
Visual motifs are some upper echelon filmmaking. Creed III is attempting something a little experimental here, and it works!
There are critics and audience alike who have critisized this film for attempting a surrealist take on the final fight between the two main characters. The crowd vanishes and visuals are used to highlight the difference between the lives these two men have led. Adonis having to fight with his back to a jail cell is a smart reminder of the life he narrowly avoided. All this takes place internally for the characters, while we see it externalized on the screen.
On to the nitty-gritty.
It’s hard to tell which character is most thematically similar to ‘Rocky Balboa’, since Adonis really fits the later movies' treatment of the character, instead of the original (or second) ‘Rocky’ movie.
In contrast, one of the issues with this film's story structure, is that they cast the antagonist in the role of ‘down on his luck’ tough guy - which is most reminiscent of the portrayal Stallone gave in his first film - playing the hero. There’s nothing wrong with a morally ambiguous main character but when it’s confusing who to root for, you may have a weakly written protagonist/antagonist on your hands.
Strong character motivations is an area that ‘Creed III’ falters a bit.
That being said, the superb acting in this film manages to overshadow any flaws and brings a much needed emotional depth to the picture, as a whole.
Michael B. Jordan turns in a performance that isn’t just reaffirming, no, it’s a triumphant return to form for him. Opposite Jonathon Majors, Jordan has a chance to really test himself and go head-to-head with a thespian of comparable prowess. The two of them are unabashedly dedicated to their craft, and it shows.
The scenes when they go at it are viciously mercurial and brimming with animosity, the two actors spit venom at each other while delivering their lines.
Ahhh… now this is acting.
Jonathan Majors is somewhat of a newcomer to the Hollywood circuit, snagging the role as the much lauded villain of Marvel’s ‘Phase 4’, Kang the Conqueror in the Season 1 Finale of the ‘Loki’ series on Disney’s streaming service (Disney+). Since his debut as the character, he has reprised the role in the blockbuster ‘Ant-Man & the Wasp 3: Quantamania’ and until the recent controversy associated with his domestic abuse case, Majors was in talks with Marvel Studios to be cast in a slew of upcoming projects, starring as the previously mentioned ‘Kang’.
His casting as Marvel’s new ‘big bad’ is now in jeopardy due to the court proceedings against him. Although there is no doubt that Jonathon Majors wishes to continue with his casting, Marvel Studios - may not. Although the court proceedings have not finished, they are in process now and we may have a clearer picture of what happened soon.
I have no opinions about this matter, beyond the general sentiment that violence is wrong in all its forms and that domestic violence, especially when it’s against women, is even graver than most other kinds of physical abuse.
That being said, these are currently allegations and thus (legally) unproven.
So, please reserve judgement.
And yes, I am ethically and legally obligated to say that - at the same time, I am someone who also thinks it best to wait until all the facts are in, before you make a judgement call on a person. If you would like to know more about the ongoing court proceedings, see relevant quotes and links below:
“When Jonathan Majors secured the villain role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in September 2020, he was signing on to much more than a single movie. As the timeline-traveling comic book warlord Kang the Conqueror, the Lovecraft Country actor would be the cornerstone of the entire next phase of movies and TV shows set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was an immense commitment, with multiple appearances planned across a wide variety of projects, culminating in a movie planned for May 2025, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Now Majors’s future as a lead character in the series of big-budget tentpoles is in question as the 33-year-old star faces charges of assault and harassment over a March 25 incident that police have characterized as a domestic dispute.”[1]
Vanityfair.com
Now here’s one directly about the case:
“March, Jonathan Majors was arrested on assault and harassment charges in Manhattan after a fight with his now-ex-girlfriend. The actor had reportedly met movement coach Grace Jabbari on the set of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania; during the fight, the actor allegedly hit Jabbari’s face, twisted her arm, and fractured her finger, according to the criminal complaint. The incident happened just as Majors was entering A-list stardom, and his legal team has unsuccessfully tried to get the case dismissed. His lawyers have launched a high-profile public defense, accusing Jabbari of being the aggressor and claiming that Majors is the real victim in the incident.” [2]
Variety.com
Finally I would like to mention that it was recently the ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women’.
It’s every year on the 25th of November.
“The United Nations General Assembly has designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Resolution 54/134).[1] The premise of the day is to raise awareness around the world that women are subjected to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence; furthermore, one of the aims of the day is to highlight that the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.” [3]
Wikipedia.com
This is a bit awkward of a way to end a review, huh?
Well I guess as a parting sentiment, I’ll mention this - the original series of films that Sylvester Stallone wrote and directed weren’t action flicks at their heart, no, they were always a love story. The only reason that ‘Rocky’ get’s up again, and again, is because he’s fighting for those he loves. He’s fighting for the neighbourhood, he’s fighting for Mickey, he’s fighting for Paulie, but most of all - he was fighting for Adrien.
The woman he loved.
And then later for his kids.
On that topic:
Adonis and his daughter have a bunch of heartwarming scenes in this film, building on the theme of love and family - very nicely. There’s also some nuanced commentary about class separation, and whether or not it’s a requirement for people who lift themselves out of the ‘ghettos’ to pay back those they may have left behind.
This film doesn’t spoon feed you the answers.
Instead it asks the viewer to do some critical thinking on their own.
And in the current age of vehement ‘wokeness’ and the even more vitriolic ‘anti-wokeness’ - I think that’s an exceptional thing to do.
Making the viewer think, instead of telling them what to think.
Now imagine that.
Rating 9/10
A glorious return for Adonis Creed, that’s 3 - 0 for the kid.
I think he’s going all the way!!!
recommended - a daily mix of whey protein and supplements.
Sources:
[1] https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/04/jonathan-majors-his-marvel-future-if-there-is-one-is-a-long-way-off
Anthony Brenzican
[2] https://variety.com/2023/film/news/jonathan-majors-accuser-testifies-assault-trial-1235824268/
Rebecca Rubin
[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_for_the_Elimination_of_Violence_against_Women#:~:text=The%20United%20Nations%20General%20Assembly,(Resolution%2054%2F134).
