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Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut Creed III has earned overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, with the praise highlighting how well the installment packs a punch against the rest of the Rocky franchise. Following up on the story of Apollo Creed’s heavyweight champion son Adonis Creed from Creed (2015) and Creed II (2018), Creed III marks the ninth installment in the iconic Rocky franchise, yet the first without Sylvester Stallone as boxer Rocky Balboa. The latest Creed film follows Adonis (Jordan) as he faces off against an old childhood friend and former boxing prodigy (Jonathan Majors) in the ring, making for a highly emotional and personal volume in Donnie’s story.

While Creed III stepping away from Rocky's iconic legacy was a huge risk for the franchise, the film’s good response from critics proves the gamble worked out. Aggregated from early reviews, Creed III holds an impressive 90% positive score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes . This score is the second-highest of the Creed franchise after the 2015 original movie (95%) and parallels the Rotten Tomatoes score of the 1976 debut Rocky film (91%). Relieving any doubts over how the franchise would fare without Stallone’s presence, Creed III ’s superb reviews are attributing the reasons for the film’s success across the board, from the cast to the anime-style boxing action.

Related: 1 Way Creed Movies Are Better Than Rocky (& How Creed 3 Can Continue It)

6 Michael B. Jordan’s Direction

Creed III ’s reviews are largely praising Michael B. Jordan’s stellar performance behind the camera, as the 2023 Rocky spinoff marks his directorial debut. While Jordan is also being celebrated for his portrayal of Adonis Creed on-screen, it’s his directorial style and electric visuals that are making Creed III a hit among critics. The critical praise for Creed III remarks that Jordan’s skills as a director aid the film to punch above its screenplay, which appears to be one of the facets of the film holding back its bold success.

Considering the original Creed movie was helmed by critically acclaimed Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, the noted praise for Jordan’s debut direction is far more impressive. Additionally, with Jordan now proving that he can revamp the Creed franchise on his own and step away from Rocky’s shadow, the future of Adonis’ story is far more optimistic under his lead. Had Jordan’s direction not been top-tier and inventive, Creed III wouldn’t have the great reviews it rightfully earned, as it’s his vision that influences the rest of the admiration for the film. If Jordan continues to direct future Creed movies or Rocky spinoffs, then Creed III proves the franchise is in good hands.

5 Creed III’s Original Fight Scenes

Critics are also praising Creed III ’s original and electrifying fight scenes, which inherently serves as another celebration of Michael B. Jordan’s striking direction. The franchise has always been known for its triumphant, gritty, and thrilling boxing scenes, but after nine Rocky movies , it wouldn’t be surprising for the franchise to run out of ideas to reinvent these staple fight sequences. However, critics are remarking that the choreography and visual style of the fight scenes in Creed III are original and compelling, especially with the new meaning they take on within Adonis Creed’s story.

According to Austin Burke ’s review from Flick Fan Nation, Jordan directs one of the “ most expertly-crafted fight sequences ever ,” with other critics commending the boxing scenes as some of the best of the Creed trilogy. While it’s mentioned that Creed III doesn’t have as many boxing scenes as other movies in the Rocky series, the success of the choreography and direction of Jordan’s fight sequences makes up for their scarcity. The beloved Rocky franchise has notably succeeded when prioritizing its themes and story over bloated fight scenes, with Jordan’s Creed III taking these lessons to heart by making the few fisticuffs truly count.

Related: Creed 3's IMAX Change Can Finally Knock Rocky Out

4 Jonathan Majors’ Sympathetic Villain Performance

As much as Michael B. Jordan is being praised for his direction, critics celebrate Jonathan Majors’ movie-star-quality performance in Creed III . Majors plays a new character from Adonis' past, Damian “Dame” Anderson, who becomes Donnie’s rival and the shockingly sympathetic antagonist of Creed III ’s story. The Creed franchise has prioritized Donnie as the hero so much that the emotional journeys of the villains are sidelined, yet Jonathan Majors' villain in Creed III has crucial emotional stakes in the fight. Of course, this can’t be properly accomplished without a stellar performance by Majors, who steals the show according to critics.

While Jonathan Majors has continued to prove his acting chops through dramatic and action roles, his journey to the spotlight has largely been in the MCU as Kang the Conqueror, which hasn’t given him the opportunity to show off the emotional boldness that he possesses in other roles. Creed III fully utilizes Majors’ talents and brings him toe-to-toe with director-star Jordan, making his performance a key part of the 2023 boxing movie’s success. Following Creed III ’s positive reviews and overwhelming praise for his acting, Jonathan Majors will be in high demand for more layered dramatic roles.

3 Creed III’s Fresh & Dramatic Story

The Creed franchise has primarily been focused on the concept of legacy and the generational strife of the international professional boxing community, whether that be Donnie dealing with his father Apollo Creed’s history , the teachings of Rocky Balboa, or redeeming his family name when fighting the son of his father’s killer Ivan Drago. However, Creed III is solely Adonis’ story and a hard-hitting fight with the past as he deals with his own survivors’ guilt and personal matters from his childhood, long before Rocky Balboa was in his corner. Creed III ’s reviews celebrate the operatic story for moving the Creed and Rocky franchises in a fresh direction, which doesn’t need the Italian Stallion in order to succeed.

2 Creed III Proves The Boxing Franchise Doesn’t Need Rocky

Adonis Creed may owe his early career success to Rocky Balboa, but the end of Creed II proved that it was now Donnie’s time to shine and carve out his own legacy. Critics are raving about how well Michael B. Jordan is able to finally step out of Rocky’s shadow and turn the Creed franchise into a story solely about the title character. It’s a massive gamble to continue the Rocky franchise without Sylvester Stallone, but Jordan succeeds and proves the broader boxing saga can tackle more narratives unrelated to the Italian Stallion. Creed III checks all the boxes for the franchise perfected by Stallone in the original Rocky , but officially makes Adonis the true hero of his story.

Related: Why Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Isn't In Creed 3

1 Creed III’s Anime Inspirations

Creed III ’s good reviews have also been admiring Michael B. Jordan’s anime inspirations for his novel approach to the film series’ fight scenes. Of course, the Rocky franchise will always include tributes to past Rocky boxing matches, but Jordan boldly brings the franchise in a new direction by paying homage to anime fights. As Jordan evolves the Rocky legacy, his gambles pay off by playing with new genres and using shonen anime inspirations to revitalize Creed III ’s visually satisfying fight sequences.

Next: The Best Way To Continue The Creed Franchise Is To Leave Boxing Behind

• Creed 3 (2023)

Creed 3 Review

Michael b. jordan delivers a knockout..

Creed III opens in theaters on March 3, 2023.

The Creed wing of the Rocky franchise has always been about legacy. Adonis Creed’s journey has been one of stepping out from shadows cast by previous generations. With Creed III, though, Michael B. Jordan casts a shadow of his own in his directorial debut, slipping into the director’s chair with the confidence of a heavyweight champ stepping into the ring. It sets us up with everything we’ve come to expect from the series, and knocks us out with an exciting new direction.

One of the difficulties facing Creed III from the jump was how to make another entry into this series feel necessary. Between Rocky and Creed this is the ninth film across 50 years. How do you add to a legacy like that? The answer, as it turns out, is to fully commit to the rebranding of the Rocky series around a new character that started in 2015’s Creed. If these films have been about passing the torch, the third one finds both Michael B. Jordan and his character taking the torch and running with it.

Creed III opens on a flashback to Donnie’s childhood and his friendship with Dame Anderson, a young boxing phenom that’s more like a brother to Adonis. It’s a cold open that efficiently sets the emotional stakes for the rest of its two-hour run. When we catch up to Adonis in present day it’s in his last professional match before retirement, and shortly after that Jonathan Majors, as Damian, returns to his life unexpectedly, upending the comfortable place Adonis has carved out for himself.

If anybody here is a Rocky fan, that should sound as familiar as a boxer working a speed bag. Structurally, Creed III doesn’t do much to break that mold, but it doesn’t necessarily need to. Jordan’s understanding of the formula that’s brought enduring success to the franchise is actually one of this film’s biggest strengths. To truly bring something fresh to the eighth sequel in a franchise, you have to get what works about it in the first place in order to effectively layer something new on top.

So, yes, of course that means there are some great training montages set to an energizing soundtrack, but it also means we get to see the franchise evolve a little in ways that make sense. It’s a savvy choice for a directorial debut and it shows on screen. On top of an established formula that he can build around, Creed is a character and world he’s obviously intimately familiar with.

The characters around Donnie are all effective foils for his struggles, but they’re not limited to that role. Each of them is given their own agency in serving the story being told. Tessa Thompson’s Bianca is there to challenge him, but she’s also portrayed as somebody dealing with similar issues in a much healthier and productive way. Phylicia Rashaad’s Marry Anne makes mistakes but has her reasons and owns her responsibility for them.

What's the best boxing match from the Rocky/Creed movies so far?

Jonathan Majors as Dame Anderson, though, presents the biggest challenge and most fascinating addition to the Creed-verse yet. To start with, Majors continues his streak of being the most interesting person on screen no matter what he’s in. The chemistry between him and Jordan, made of old bonds and old pain, is the backbone of Creed III. It’s also notable that he doesn’t feel like a pseudo-retcon in a “Drago had a son, too” sort of way. Dame is the part of Donnie’s life he won’t talk about. He’s the past Donnie must deal with to have a future, the character flaw that’s preventing him from being able to fully accept the new phase of his life. While the resolution of their story by the end doesn’t seem like quite the punch Creed III was hoping to land, it’s Majors’ ability to alternate between a well-intentioned old friend and insidious new rival that makes Dame one of the most original antagonists in the franchise.

And that’s why it feels like Creed III is finally, fully passing the torch. Where the first two films were about finding your place in other men’s legacies, here Donnie is presented with questions from his own past that need answering, with none of them having to do with his father or with Rocky Balboa. And while there may be some noise made about Sylvester Stallone’s absence here, Creed III does not suffer for it. In fact, it’s because of his absence that Jordan is free to add his most interesting flare.

Creed 3 Photos

Of course, a crucial part of the franchise has always been the fight choreography. How the camera interacts with the fighting has changed over the years, but at the end of the day, what is a boxing movie without rad punching? And for Rocky and Creed the fight scenes – the memorable ones, anyway – work on a few levels. They’re brutal and exciting to watch as well as thematically meaningful to the characters and the story. Without Rocky whispering lessons into Donnie’s ear between rounds, explicitly telling us what this fight is about and what is at stake emotionally, Jordan renders the fight scenes and their themes with fantastical visuals instead.

The climactic match between Donnie and Dame is built on a lifetime of pent-up feelings, anger and guilt, and the sense that what needs settling is between the two of them and nobody else. Visually, Jordan takes us there in a way the franchise has never come close to. He may get docked some points for overreaching, but you can’t say that he pulled any punches with his portrayal of the final fight. It’s a wholly new energy for the Rocky-Creed series, and love it or hate it, the visual flare at minimum makes total sense with the characters and story and sets it apart from the eight movies that came before it.

In a franchise that’s famous for sequels you didn’t expect, the good news and bad with Creed III is that it could be a satisfying conclusion to Donnie’s story. It could also be the third of what might become five or six films that start to run together after a while. (See also: which one was the Hulk Hogan one?) Where Creed III should remain memorable though, is the turning point it represents for Michael B. Jordan and Adonis Creed alike.

Creed III is a confident directorial debut from star Michael B. Jordan that shows he’s already achieved a mastery of the formula that’s brought the series so much success. An engrossing new visual dynamic to the fight scenes and a fantastic antagonist in Jonathan Majors’ Dame Anderson elevate it in the legacy of a franchise that’s no stranger to middling sequels. While it may not stray too far from the very familiar format of a Rocky movie, seeing Creed truly begin a legacy of his own apart from Rocky Balboa is an exciting chapter for the series.

More Reviews by Clint Gage

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Creed III is an anime-inspired knockout

Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut puts a stylish spin on the Rocky franchise

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Creed III faces the unique challenge of bringing the Rocky series out of Sylvester Stallone’s shadow. The ninth installment of the franchise that started with 1976’s Rocky is the first to feature Stallone neither on screen nor in a creative capacity. This time, the directorial reins have been handed to Michael B. Jordan, who plays Rocky’s protege Adonis in the Creed movies. In his directorial debut, Jordan, a self-professed anime and manga fan , imbues the spinoff/threequel with a cinematic zest the series has never seen before, expanding the visual language of the Hollywood boxing movie in remarkable ways.

While Jordan’s approach sometimes works against the saga’s previously grounded nature, Creed III has enough visual panache to plaster over its occasional narrative inelegance. But its strongest suit is its creators’ desire to weave a character-centric tale that doesn’t repeat the beats of the Rocky movies, the way Creed and Creed II follow the broad structure of Rocky and Rocky IV . At the same time, the new film doesn’t mimic the emotional arcs of previous Creed installments, either. Scripted by Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin (from a story they co-wrote with Ryan Coogler, Keenan’s brother and director of Creed and the Black Panther movies ), it continues the trilogy’s running theme of people confronting the past, but it’s the first Creed movie where the emotional weight doesn’t stem from the original Rocky films.

Creed is about Adonis dealing with the legacy of his father, boxer Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), and Creed II sees him facing Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), the son of Rocky IV villain Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Creed III draws on Adonis’ history as a child rescued from the foster care and juvenile detention systems by a family of means. (Apollo dies in Rocky IV ; Phylicia Rashad plays his widow, Mary-Anne, in all three Creed films.) The story confronts Adonis with his privilege as a Black man whose family name offered him both instant celebrity and instant escape from cycles of violence and poverty. This specter takes the form of Adonis’ old, forgotten friend, Damian “Dame” Anderson (current Marvel Cinematic Universe star Jonathan Majors ), who has been released from prison after nearly 20 years. When he seeks out Adonis’ help to enter the boxing world, the former champion reluctantly agrees.

After a prologue hinting at Adonis’ fraught history with Damian, the movie ropes in familiar faces from earlier in the series to tie up loose ends. Three years into Adonis’ retirement, he and his former trainer, Tony “Little Duke” Evers (Wood Harris), now mold the next generation of boxing greats at their gym, drawing from their fathers’ long history together. Adonis lives in an enormous mansion, where his wife, Bianca (Tessa Thompson), produces music in her private studio, and similarly nurtures up-and-comers rather than performing onstage herself, though her career choices weren’t entirely in her control. (Bianca’s hearing loss, established in Creed and the sequel, has worsened.)

Their young daughter, Amara (Mila Davis-Kent), is a joyful firecracker. (Davis-Kent is deaf, and so is her character — a significant amount of the film’s dialogue is in American Sign Language.) They all share a happy existence on the surface, but Adonis historically hasn’t been the type to open up with his emotions, and Creed III takes full and brutal advantage of that limitation.

The cracks in his family life widen once Damian enters the picture, bringing long-buried memories of the violence they faced as children, and a sense of guilt that bubbles just beneath the surface of their polite interactions. Adonis made it out, after all, while Damian ended up behind bars for something that may have been Adonis’ fault. Both men refuse to directly or honestly confront this resentment — Adonis doesn’t have the emotional wherewithal, while Damian uses friendship to conceal ulterior motives. Their get-togethers brim with riveting emotional tension, as the possibility of sudden conflict permeates every conversation.

We’re barely two months into 2023, and it’s already Majors’ year, between his imposing regality as the villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania , his deep insecurity as an obsessive bodybuilder in the Sundance film Magazine Dreams , and his explosive turn in Creed III . As Adonis’ new antagonist, his quiet scheming — leading to an inevitable Top 10 Anime Betrayal — bears the operatic hallmarks of a mustache-twirling baddie, and his frequent in-ring outbursts when training with Adonis’ proteges are born from a simmering rage. And yet he creates one of the Rocky series’ most compelling and nuanced characters through the way he carries himself, with his “don’t fuck with me” physique and his shoulders hunched from decades of isolation. His eyes are weary, but his gaze is unwavering, seldom straying from his path up the ladder of the boxing world, where he sees Adonis at the top.

Jordan, meanwhile, trains his lens on Adonis’ emotional vulnerabilities, which the character is desperate to conceal. Whenever Adonis is compelled to open up, he retreats further into emotional isolation. For most of the movie’s 116-minute run time, that’s the ring he’s fighting in. Unable to use physical combat as an outlet, he builds up anger that eventually boils over in unhealthy ways — most frequently in Bianca’s direction, though she manages to hold her own.

But what’s especially moving and challenging about Creed III is the way Adonis’ festering rage colors even his most seemingly gentle and caring moments as Amara’s father. The Creed series began with the question of what Adonis inherited from his father — and what these films inherited from the Rocky franchise. But three movies in, the focus has pivoted to what Adonis himself will pass down, and what the Creed movies stand for outside of Rocky’s shadow. The story is about violence as a language that stifles honest expression and reconciliation, and as a character trait that Adonis has to be careful about when training his daughter in self-defense.

Jordan’s performance isn’t just in conversation with Majors’ — he’s engaging with his own performance from earlier in the Creed series. Both their characters are defined by their pasts, and the loneliness they grew up with. Adonis repeatedly retreats into his shell in Creed and Creed II , but in Creed III , Jordan eventually forces him to push past his withholding instincts, even if that means making a mess in front of his loved ones. Unfortunately, there are several lost opportunities for dramatically charged scenes between Adonis and Mary-Anne, whose subplot is meaningful on paper, but in execution, whizzes by far too quickly and mechanically to leave a lasting impact.

As a grounded drama, Creed III struggles to overcome its inherent contradictions: It’s a film about leaving violence behind, but its third act — featuring the inevitable boxing match between Damian and Adonis — is framed as an extension of that idea, instead of in opposition to it. One key line of dialogue even seems to switch a character’s entire ethos from general anti-violence to pro Adonis-on-Damian violence specifically.

But while that sticks out strangely at first, it’s part and parcel of a film that not only frames fighting as its characters’ default lingua franca, but does so in the specific mode of a shonen manga or anime, where the action premise is so entwined with the character drama that they’re practically inseparable. (Another recent Hollywood production with this approach is the Netflix series Cobra Kai , where all personal and interpersonal conflict is resolved via karate.) That paradox becomes a necessary stylistic departure for the film, as Jordan flexes his directorial muscles during in-ring fights.

Moments in the film’s early going offer hints of the approach, which eventually blossom by the third act. Jordan and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau isolate fighters’ body parts to emphasize the confrontation. (There are plenty of anime-style close-ups of glowering eyes.) They warp the fabric of action scenes around the characters, shaking the frame and blurring the focus during intense movement in order to mimic the action lines of stylized anime fights.

This naked inspiration is a far cry from the realism of most Rocky fight scenes. But Jordan leans all the way into it, folding his seemingly unstable narrative approach — the violence of the ring as an arena for catharsis that might end violence — into dreamlike vistas that foreground the characters’ suppressed conflict with jaw-dropping formalist flair. There are narrative road bumps involved in trying to reconcile the franchise’s American sports-drama roots with sports-anime inspirations, but the emotions hold it all together.

Jordan taking over for Stallone as director feels like a real-life Rocky trajectory for the series, but at the same time, Jordan works to sever Creed III from the Rocky franchise. Rocky Balboa only warrants a quick mention here, but mostly, this movie’s tale of fame and money, of dealing with retirement, of bottled-up emotions, and of confronting open wounds is all completely distinct from the way Rocky ’s sequels approached similar stories. Creed III instead roots these themes in the specifics of Black Americans and their experiences within unforgiving systems. It explores the conflicted perspectives on Black wealth and celebrity as marks of individual success and as acts of assimilation, even betrayal of the Black community.

Over the course of the original series, Rocky’s biggest villain was the passage of time, and the unpredictable shape of his future. Adonis’ villain has always been the past, and the ways it continues to shackle him in the present. The way Jordan addresses these points in Creed III makes it as definitive a chapter as the character’s blistering first appearance. If Jordan continues working behind the camera, another pit stop or two with these characters and their story would be more than welcome.

Creed III debuts in theaters on March 3.

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The ambition alone is impressive.

For his directorial debut, Michael B. Jordan chose to take on “Creed III,” the latest film in the “ Rocky ” spinoff franchise and the ninth picture overall in the beloved boxing saga. He’s also directing himself in the process, as he returns once again to the titular role of champion fighter Adonis Creed, son of Apollo. And he’s electrifying on both sides of the camera, finding new swagger and emotional depth as the film’s star as well as real confidence and style as its director.

In doing so, Jordan is following in the footsteps of Sylvester Stallone , who directed himself in four of the “Rocky” movies, including 2006’s heartfelt “Rocky Balboa.” But he also has to follow the work of his longtime friend and close collaborator Ryan Coogler , who helmed the original “ Creed .” Jordan has taken all that pressure and expectation and turned it into a film that both honors the series’ legacy while spinning the lore forward. And totally unsurprisingly, he draws powerhouse performances from his co-stars, including a fearsome Jonathan Majors as Adonis’ childhood friend-turned-adversary.

“Creed III” takes a little while to get going, though, as it flashes back to 2002 Los Angeles to establish the shared history between the film’s eventual competitors. We see Adonis “Donnie” Creed sneaking out of his bedroom as a young teenager to watch his big brother figure, Damian “Dame” Anderson, dominate in underground fights. A violent confrontation on the way home one night seals both of their fates, with Adonis going onto greatness and Damian heading for an 18-year prison term. A precisely timed, beautifully placed match cut moves the story ahead 15 years to show us that Donnie now has the boxing career Dame always dreamed of; another jump to the present day reveals that Adonis has retired from the ring and is living a luxurious life in a modern mansion in the Hollywood Hills.

Jordan’s eye for detail is on display as he efficiently reflects the kind of wealth Adonis enjoys with his wife, Bianca ( Tessa Thompson ), and their deaf daughter, Amara ( Mila Davis-Kent ). The minimalist elegance and creamy neutrals—the work of production designer Jahmin Assa and costume designer Lizz Wolf —instantly indicate the tasteful, peaceful persona Adonis now seeks to exude to the world.

Just as Adonis is shaping the next generation of fighters as a behind-the-scenes force at his own Delphi Boxing Academy, singer-songwriter Bianca is penning tunes and working with new talent as a producer. They tell themselves they’re content, but there’s an intriguing tension in the mix as it’s clear they both still long for the spotlight that once defined them, nourished them. Thompson brings an earthiness and sensitivity to this heavily masculine movie, and young Davis-Kent—who is a deaf actress—shines brightly in her first major role, more than holding her own opposite veteran performers with her sparky presence and timing. Phylicia Rashad also returns with a crucial, graceful performance as Adonis’ mother, Mary-Anne. And the frequent use of sign language as a means of communicating within the family is a meaningful, authentic touch.

But their reverie is shattered with the arrival of Dame, who has toughened himself in prison in every way and now seeks the boxing glory he believes is his due. There’s a certain geeky glee in witnessing the spectacle of Kang vs. Killmonger, given the significant villainous presence both actors have had within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Majors, as always, is tremendous. He brings a deeply unsettling energy to the role—there’s something volatile about Dame beneath his seemingly placid exterior. The fact that he isn’t obviously raging all the time is what makes him scarier: He’s watching, plotting, seething, but his imposing physicality ultimately makes him ferocious.

Working with cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau and editors Jessica Baclesse and Tyler Nelson , Jordan the director takes a seemingly simple scene in which Adonis and Damian share an awkward reunion dinner and tells a full, rich story with it. The close-ups, the pacing, the decision to hold on an actor’s face for a beat or two longer than expected—they all convey so much meaning and subtext. The exchange is powerful for what it doesn’t show—for what these characters don’t tell us, for what they hold back strategically but we can sense, nonetheless.

But “Creed III” also gives the people what they want, and that is: multiple training montages. As they sing in “ Team America: World Police ,” “Even `Rocky’ had a montage.” Once it becomes clear that Donnie must get back into shape to fight Dame for the championship—at Dodger Stadium, of all places, a truly inspired location that’s so extremely L.A.—the screenplay from Keenan Coogler (Ryan’s brother) and Zach Baylin (“ King Richard ”) hits all the uplifting beats you’d expect, but tosses in some clever new ones, too. So yes, there’s running through the streets, on the beach, up a hill. There’s punching and sparring. But also: the sight of Adonis pulling an actual airplane through the sheer power of his pectorals. It’s kind of hilarious, but also wildly entertaining.

And when it comes time for the climactic showdown between these two warriors, Jordan makes some dazzling stylistic choices in terms of sound design, camera movements and visual effects. There’s a section where everything just … changes, providing an unexpected emotional resonance and a fresh perspective.

On the surface, “Creed III” may seem to be about hulking, muscular men beating the crap out of each other, and it exists within a genre where it’s often easy to discern between right and wrong, black and white. Adonis is all precision and control in the ring; Dame is rough and raw, fighting as if his life depends on it. But similar to Killmonger’s motivations in “ Black Panther ,” Dame’s quest for vengeance and even dominance is understandable. Watching these titans confront each other within that moral gray area—making themselves vulnerable in the process—is riveting.

Jordan has long since proven himself as an actor of terrific charisma, versatility and humanity; with “Creed III,” he shows he’s just as captivating on the other side of the lens.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Creed III (2023)

Rated PG-13 for intense sports action, violence and some strong language.

116 minutes

Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed

Tessa Thompson as Bianca Taylor

Jonathan Majors as Damien Anderson

Phylicia Rashād as Mary Anne Creed

Wood Harris as Tony 'Little Duke' Evers

Florian Munteanu as Viktor Drago

Tony Bellew as Pretty Ricky Conlan

Mila Davis-Kent as Amara Creed

Jacob 'Stitch' Duran as Stitch

• Michael B. Jordan

Writer (story by)

• Ryan Coogler
• Keenan Coogler
• Zach Baylin

Cinematographer

• Kramer Morgenthau
• Tyler Nelson
• Joseph Shirley

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Creed III First Reviews: A Satisfying End, and Another Jonathan Majors Knockout

Critics say michael b. jordan's directorial debut hits hard, thanks to its dramatic foundation and imaginative fight sequences, even if sylvester stallone's absence looms over it..

TAGGED AS: First Reviews , movies , news

Here’s what critics are saying about Creed III :

Is Creed III another knockout?

Creed III is an absolute masterpiece of a movie. –  Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Creed is nothing short of a triumph. –  Patrick Cavanaugh, ComicBook.com

Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut is triumphant. –  John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

It’s a knockout and another terrific movie in a series full of them. I loved it. –  Alan Cerny, VitalThrills.com

How does it compare to the other Creed movies?

It’s a far more dynamic movie than the proficient but formulaic Creed II , even if it can’t match the soulful filmmaking bravura of the first Creed . –  Owen Gleiberman, Variety

While the series may never reach the lofty heights of the first Creed movie, it’s immensely satisfying to watch sequels made with real purpose and patience. –  Benjamin Lee, Guardian

The original bare-knuckle magic is not all there, but it’s also often better than the blunt-force melodrama of the last film. –  Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly

Rather than give audiences what they expect out of a third Creed film (Clubber Lang redux), Creed III goes smaller and more intimate without pulling a single punch. –  Douglas Davidson, Elements of Madness

It’s the first Creed movie where the emotional weight doesn’t stem from the original Rocky films. –  Siddhant Adlakha, Polygon

If these films have been about passing the torch, the third one finds both Michael B. Jordan and his character taking the torch and running with it. –  Clint Gage, IGN Movies

It’s the weakest of the Creed trilogy. –  Matt Rodriguez, Shakefire

(Photo by Eli Ade/©MGM)

Is the script worthy of the franchise?

The script from Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin makes great use of the groundwork laid before, enabling the film to move swiftly, landing the emotional beats within the new narrative conflict constructed. – Douglas Davidson, Elements of Madness

It’s basically the same premise as the dreaded Rocky V . But Creed III is surprisingly grounded, and frequently quiet and reflective. –  Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm

The overall story works and all of its pertinent beats make sense, but the dialogue leans into melodramatic tropes, at times, and falls into ineffective formulas. – Patrick Cavanaugh, ComicBook.com

The story is disappointing because it doesn’t fully commit to its themes. – Matt Rodriguez, Shakefire

The narrative — the reason we keep watching Adonis fight in and out of the ring — lets us down. –  Lovia Gyarkye, Hollywood Reporter

Does it feel like more than just another boxing movie?

Creed III is arguably the first entry in the franchise in which boxing feels like an afterthought, where the audience… will become more intrigued by seeing how these characters and their lives unfold amidst the tension. – Patrick Cavanaugh, ComicBook.com

Going back to its Rocky roots, this film is a drama first, and a boxing movie second. –  Emmanuel Noisette, The Movie Blog

What makes Creed III so refreshing is that it also scratches an itch many of us have for mid-budget adult drama and while it might be broad, IMAX entertainment, it still delivers the rare sight of big stars grappling with big emotions on a big screen. – Benjamin Lee, Guardian

Creed III isn’t a story about boxing, it’s a story about family — both the ones that we’re born into and the ones that we discover along the way — and the sacrifices we make for the ones we love. –  Ross Bonaime, Collider

It’s a hostile-tormenter movie, like Cul-de-Sac or The Gift or the granddaddy of them all, the original 1962 Cape Fear … Creed III is a sports drama that feels like a thriller with an urgent conscience. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

How are the fight scenes?

They’re brutal and exciting to watch as well as thematically meaningful to the characters and the story… [with] an engrossing new visual dynamic. – Clint Gage, IGN Movies

Jordan uses the full power of IMAX to direct some glorious fight scenes. – Lovia Gyarkye, Hollywood Reporter

Jordan finds new ways to showcase the sport in ways that feel fresh to the franchise. – Patrick Cavanaugh, ComicBook.com

Jordan brings a lot of anime influence into the fights, going for extreme close-ups and slow-motion… This movie delivers that in a way that isn’t exactly what you would expect. –  Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net

Jordan has said he was influenced by anime in making this film, and that can certainly be felt in the way he shoots these fights, the way these boxers move, and how Jordan shifts the perspective in stunning ways. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

I found myself absolutely locked into the fight sequences, not just because of the execution but due to buying in on the emotional aspects. – Douglas Davidson, Elements of Madness

The utilization of slow motion and close-up visuals, as well as the sound design, will make viewers feel like they are right there in the arena. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

How is Michael B. Jordan as a director?

As a director, he paces the movie well and stages the boxing matches with a brutal imaginative precision. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

As a director, Jordan crafts the visual dynamics between these two characters with a surprising assuredness. –  Robert Daniels, Inverse

Jordan imbues the spinoff/threequel with a cinematic zest the series has never seen before, expanding the visual language of the Hollywood boxing movie in remarkable ways. – Siddhant Adlakha, Polygon

It would have been easy for the first-time director to resort to what has been done before, but the creativity with which he shot this film pays off in the end. –  Brittany Witherspoon, Screen Rant

The way he imagines that final bout will likely divide some audiences, but this is clearly a man with a vision. –  Kate Erbland, IndieWire

This was a good start for Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut, but he still has a way to go in perfecting this craft. – Emmanuel Noisette, The Movie Blog

(Photo by Ser Baffo/©MGM)

What about his performance?

Jordan gives what may be his fullest performance yet as Adonis. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Michael B. Jordan gave a wonderful, well-balanced performance as Adonis Creed. I appreciated how he was able to let himself freely explore the emotional depths of his character in a believable way. – Emmanuel Noisette, The Movie Blog

Acting and directing simultaneously is no easy task, but Jordan knocks it out of the park, showing skill both in front of and behind the camera. – Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net

Directing and acting in the lead role is no easy task, but Jordan is able to give another powerful performance as Adonis Creed while also capturing strong performances from the cast. – John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

Jordan delivers, though one could tell his energy was split between acting and directing duties. – Brittany Witherspoon, Screen Rant

His performance feels a tad subdued, especially alongside a powerhouse like Majors as Damian. –  Jeff Nelson, Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Is Jonathan Majors effective as Creed’s rival?

Unforgettable. – Robert Daniels, Inverse

Majors continues his streak of being the most interesting person on screen no matter what he’s in… [He] makes Dame one of the most original antagonists in the franchise. – Clint Gage, IGN Movies

He creates one of the Rocky series’ most compelling and nuanced characters through the way he carries himself. – Siddhant Adlakha, Polygon

Damian is one of the most fascinating and disturbing antagonists in the history of the Rocky and Creed series… Jonathan Majors introduces us to the character’s vulnerabilities and then shocks us with his power. –  William Bibbiani, The Wrap

The actor imbues Damian with refreshing complexity. In a lesser performer’s hands, the character would have remained a thinly drawn antagonist to Adonis, someone we’d root to be defeated. – Lovia Gyarkye, Hollywood Reporter

Just the way he carries himself, turns his head, is fascinating and delivers more impact than any physical punch he lands. What a treat it is to watch this superb actor soar in the very commercial movies he has only made better. –  Joanna Langfield, The Movie Minute

While Majors does a phenomenal job with what he’s given… more time with Damian would have allowed for positioning his turn from an old friend to rival in a more salient way. –  Kate Sanchez, But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Is Sylvester Stallone’s absence an issue?

Creed III does not suffer for it. In fact, it’s because of his absence that Jordan is free to add his most interesting flare. – Clint Gage, IGN Movies

After eight installments with Stallone, his continued appearance in the series was more of a distraction from Creed’s story than a benefit. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

Stallone stepping away may have been the best thing for this franchise. – Alan Cerny, VitalThrills.com

As this is the first film without Rocky, it’s something that’s hard not to notice, especially in the more emotional moments of Adonis’s journey where Rocky would be a reliable support. – Douglas Davidson, Elements of Madness

There’s a scene in this movie where Adonis is at his lowest moment, has no one to turn to, and a nice pep talk from Adonis’s old pal Rocky would have been a nice moment. –  Mike Ryan, Uproxx

This film does not need Sylvester Stallone to succeed. However, because this is the third film in a spin-off trilogy part of the Rocky franchise, not having him there feels incomplete. –  Meredith Loftus, Next Best Picture

Will it leave us wanting more Creed ?

I’m curious after this if we will see more Creed . I actually hope so. – Mike Ryan, Uproxx

If Jordan continues working behind the camera, another pit stop or two with these characters and their story would be more than welcome. – Siddhant Adlakha, Polygon

If Creed III turns out to be the last Creed movie, it will prove to be a satisfying finale. But if not, it keeps the bar high. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

It could be a satisfying conclusion to Donnie’s story. It could also be the third of what might become five or six films that start to run together after a while. – Clint Gage, IGN Movies

Creed III proves the series need never end, so long as it keeps pushing forward. – William Bibbiani, The Wrap

I sure hope Creed doesn’t take the Rocky route and pump out sequel after sequel… If this is the final round for the Creed series, it’s a fitting, if predictable, end. – Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm

Creed III opens in theaters everywhere on March 3, 2023.

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'Creed III' review: Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors smack 'Rocky' movies back in gear

No Rocky , no problem.

The electric and satisfying “Creed III” (★★★½ out of four; rated PG-13; in theaters Friday) proves Sylvester Stallone's  long-running boxing-movie franchise is in good hands with Michael B. Jordan , both in front of and behind the camera. In addition to reprising his role as Adonis Creed , Jordan packs his directorial debut with the usual “Rocky” melodrama and bombastic ring entrances while freshening the series with stylish, anime-influenced fights and a new spotlight on deaf representation. 

The not-so-secret weapon, however, is a powerful antagonistic performance from Jonathan Majors (currently giving Marvel heroes fits and fists in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” ), who seems hellbent on punching up every film universe he can.

'Your heart just changes': Jonathan Majors talks 'Creed III,' Marvel's big bad Kang and being a dad

The first two “Creed” movies focused on Adonis becoming his own man and, with the help of Stallone’s Rocky Balboa, emerging from the shadow of his father, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). The threequel finds Adonis reveling in retirement: Instead of getting punched regularly, he enjoys tea parties with his daughter, Amara (Mila Davis-Kent), offers moral support to his music producer wife, Bianca ( Tessa Thompson ), and promotes the next generation of ring stars.

Things are going great, so of course that’s when Damian Anderson (Majors) shows up hanging next to Adonis’ Rolls-Royce. They were like brothers growing up in a LA group home for foster children, and the older Dame fostered big dreams as well as the natural talent to be an Olympic and professional fighter. An incident involving the two youngsters (revealed piecemeal through the movie) resulted in Dame's incarceration for two decades. Now out of jail, he wants to make up for lost time and yearns for Adonis to hook him up with a title shot while he still has “some gas in the tank.”

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Adonis is conflicted, though “Diamond Dame” hits home, reminding him of the time his dad gave little-known Rocky a match back in the day. Those close to Adonis are wary of his old friend’s intentions, but survivor’s guilt – and needing an opponent for current champ Felix Chavez (Jose Benavidez) – lead to a high-profile match where Dame shows his true colors, bad blood boils to the surface, and Adonis has to get back in shape for a showdown.

This is a “Creed” movie – and by extension a “Rocky” movie, though it’s the first without Stallone in it at all – so several years of ring rust is nothing a little hardcore training and pulling a small plane can’t fix. (In case you’re wondering, these films are still undefeated when it comes to rousing montages.) Like the best chapters of the franchise, this new narrative knows when to go over the top and when to stay grounded. And with the help of his wife and deaf daughter – who showcases a little of the Creed family spirit – Adonis needs to learn how to figure stuff out with his words as well as his fists. 

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Both come into play with Dame. Aside from Apollo, “Rocky” villains haven’t always been the deepest characters, but Majors creates something special here with a dark spin on the underdog tale. Mixing the fierceness and smack-talk of Mr. T’s Clubber Lang with real-life champ Mike Tyson’s ring gear and swagger, Majors infuses Dame with palpable pain and underlying rage.

There’s a spark every time Jordan and Majors are together, from a quiet diner scene early on – where Adonis’ face wears regret as much as Dame’s exudes desperation – to their spectacular brawl. Eschewing the normal climactic “Rocky” fight, Jordan instead crafts a match that ventures into the intriguingly fantastical with its emotional battlefield, then delivers a knockout coda.

An improvement on 2018’s “ Creed II ,” the new film doesn’t quite match the sheer exhilaration of Ryan Coogler’s fantastic 2015 original , yet with the unbeatable combination of Jordan’s eye for filmmaking and Majors’ phenomenal acting, it comes pretty close.

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What to Know

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.

A great directing debut for Michael B. Jordan, Creed III has more than enough action and emotion to satisfy Rocky fans -- even without Stallone in the picture.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Michael B. Jordan

Adonis Creed

Tessa Thompson

Jonathan Majors

Damian Anderson

Wood Harris

Tony "Little Duke" Burton

Mila Davis-Kent

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‘Creed II’ review

More than just a rematch, 'creed ii' is an emotional knockout.

We’ve reached the point in Hollywood’s timeline when everything old is new again — or at least, it tries to be.

It would be easy to dismiss  Creed II as the latest nostalgic cash grab along those lines, given its liberal sampling of  Rocky IV plot points, characters, and thematic elements. But that’s all just a feint.

Beyond all the trimmings of the Rocky rematch promised by  Creed II , the film packs a surprisingly powerful punch, and offers a layered story about the power we give the past and the way our actions resonate now and into the future.

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Directed by Steven Caple Jr. ( The Land ) from a story penned by Cheo Hodari Coker ( Luke Cage ) and Sascha Penn ( Power ),  Creed II follows boxer Adonis “Creed” Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) as he fights his way to becoming the heavyweight champion with former champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) by his side, only to be challenged by the son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the Russian boxer who killed his father in the ring years ago. Faced with an intimidating challenge from Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), the pressure to establish his own legacy outside of his father’s shadow, and impending fatherhood, Adonis must learn what he’s really fighting for if he’s going to stop the past from repeating itself.

The Rocky franchise had changed dramatically from the time of 1976 franchise-starter  Rocky to 1985’s  Rocky IV , with the original film prioritizing its characters’ emotional story arcs as they each fought in their own ways — some physically, some emotionally — for the lives they believed they deserved. Although it was released just nine years later,  R ocky IV  couldn’t be any more tonally different than the original, offering a story seemingly distilled from slogans on inspirational posters, wrapped up in a fist-pumping “U-S-A! U-S-A!” chant.

Whereas the narrative and themes of  Rocky IV  never dipped below surface level,  Creed II takes many of those same elements and takes a deeper dive into why they drive — and in the case of Rocky himself, initially drove — the characters to make the decisions they made and fight the battles they fought. Are Rocky’s reasons for stepping into the ring against Ivan years ago and avenging the death of Adonis’ father, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), as valid as Adonis’ desire to do the same by fighting Viktor? And how much power should we give the past?

These are the sort of tough questions that  Creed II asks amid all of the punches being thrown and cheer-worthy training montages, and they give the film a depth that  Rocky IV never explored.

Much like its predecessor,  Creed II benefits from focusing on its characters and their personal story arcs over the action in the boxing ring, and returning cast members Jordan, Stallone, Tessa Thompson, and Phylicia Rashad all deliver strong performances. Jordan in particular is given the chance to cover a wider range this time around, and he carries the weight of the franchise well. More so than the previous film,  Creed II feels like Adonis’ story now, and less of a franchise on loan from Rocky.

Along with all of the emotional depth and impressive performances in  Creed II , there’s also a sneaky self-awareness to the movie that makes it even more entertaining.

Lundgren and Munteanu also bring a pleasantly surprising level of depth to their characters, with  Creed II revealing Ivan’s side of the story and how his loss to Rocky years ago affected him in ways that shaped not just his life, but that of his son. No longer a one-dimensional villain, Ivan Drago is a fully fleshed-out person in  Creed II , and his arc — as well as his son’s story — add even more threads to the film’s tapestry of all-too-human characters and their lives.

In the role of a charismatic fight promoter,  Grimm and  Fences actor Russell Hornsby doesn’t get very much screen time, but his role is one that provides some of the film’s most timely commentary on popular culture and the power of nostalgia. Pushing Adonis to accept the challenge from Viktor, Hornsby’s character could just as easily be addressing every person who has ever complained about yet another remake, sequel, or reboot to come out of Hollywood.

Whether they realize it or not, this is the story they want to see play out, he explains. It’s a familiar drama, and one that doesn’t come organically. It’s manufactured because it will sell, and because there are such simple, powerful emotions we can easily attach to it.

Hornsby’s character only has a few lines, but they pack a self-aware punch that take  Creed II to another level.

Despite the success of  Creed , it was reasonable to wonder whether a sequel could maintain the positive “old is new again” vibe that made the reboot such a critical and commercial hit. Thanks to the great performances by its cast and some inspired filmmaking and storytelling from its creative team,  Creed II doesn’t just go the distance — it delivers another knockout win for one of Hollywood’s most popular franchises.

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Creed II Reviews Are In, Here’s What The Critics Are Saying

The Rocky film series proper officially wrapped up in 2006 with Rocky Balboa , but the mythology continues through the Creed spinoffs. In 2015, we met Adonis Creed, the son of the late Apollo Creed, and with Rocky Balboa in his corner, Adonis' journey to the big leagues echoed Rocky's own journey four decades earlier. Now we're reuniting with him in Creed II , where he's facing off against Viktor Drago , son of Ivan Drago , the man who killed Apollo in Rocky IV . Creed II is less than a week away from theaters, but reviews are now coming in, and it sounds like this movie is a decent follow-up to the first Creed movie, even if it doesn't do quite enough to stand on its own.

Starting off, CinemaBlend's own Mike Reyes awarded Creed II 4 out of 5 stars in his review , saying it did just as good of a job as Creed "when it comes to pumping an audience up." The sequel asks the question, 'What are you fighting for?', and while Adonis is the main character having to answer this, resulting in both his body and heart being challenged, but the other important characters also deal with that question, allowing the cast to be used to their full potential. There are issues with pacing and not exploring the Drago family's post- Rocky IV history enough, but these don't detract from the movie being "totally inspiring."

Creed II is absolutely exhilarating, touching gloves with the audience & knocking out expectations.

Uproxx 's Mike Ryan echoed these sentiments, highlighting how Creed II works well as a sequel of sorts to Rocky IV . With Adonis being Apollo Creed's son, it stands to reason that eventually Ivan Drago would have to be directly addressed in the Creed movies. But rather than tease out a confrontation with the Drago family over several movies like this is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Creed II jumps straight into the action, and as a result, the movie "feels pleasantly refreshing with its retro-ness."

...At its core, Creed II is about family. It's about Adonis Creed's relationship with Bianca and his continuing reconciliation with Apollo. It's about Ivan Drago and his son, and where the line is drawn when it comes to personal redemption. And it's about Rocky, struggling with the very few people he has left who he considers "family." For a movie that features a dramatic fight between people with the last name Creed and Drago, it's strangely sad and reflective.

Variety 's Owen Gleiberman complimented Creed II for being a "rousing and effective sequel," and even though much of its content feels familiar, there are a "couple of surprise punches" thrown in to keep us on our toes. However, compared to Creed or some of the earlier Rocky movies, the sequel feels "less exhilarating and more programmatic," though there's still enough to appreciate from it. Michael B. Jordan in particular delvers a great performance.

Creed II has been made with heart and skill, and Jordan invests each moment with such fierce conviction that he makes it all seem like it matters. Even if it all mattered a notable notch more in Creed.

Tom Jorgensen from IGN saw Creed II in a more mixed light, giving it a 6 out of 10. Despite the movie's lesson being that the only way to live up to a legacy is to create your own, Tom felt that Creed II doesn't have much of an identity on its own, as it's so heavily entrenched in what went down in Rocky IV . Subsequently, both of the Drago men fail to make much of an impression. However, Michael B. Jordan , Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson 's respective characters help carry the movie through its "shakier parts."

Adonis' story continues in Creed II, but the lackluster Dragos nearly break him and his budding franchise.

Angie Han from Mashable felt similarly, noting that in some ways Creed II feels like a "regression" from its predecessor. However, the sequel still works for the most part, whether it's "finding personality" in everyday events to the "odd sympathy" it engenders for Ivan and Viktor Drago. However, assuming this film series moves forward, Angie mentioned that it could learn a lesson from Adonis and "start making a name on its own" rather than keep looking back to the past.

It's not quite as smart as Creed, or quite as beautiful, and it doesn't have as much depth or nuance or texture. But it's got enough to deliver something satisfying and sweet.

Finally, Entertainment Weekly 's Chris Nashawaty gave Creed II a B+. In his review, he said that while it may have seemed desperate for Creed II to follow up on the events of Rocky IV , it actually worked for this movie. In the end, it serves as an "effective" sequel, though it's probably not a good idea for a hypothetical Creed III to not follow suit and do something like bring in Clubber Lang and his son as adversaries.

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The Land director Steven J. Caple Jr. has made a rousing tale about fathers and sons, guilt and redemption, loneliness and family -- just the sort of big, sledgehammer-subtle themes that have always propelled the series.

Overall, it sounds like Creed II will be enjoyable enough for fans of the Rocky franchise, even it relies a little too much on the past and doesn't to enough to build something special for itself. We'll have to wait and see whether the Creed franchise continues after this particular movie, but if it does, whoever helms the next installment will probably want to take measures to make it feel more unique.

You can judge Creed II for yourself when it opens in theaters on November 21, the same day as Ralph Breaks the Internet, Robin Hood, Green Book and Roma. As for what else there is to look forward to in the final weeks of 2018, head to our holiday premiere guide for that information, or you can get a head start on next year by looking through our 2019 release schedule .

Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore, Adam is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He started working for the site back in late 2014 writing exclusively comic book movie and TV-related articles, and along with branching out into other genres, he also made the jump to editing. Along with his writing and editing duties, as well as interviewing creative talent from time to time, he also oversees the assignment of movie-related features. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Journalism, and he’s been sourced numerous times on Wikipedia. He's aware he looks like Harry Potter and Clark Kent.

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Review: Michael B. Jordan delivers a brawler in ‘Creed III’

This image released by MGM shows Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed in a scene from “Creed III.” (Eli Ade/MGM via AP)

This image released by MGM shows Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, left, and Jonathan Majors as Damian Anderson, right, in a scene from “Creed III.” (Eli Ade/MGM via AP)

This image released by MGM shows Jonathan Majors in a scene from “Creed III.” (Eli Ade/MGM via AP)

This image released by MGM shows Michael B. Jordan, from left, Mila Kent and Tessa Thompson in a scene from “Creed III.” (Eli Ade/MGM via AP)

This image released by MGM shows Tessa Thompson, left, and Michael B. Jordan in a scene from “Creed III.” (Eli Ade/MGM via AP)

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It must be a daunting prospect to pick up a franchise on the third movie. Add in the pressure of following filmmakers like Ryan Coogler and Steven Caple Jr. in your directorial debut that you’re also starring in and it’s enough to make you wonder what on earth Michael B. Jordan was thinking.

But “ Creed III ,” in theaters nationwide Friday, is a new start for Adonis Creed. He’s finally out of the shadow of his father Apollo and Rocky Balboa, whose legacy loomed large over the first two films (Sylvester Stallone decided “Creed II” would be his last). With Rocky out of the way, and the younger Creed solidly in place as the best in the world, the franchise can breathe a little and grow.

Enter the Dame (not that kind of dame).

This one is in the form of Jonathan Majors, an old buddy from their teenage years in a group home in the early 2000s. Dame, or Damian Anderson, is a bit older than Creed. He’s the one who’s boxing in the underground matches at night. The young Creed (Thaddeus J. Mixon), a little awkward, a little too eager to please and a little too ready for trouble, is the one carrying water (and bags and gloves) and helping him strategize. There is a palpable menace established early on with these two — an unequal power and age dynamic, sure, but also the implication that Dame (Spence Moore II) is more than willing to play dirty. He carries a gun. He fixes games. And he has a hold on young Adonis. The flashback ends with a violent altercation outside a convenience store. Dame goes away. Creed becomes Creed.

This flashback is important but does get the film off to a bit of a slow start, jumping forward chronologically to Creed’s last fight and then to his present-day retirement life — a luxurious and tranquil existence in the Hollywood Hills in a modernist mansion with his daughter Amara (Mila Davis Kent) and wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson), who has given up singing mostly to produce hit records. Life is nice for the obscenely rich in LA: The clothes are expensive, the cars are price upon request, the house always spotless and the staff unseen (save for a chef in one scene). At the gym run by Duke (Wood Harris), he’s trying to mentor the next generation of champions.

Then Dame re-appears and the movies gets its urgency back. His old pal was locked up for 18 years after that incident and is freshly out of prison, wanting to pick up his life and his boxing aspirations where he left off. Creed is pleasant but guarded — for much of the film he acts like an aloof celebrity, hyper conscious of not letting anyone in too close and compartmentalizing the uglier aspects of his past. Still, he takes him out to lunch and offers to help him in any way he can. This is both the right thing to do and also a huge mistake.

Michael B. Jordan answers a question about whether Sylvester Stallone not being in #Creed3 might alienate original "Rocky" fans. pic.twitter.com/cNQrYTZMIX — The Associated Press (@AP) March 7, 2023

“Creed III” is, among other things, about what happens when men don’t talk about their feelings (and ignore Duke’s advice).

At times, it also feels more like a thriller than a sports film as you watch Dame infiltrate Creed’s world. It’s always Creed’s idea, there’s always an invitation, but Dame’s sudden omnipresence starts to feel unavoidable and ominous. Dame has a bit of Eve Harrington in him, but also a very real, very relatable chip on his shoulder for the time he lost. In another movie, he could very well be the underdog we’re rooting for — some of the audience may be rooting for him even so.

Lurking behind everything is the madness that comes from not being able to do what you were born to do. It’s something athletes grapple with earlier than most other professionals. An injury at 23 could take you out when you’re just getting started and in this film Creed, Dame and Bianca are having similar existential crises — though Dame’s desperation is the driving force behind everything that happens.

Jordan and his filmmaking team craft two particularly stunning matches full of suspense, drama and slow motion sweat beads flying through the air. These are only lessened by the cheesy, unhelpful announcers spouting cliches and no actually helpful exposition or explanation outside the ring. And ultimately, it’s a promising debut for the 36-year-old, who shows here that he’ll never let his own star ego get in the way of a film: Majors steals the show, and Jordan is there to capture it.

There’s a comforting but predictable rhythm to a boxing franchise like Rocky and now Creed. The movies must keep justifying themselves, inventing new challenges that make them all feel different enough. But most essentially boil down to the same framework: You have to knock the champion down to a believable underdog again. While there is a case to be made for the final fight to, let’s just say, go a different way than it does, “Creed III” is still a knockout.

“Creed III,” an MGM release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for, “Violence, some strong language and intense sports action.” Running Time: 116 minutes. Three stars out of four. —- MPA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. —- Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr .

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‘creed ii’: what the critics are saying.

The critics are mixed when it comes to reviews of 'Creed II.'

By Graeme McMillan

Graeme McMillan

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Michael B. Jordan’s second outing as Adonis Johnson is about to arrive in theaters three years after Ryan Coogler’s critically acclaimed Creed. But without the original’s director — Steven Caple Jr. steps in to replace Coogler, who stayed on as an executive producer while preoccupied with goings-on in Wakanda — does the new movie manage to land the punch that fans are hoping for?

The Hollywood Reporter ’s Todd McCarthy was not in the corner of the sequel, writing, “As  Rocky II  was to  Rocky , so is  Creed II  to its powerhouse progenitor — that is, a pale shadow of its daddy. Slack and unexciting compared to Ryan Coogler’s blisteringly good 2015 reconception of a 1970s icon for modern audiences, this follow-up is an undeniable disappointment in nearly every way, from its dreary homefront interludes to a climactic boxing match that feels far-fetched in the extreme.”

Others were similarly unimpressed. Sam Adams at Slate wrote that “the movie feels like a throwback to a time when the primary purpose of sequels was to squeeze out a little more juice, not build a framework sturdy enough to support any number of future projects,” and adding that “it’s depressing that after  Creed ’s success,  Creed II  feels like it’s just a step above a straight-to-video knockoff, designed to get a little more from the first movie’s audience but not to increase it.”

…Ouch. Not everyone was so unkind, however. Polygon ’ s Karen Han noted that ”It’s funny … that this sequel should feel like it’s struggling to fill its predecessor’s shoes, given the way its characters struggle with much the same thing. Unlike Adonis and Viktor, however,  Creed II  never manages to step out of that shadow,” while Mashable ’s Angie Han wrote that the movie “mostly works. It’s not quite as smart as  Creed , or quite as beautiful, and it doesn’t have as much depth or nuance or texture. But it’s got enough to deliver something satisfying and sweet.”

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And, as the AV Club ’s Jesse Hassenger argued, perhaps that’s enough of a victory in and of itself. “Just as  Rocky  was too low-key and charming to spawn a fully worthy successor for several decades,  Creed  so elevates its franchise roots that even a pretty good sequel can’t land with the same impact. Then again, a 2018 movie called  Creed II  expanding on  Rocky IV  to become one of the better  Rocky  movies may be another minor miracle on its own.”

Not that everyone was looking for a consolation prize, however. Benjamin Lee of The Guardian wrote, “While it’s not quite the showstopper that its predecessor was, Creed II is still another knockout piece of entertainment. … Even though the majority of audience members will be able to predict the film’s trajectory despite an early attempt at a surprise, this has no adverse effect on one’s enjoyment. There’s almost something comforting about the formula especially when it’s laid out with such vibrancy and, as in Creed , such heartfelt humanity.”

Similarly, IndieWire ’s Eric Kohn called the movie a “slick and involving sequel” that “follows all the familiar motions revived with Creed . But in the context of this resilient franchise, the movie hits each beat with the calculated precision of its tireless fighter.”

So, is Creed II just a retread of familiar spaces, and, if so, is that even a problem? Perhaps Los Angeles Times critic Justin Chang has it right. “[I]f cinematic history is doomed to repeat itself, it’s comforting to remember that sameness is one of the reasons we go to a boxing picture in the first place, where even the hoariest B-movie clichés, much like a well-practiced swing or punch, can still land with devastating force and feeling,” he wrote, calling the pic “the rare sequel that doesn’t wind up feeling like the same old mistake.”

Maybe it’s no knockout, but it’s better than nothing. Creed II will be released Nov. 21.

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