Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut comes out swinging with a much darker entry in the Creed franchise, and one that separates Jordan's legacy from Stallone, just as it separates Creed's from Rocky's.
It's a tight and driven storyline about a man confronting his past. The city of LA is bursting through every frame, instead of an afterthought in like Creed II. It confronts the city's inequality and encapsulates its vast urban expanse.
Jonathan Majors delivers a stellar performance as a series-best villain. His performance is very physical as he fights in character and has a broken demeanor to him. He speaks as if there is pain behind every word. Like Jordan's own Killmonger in Black Panther, Majors' character elicits sympathy even as he opposes Creed, making for a dynamic and engaging conflict.
[SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT]
In contrast with Creed II's "bottle it up inside and fight through it the pain", Creed learns to work through his personal trauma and come out stronger mentally. This growth provides Bianca (Tessa Thompson) with a more substantial role, as the two characters become more emotionally equal and learn to respect each other. While he needed to defend his legacy physically, he only finds closure when he apologized to Dame. This harkens back nicely to Rocky's quote in Creed I about how you're only battling yourself in the ring.
Overall, Creed III is a fantastic theatrical experience that lives up to its predecessors and stands on its own as a powerful and engaging story.
Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut comes out swinging with a much darker entry in the Creed franchise, and one that separates Jordan's legacy from Stallone, just as it separates Creed's from Rocky's.
It's a tight and driven storyline about a man confronting his past. The city of LA is bursting through every frame, instead of an afterthought in like Creed II. It confronts the city's inequality and encapsulates its vast urban expanse.
Jonathan Majors delivers a stellar performance as a series-best villain. His performance is very physical as he fights in character and has a broken demeanor to him. He speaks as if there is pain behind every word. Like Jordan's own Killmonger in Black Panther, Majors' character elicits sympathy even as he opposes Creed, making for a dynamic and engaging conflict.
[SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT]
In contrast with Creed II's "bottle it up inside and fight through it the pain", Creed learns to work through his personal trauma and come out stronger mentally. This growth provides Bianca (Tessa Thompson) with a more substantial role, as the two characters become more emotionally equal and learn to respect each other. While he needed to defend his legacy physically, he only finds closure when he apologized to Dame. This harkens back nicely to Rocky's quote in Creed I about how you're only battling yourself in the ring.
Overall, Creed III is a fantastic theatrical experience that lives up to its predecessors and stands on its own as a powerful and engaging story.
